Life & Travels in the Northwest 1850–1899 by Arne Schaefer

Life & Travels in the Northwest 1850–1899: Namaqualand, West Coast & Bushmanland is a fascinating collection of historical accounts arranged and annotated by Arne Schaefer, with drawings by noted South African artist and illustrator Tony Grogan. Published by Yoshi Publishing – Africana Books in Cape Town in 2008, this is the first edition.

Life & Travels in the Northwest explores the extraordinary transformation of South Africa’s northwestern regions during the second half of the nineteenth century. Beginning around 1850, the discovery and development of Namaqualand’s rich copper deposits brought miners, engineers, prospectors, surveyors, transport riders, officials and other travellers into what had previously been an exceptionally remote and sparsely populated region.

Drawing upon historical accounts and printed sources, Schaefer brings together the experiences of people who travelled, lived and worked through Namaqualand, Bushmanland and the West Coast between 1850 and 1899. Their stories record the hardships of travel, mining and everyday life, as well as encounters with local inhabitants, regional conflicts and the sometimes unusual personalities who populated this isolated landscape.

Schaefer’s long-standing interest in Namaqualand and its history gives Life & Travels in the Northwest particular regional depth, while Tony Grogan’s drawings add an attractive visual dimension. The result is a valuable work for readers interested in Africana, Namaqualand, Northern Cape history, South African mining history, exploration and nineteenth-century travel. The relatively specialised regional subject matter also makes this an appealing addition to an established Africana collection.

Condition – Near Fine

Near Fine 2008 paperback. The covers remain very well preserved with only minor signs of handling. Foxing is present.