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This series focuses on Africa during the period of European colonial expansion. It includes anthropological studies, travel accounts from missionaries and explorers (including those searching for the sources of the Nile and the Congo) and works that shed light on colonial concerns such as gold mining, big game hunting, trade, education and political rivalries.

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103 results in Cambridge Library Collection - African Studies

Page 2 of 6

William Cotton Oswell, Hunter and Explorer
  • The Story of his Life with Certain Correspondence and Extracts from the Private Journal of David Livingstone, Hitherto Unpublished
  • Volume 2
  • William Edward Oswell
  • Published online:
    05 March 2012
    Print publication:
    02 June 2011
    First published in:
    1900
  • The life of English explorer William Cotton Oswell (1818–93) was marked by adventures and discoveries. At nineteen, he left Essex for Madras, where he worked for the East India Company and became a renowned elephant catcher. Due to poor health, he was sent to South Africa, the 'empire of wild sport', where he specialised in hunting and exploration. He discovered the River Zouga and Lake Ngami during an expedition across the Kalahari desert, and travelled to the Zambezi River with Scottish missionary David Livingstone. Originally published in 1900, this two-volume biography was written by Oswell's eldest son. Since Oswell kept no diary, his life is here reconstructed through the many letters he sent to his family and friends. Volume 2 opens with Oswell's return to England in 1852, and includes an account of his journey to the Crimean front, where he worked in hospitals between 1854 and 1855.

William Cotton Oswell, Hunter and Explorer
  • The Story of his Life with Certain Correspondence and Extracts from the Private Journal of David Livingstone, Hitherto Unpublished
  • Volume 1
  • William Edward Oswell
  • Published online:
    05 November 2011
    Print publication:
    02 June 2011
    First published in:
    1900
  • The life of English explorer William Cotton Oswell (1818–93) was marked by adventures and discoveries. At nineteen, he left Essex for Madras, where he worked for the East India Company and became a renowned elephant catcher. Due to poor health, he was sent to South Africa, the 'empire of wild sport', where he specialised in hunting and exploration. He discovered the River Zouga and Lake Ngami during an expedition across the Kalahari desert, and travelled to the Zambezi River with Scottish missionary David Livingstone. Originally published in 1900, this two-volume biography was written by Oswell's eldest son. Since Oswell kept no diary, his life is here reconstructed through the many letters he sent to his family and friends. Volume 1 focuses on Oswell's youth. It describes the seven years he spent in India, where he trained as a surgeon, and his five African expeditions from 1844 to 1852.

Pioneering on the Congo
  • Volume 1
  • W. Holman Bentley
  • Published online:
    05 February 2012
    Print publication:
    02 June 2011
    First published in:
    1900
  • William Holman Bentley (1855–1905) was a missionary who spent twenty-one years in the area of the Congo. Originally published in 1900, these two volumes document the pioneering work of travellers to the area between 1879 and 1899. During that time it progressed from being virtually unexplored to a fully charted region with government officers, traders and missionaries operating far and wide. As the only foreign witness to the entire period, Bentley provides an authoritative account of the dramatic developments he observed in the Congo's geography, culture, religion and commerce. Volume 1 sets the discussion within a historical context, and moves on to recount the missionaries' objectives and their effect on the native tribes. Finishing by revealing the important discovery of a new route to the upper river, it presents a unique and insightful study that remains relevant to geographers, ethnologists and historians alike.

West African Studies
  • Mary Kingsley
  • Published online:
    05 December 2011
    Print publication:
    09 December 2010
    First published in:
    1899
  • Mary Kingsley (1862–1900) is one of the best known Victorian women travellers, whose solo adventures in West Africa made her a celebrity in England. This, her second book, published in 1899, was an instant best-seller. She travelled extensively, engaging in trade both to fund her trip and to get to know the African people, rather than merely observing as an outsider. Some of her views were considered controversial - she opposed the attempts by missionaries to impose European culture on native people, and defended polygamy and even slavery. She opposed direct colonial rule, and wanted Africans to have more self-determination. Her observations and interests are wide-ranging, and she showed an acute and sympathetic understanding of West African culture and society.For more information on this author, see http://orlando.cambridge.org/public/svPeople?person_id=kingma

The Congo State
  • Or, the Growth of Civilisation in Central Africa
  • Demetrius Charles Boulger
  • Published online:
    05 May 2013
    Print publication:
    07 June 2012
    First published in:
    1898
  • Written by the historian and biographer Demetrius C. Boulger (1853–1928), this history of early Belgian rule in the Congo was first published in 1898. The book documents nineteenth-century colonial activity after King Leopold II (1835–1909) assumed private control of the Congo Free State following the Berlin Conference in 1884. Exposed by the Casement Report of 1904, Leopold's controversial administration of the territory has become infamous for its exploitation of the local people and natural resources. Boulger's pro-Leopold account describes the Congolese population and environment, the presence and decline of the slave trade in the area, interaction with other European colonial powers, and the introduction of technologies such as the railway and telegraph. Including more than fifty illustrations, this book offers a fascinating insight into nineteenth-century colonial zeal.

Through South Africa
  • Being an Account of his Recent Visit to Rhodesia, the Transvaal, Cape Colony and Natal
  • Henry Morton Stanley
  • Published online:
    25 October 2011
    Print publication:
    14 July 2011
    First published in:
    1898
  • Henry Morton Stanley (1841–1904), the Welsh-born explorer famous for his 1871 meeting with the missionary David Livingstone, travelled widely in Africa. First published in 1898, this is a compendium of letters written by Stanley during his travels to Bulawayo, Johannesburg and Pretoria, which lend a unique insight into colonial South Africa in the late nineteenth century. Focusing on the country's culture and commercial development, he recalls his impressions of industries such as railways, farms and gold mines, social issues such as immigration and poverty, and the contentious relations between the Boer peoples and the British colonists which led to the Second Boer War. Through his passionate exposition, we learn of his adversity towards President Kruger's policies, and his compassion for the people who he claims were left to starve because the government's priorities were military. His memoirs provide a revealing snapshot of an important period in South Africa's history.

Travels in West Africa, Congo Français, Corisco and Cameroons
  • Mary Kingsley
  • Published online:
    05 March 2012
    Print publication:
    18 November 2010
    First published in:
    1897
  • Mary Kingsley (1862–1900) is one of the best-known Victorian women travellers, whose solo adventures in West Africa made her a celebrity in England. This, her first book, published in 1897, was an instant best-seller. She travelled extensively, engaging in trade both to fund her trip and to get to know the African people, rather than merely observing as an outsider. She brought back quantities of natural specimens, three of which were named after her. On her return to England she was asked to give numerous lectures. Some of her views were considered controversial - she opposed the attempts by missionaries to impose European culture on native people, and defended polygamy and even slavery. Her observations and interests are wide-ranging, and she showed an acute and sympathetic understanding of West African culture and society. For more information on this author, see http://orlando.cambridge.org/public/svPeople?person_id=kingma

Hausaland
  • Or, Fifteen Hundred Miles through the Central Soudan
  • Charles Henry Robinson
  • Published online:
    07 October 2011
    Print publication:
    19 May 2011
    First published in:
    1896
  • Charles Henry Robinson (1861–1925) was a Cambridge scholar who, during the 1890s, published several books on the language, literature and culture of the Hausa people of West Africa. This study, published in 1896, documents his pioneering fieldwork during which, in three months, he travelled 1500 miles across rivers, mountains, villages and towns. Public interest in the Hausa was high at the time, due to their recruitment as troops by Britain in the Ashanti conflict, and by France to consolidate French power in Madagascar. However, Robinson argues against the perception of the Hausa as primarily a warlike people, despite their formidable strength in battle. In this vivid account of his time among them, he portrays the Hausa as successful traders who excelled above all in commercial endeavours. Exploring enterprises from textiles and tobacco to hunting and river transportation, Robinson gives fascinating first-hand insights into this important African community.

Travel and Adventure in South-East Africa
  • Frederick Courteney Selous
  • Published online:
    25 October 2011
    Print publication:
    19 May 2011
    First published in:
    1893
  • Frederick Courteney Selous (1851–1917) was a British explorer, officer, hunter, and conservationist, famous for his work in south-east Africa. In early 1882 he embarked on an eleven-year expedition to record species that, to his great sadness, were becoming endangered. First published in 1893, these revealing memoirs document the wildlife, landscapes and people that characterised his journey. Through vivid descriptions and extensive illustrations, he recalls exhilarating adventures with lions, leopards, hyenas and crocodiles, recounts challenging treks across lakes and mountains, and describes hostile - and at times barbaric - encounters with native peoples. Detailed accounts of hunting endeavours, colonial institutions, and commercial enterprises such as gold mining, also feature in this study, which provides a unique and diverse perspective on Africa in the late nineteenth century. Insightful and revealing, Selous' experiences remain of enduring interest to geographers, anthropologists, zoologists, and all those interested in African history and culture.

Adventures in Mashonaland
  • By Two Hospital Nurses
  • Rose Blennerhassett, Lucy Sleeman
  • Published online:
    05 December 2011
    Print publication:
    22 September 2011
    First published in:
    1893
  • Written by Rosanna ('Rose') Blennerhassett (c.1844–1907), the daughter of baronet Sir Arthur Blennerhassett, this work of 1893 recounts the adventures of two Anglican nurses who worked in Umtali (now Mutare in northern Zimbabwe). In 1890 Blennerhassett sailed to Johannesburg to nurse victims of a typhoid outbreak, meeting Lucy Sleeman on board. At the end of their period of service, the pair opted to go north into Mashonaland rather than returning to England. They undertook a two-week journey of 190 miles on foot in the bush from the Pungwe river to Umtali, where they established the first hospital, in a series of beehive-shaped mud huts. The pair remained there for two years, often working without a doctor. The book recounts every aspect of their daily adventures, from baking cakes and constructing coffins out of whisky cases to bizarre encounters with witch hunters, a man-eating lion, and Cecil Rhodes.

The Life of John William Colenso, D.D.
  • Bishop of Natal
  • Volume 2
  • George William Cox
  • Published online:
    05 March 2012
    Print publication:
    02 June 2011
    First published in:
    1888
  • The prolific nineteenth-century historian and liberal churchman George William Cox (1827–1902) published this biography of the controversial bishop John William Colenso (1814–83) in 1888. Colenso was appointed the first Bishop of Natal in 1853, and in the next few years he oversaw the completion of the cathedral in Pietermaritzburg and the building of churches in Durban and Richmond, established mission stations and learned Zulu. He was heavily criticised for his tolerance of Zulu practices and for his view that the Old Testament was not literally true. Eventually he was excommunicated, though he retained a loyal following. Cox had accompanied Colenso on his first visit to South Africa in 1853, and remained a fervent supporter of the bishop's work, eventually being nominated (unsuccessfully) as his successor. Volume 2 covers the period from 1865 to Colenso's death, focusing on his support for indigenous rights in the face of colonialist injustice.

The Life of John William Colenso, D.D.
  • Bishop of Natal
  • Volume 1
  • George William Cox
  • Published online:
    05 February 2012
    Print publication:
    02 June 2011
    First published in:
    1888
  • The prolific nineteenth-century historian and liberal churchman George William Cox (1827–1902) published this biography of the controversial bishop John William Colenso (1814–83) in 1888. Colenso was appointed the first Bishop of Natal in 1853, and in the next few years he oversaw the completion of the cathedral in Pietermaritzburg and the building of churches in Durban and Richmond, established mission stations and learned Zulu. He was heavily criticised for his tolerance of Zulu practices and for his view that the Old Testament was not literally true. Eventually he was excommunicated, though he retained a loyal following. Cox had accompanied Colenso on his first visit to South Africa in 1853, and remained a fervent supporter of the bishop's work, eventually being nominated (unsuccessfully) as his successor. Volume 1 covers Colenso's early years in Cornwall, his education at Cambridge, his appointment as bishop, and the furore surrounding his theology.

John Dunn, Cetywayo and the Three Generals
  • John Dunn
  • Edited by D. C. F. Moodie
  • Published online:
    07 September 2011
    Print publication:
    02 June 2011
    First published in:
    1886
  • John Dunn (1834–95) became an infamous figure ('a perfect gorilla') in Britain after his involvement in the Anglo-Zulu war of 1879. A British subject who had lived all his life in South Africa, he spent his early years learning to be an expert hunter of large game before becoming a confidant of the Zulu king Cetshwayo, quickly accumulating wealth and power; although already married, he took forty-nine wives and fathered one hundred and seventeen children. However, when war broke out he sided with the British against his former friend and patron, and was rewarded with a huge tract of territory in the former Zulu kingdom. This book, published in 1886 and edited by his friend D. C. F. Moodie (1838–91), presents his side of the story, and contains fascinating insights into an extraordinary life lived among the Zulus in the nineteenth century.

My African Travels
  • Henry Morton Stanley
  • Published online:
    29 August 2010
    Print publication:
    20 July 2009
    First published in:
    1886
  • Published in 1886, My African Travels is a succinct record of British American explorer Henry Morton Stanley's adventurous African expeditions during 1871–1884 and the results of his travels. Stanley, was commissioned by New York Herald to undertake a secret mission to find and rescue the Scottish missionary David Livingstone, who was lost in the midst of the African jungle. Stanley describes his journey through the forests and rivers of Africa and his encounters with the African wildlife, tribespeople, and Arab settlers and traders amidst the variegated beauty of places such as Unyamwezi, Usagara, Ukawendi, and Tanganika districts. Ranging over events such as Stanley's historic rescue of Livingstone to Livingstone's death and Stanley's further expeditions in Africa and his exploration and development of the Congo state, My African Travels is the saga of a passionate explorer with graphic descriptions of the vicissitudes of an African journey.

The Congo and the Founding of its Free State
  • A Story of Work and Exploration
  • Volume 2
  • Henry Morton Stanley
  • Published online:
    05 November 2011
    Print publication:
    25 August 2011
    First published in:
    1885
  • Sir Henry Morton Stanley (1841–1904) was a journalist and explorer renowned for his adventures in Africa. After emigrating to America in 1859, Stanley worked as a journalist for the New York Herald. In 1869 he was instructed to undertake an expedition to find the missionary David Livingstone, and the success of this mission brought him public recognition and financial success. These volumes, first published in 1885, provide an account of Stanley's exploration of the Congo river in the service of Leopold II of Belgium between 1879 and 1884. Deriving from Stanley's journal, the books describe the difficulties he faced as he founded permanent trading stations, and his negotiations with indigenous leaders, together with his plans for the commercial exploitation of Africa. Stanley's controversial methods to achieve this aim, which led to his modern reputation as a racist and imperialist, are also revealed. Volume 2 covers 1883–4.

The Congo and the Founding of its Free State
  • A Story of Work and Exploration
  • Volume 1
  • Henry Morton Stanley
  • Published online:
    05 November 2011
    Print publication:
    25 August 2011
    First published in:
    1885
  • Sir Henry Morton Stanley (1841–1904) was a journalist and explorer renowned for his adventures in Africa. After emigrating to America in 1859, Stanley worked as a journalist for the New York Herald. In 1869 he was instructed to undertake an expedition to find the missionary David Livingstone, and the success of this mission brought him public recognition and financial success. These volumes, first published in 1885, provide an account of Stanley's exploration of the Congo river in the service of Leopold II of Belgium between 1879 and 1884. Deriving from Stanley's personal journal, the books describe the difficulties he faced as he founded permanent trading stations, and his negotiations with indigenous leaders, together with his plans for the commercial exploitation of Africa. Stanley's controversial methods to achieve this aim, which led to his modern reputation as a racist and imperialist, are also revealed. Volume 1 covers 1879–83.

To the Gold Coast for Gold
  • A Personal Narrative
  • Volume 2
  • Richard Francis Burton, Verney Lovett Cameron
  • Published online:
    05 March 2012
    Print publication:
    02 June 2011
    First published in:
    1883
  • First published in 1883, this travel memoir chronicles the journey into West Africa undertaken by explorers Richard Burton (1821–90) and Verney Lovett Cameron (1844–94) in 1881. The mission for the two men was to assess the mining potential of the west coast, first observed by Burton in a publication that had appeared twenty years earlier. Volume 2 starts with the men in Sierra Leone and describes the journey to Axim, 'the gold port of the past and the future' in Ghana. The subsequent chapters describe various expeditions made out of Axim and the examination of some mines. The journey was cut short by the Foreign Office, who feared for the safety of the two explorers. Burton returned to Europe with a large collection of plant and animal specimens, and the pair sent 151 plant species, lists of which are included in the appendices, to Kew Gardens.

To the Gold Coast for Gold
  • A Personal Narrative
  • Volume 1
  • Richard Francis Burton, Verney Lovett Cameron
  • Published online:
    05 March 2012
    Print publication:
    02 June 2011
    First published in:
    1883
  • First published in 1883, this travel memoir describes the journey into West Africa undertaken by explorers Richard Burton (1821–90) and Verney Lovett Cameron (1844–94) in 1881. The mission for the two men was to assess the mining potential of the west coast, first observed by Burton in a publication that had appeared twenty years earlier. The first few chapters of Volume 1 cover Burton's journey from Trieste to Lisbon, Madeira and Tenerife and on to Africa during the winter of 1881, including descriptions of Mount Atlas and the Canary Islands. The volume finishes with their arrival in Sierra Leone. The expedition was cut short by the Foreign Office, who feared for the safety of the two explorers. Burton returned to Europe with a large collection of plant and animal specimens, and the pair sent 151 plant species, lists of which are included in the appendices, to Kew Gardens.

A Year's Housekeeping in South Africa
  • Mary Anne Barker
  • Published online:
    05 November 2011
    Print publication:
    30 June 2011
    First published in:
    1877
  • First published in 1877, this book is one of several colonial memoirs by the successful writer and journalist Lady Mary Anne Barker (1831–1911). Born in Jamaica and educated in England and France, Lady Barker spent periods living in New Zealand, South Africa, Mauritius, Trinidad, and Western Australia following the career and colonial service appointments of her second husband, Frederick Broome. She arrived in Natal in 1875 and lived there for three years while Broome was Colonial Secretary. This book, presented in the form of letters, vividly describes the family's experiences and domestic life. It begins with Barker's early impressions of Cape Town and Natal, mentioning particularly the 'forlorn and discouraging' Robben Island. Barker's detailed observations on African weather and scenery, Zulu customs and beliefs, and the interactions between indigenous people and the European colonists are still an invaluable resource for those interested in nineteenth-century colonial Africa.

Two Trips to Gorilla Land and the Cataracts of the Congo
  • Volume 2
  • Richard Francis Burton
  • Published online:
    05 November 2011
    Print publication:
    02 June 2011
    First published in:
    1876
  • Sir Richard Burton (1821–90) is well known for his colourful career, recorded in numerous books and articles, as a diplomat, explorer and ethnographer. In 1861 he was appointed consul to Fernando Po (now Bioko) in Equatorial Guinea, remaining there for four years until he was transferred to Brazil. These volumes collate the expeditions and ethnographic observations made during his time there. In his preface, Burton writes that the 'plain truth' about the African has not been told in Britain, declaring that English occupation of West Africa has proved 'a remarkable failure'. First published in 1876, the second volume recounts a journey made from Fernando Po to Loango Bay and up the Congo River. Of particular interest is the penultimate chapter, 'The slaver and the missionary in the Congo River', in which Burton expresses his ambivalence towards a European presence in Africa. Volume 2 also includes appendices containing geographical observations.

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