TWENTY YEARS IN KHAMA'S COUNTRY AND PIONEERING AMONG THE BATAUANA OF LAKE NGAMI (1895)

Publisher's green cloth binding with gilt on front panel and spine.

xiii + 397pp. Illustrated.

Binding clean with minimal rubbing. Hinges starting. Pages clean.

"Frank Thorold" blind stamp on bottom corner of title page. Pencil note on front paste down "13 Sept '49, 11/- from Frank Thorold" which I assume means that this copy was purchased by a collector from Frank Thorold, the leading Africana bookdealers in Johannesburg from 1904 to 2011, for 11 Shillings in 1949.

'The London Missionary Society having appointed Mr. Hepburn as a colleague to Mr. Mackenzie in the mission to the Bamangwato tribe, Mr. and Mrs. Hepburn and Mr. and Mrs. Mackenzie arrived in Shoshong in August 1871, and were received and welcomed by the young chiefs, Khama and Khamane. It is stated that at this period the chief of the Bechuanas, Sekhome, had deputed his authority to a native named Macheng, in order to disinherit Khama, his son and lawful heir. Macheng, prompted by Kuruman, a brother of Lobengula, determined to banish the missionaries from the country, but the troops he sent to effect his purpose defied his authority and, matters reaching a crisis, Khama, with the assistance of Sechele, drove Macheng out of the kingdom and assumed the chief authority. Many difficulties had to be encountered, owing to the young chief's anomalous position with regard to his father Sekhome, but finally, early in the year 1875, Khama was firmly established as "undisputed chief of the Bamangwato," and a brighter day dawned "not only for his own people, but also for the missionaries and their work.' - Mendelssohn Vol.I, page 705