BAINES, Thomas (1822-1875). Autograph letter signed 'T Baines', in pencil, to [James] Chapman "Logier Hill, the East headland of the valley & river of the same name/South bank of the Zambesi between the Matietsie and Luisi Rivers - approximate Lat. 18-4-31', 2 October 1862, 3¼ pages, 4to , three illustrations in text, address panel 'J Chapman Esq Boana', creasing in upper left-hand corner of each leaf, small tears affecting both leaves along upper and right-hand margins, lower right-hand margins damaged by insects with loss of text on three lines, traces of guard. AN IMPORTANT LETTER FROM THE SOUTH BANK OF THE ZAMBESI FROM BAINES TO CHAPMAN, written during their temporary separation after their arrival at the Victoria Falls. The background to this letter is described in the final chapter of Baines's Explorations in South-West Africa (1864), "Commencing our journey at Walvisch Bay...in the beginning of 1861, we found ourselves at day-break on Wednesday, 23rd July 1862...in readiness for the last march between us and the falls." Baines and Chapman spent a few days at the Victoria Falls sketching and photographing "this mighty work of the Creator." Their plan was to build a boat to enable them to ascertain whether the Zambesi was navigable to the east coast. Chapman left for Boana leaving Baines to commence the building of the boat. Baines established a campsite for himself high above the fever-mists from the river. He named the hill, the ravine and the dry river to the west of it after his Cape Town friend, the musician Frederick Logier. He describes his choice of location, his search for game to feed his party, and his conversations with the local inhabitants to gain information. ('I began to see very clearly that the tale of the cataract was a lie or an exaggeration of the rapids invented to deter me from going further - and having of course the opposite effect, as it would have been to say the least exceedingly stupid to build a boat...like Robinson Crusoe's great canoe...from ever being of any use to us'). He expresses the hope that they come across 'the hospitable people Dr. Livingstone speaks of' although he suspected that 'it was the strength of his party that enforced their liberality...The Chief...has sent me one bowl of beer as a present'.
BAINES, Thomas (1822-1875). Autograph letter signed 'T Baines', in pencil, to [James] Chapman "Logier Hill, the East headland of the valley & river of the same name/South bank of the Zambesi between the Matietsie and Luisi Rivers - approximate Lat. 18-4-31', 2 October 1862, 3¼ pages, 4to , three illustrations in text, address panel 'J Chapman Esq Boana', creasing in upper left-hand corner of each leaf, small tears affecting both leaves along upper and right-hand margins, lower right-hand margins damaged by insects with loss of text on three lines, traces of guard. AN IMPORTANT LETTER FROM THE SOUTH BANK OF THE ZAMBESI FROM BAINES TO CHAPMAN, written during their temporary separation after their arrival at the Victoria Falls. The background to this letter is described in the final chapter of Baines's Explorations in South-West Africa (1864), "Commencing our journey at Walvisch Bay...in the beginning of 1861, we found ourselves at day-break on Wednesday, 23rd July 1862...in readiness for the last march between us and the falls." Baines and Chapman spent a few days at the Victoria Falls sketching and photographing "this mighty work of the Creator." Their plan was to build a boat to enable them to ascertain whether the Zambesi was navigable to the east coast. Chapman left for Boana leaving Baines to commence the building of the boat. Baines established a campsite for himself high above the fever-mists from the river. He named the hill, the ravine and the dry river to the west of it after his Cape Town friend, the musician Frederick Logier. He describes his choice of location, his search for game to feed his party, and his conversations with the local inhabitants to gain information. ('I began to see very clearly that the tale of the cataract was a lie or an exaggeration of the rapids invented to deter me from going further - and having of course the opposite effect, as it would have been to say the least exceedingly stupid to build a boat...like Robinson Crusoe's great canoe...from ever being of any use to us'). He expresses the hope that they come across 'the hospitable people Dr. Livingstone speaks of' although he suspected that 'it was the strength of his party that enforced their liberality...The Chief...has sent me one bowl of beer as a present'.
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
