Adventures in the Far Interior of South Africa Author: J. Leyland (John Leyland)
Adventures in the Far Interior of South Africa (Limited Edition #260 of 1000)
A Classic Naturalist's Trek to Lake Ngami and Field Specimen Guide
Bibliographic Specifications
- Title: Adventures in the Far Interior of South Africa
- Author: J. Leyland (John Leyland)
- Publisher: C. Struik, Cape Town (Africana Collectanea Series, Volume XL)
- Publication Date: 1972 (Facsimile Reprint of the 1866 Routledge First Edition)
- ISBN-10: 0869770144
- Edition Details: Africana Collectanea Series Facsimile Edition. Restricted print run of 1,000 numbered copies, this copy being No. 260.
- Binding: Original publisher's premium full library cloth hardcover, meticulously bound with sharp corners, pristine joints, and bright gilt spine impressions.
- Physical Format: Octavo (8vo), 289 pages. Complete with full-page historical illustrations and extensive technical natural history appendices.
- Language: English
Official Condition Report
- The Book: Very Good Plus (VG+)
- Exterior / Boards: The primary cloth covers are exceptionally flat, square, and bright. The spine is completely unbroken, crisp, and uncreased. Free from shelf lean or corner bumping.
- Interior: The text block is robustly bound, clean, and tight. The internal pages and illustrative plates are bright white, crisp, and immaculate. Free of standard user highlighting, dealer pencil markings, or dog-ears.
- The Dust Jacket: Very Good Plus (VG+)
- Condition Detail: The highly illustrative original dust jacket is in wonderful, bright condition with no major chips, tears, or paper loss. It is now protected with a fresh, museum-grade plastic cover to secure its long-term investment value.
Synopsis & Historical Value
Originally published in London in 1866, Adventures in the Far Interior of South Africa documents three major mid-19th-century expeditions undertaken by British naturalist John Leyland between 1848 and 1852. Leyland traveled deep into the Cape interior, Bechuanaland, and the Kalahari Desert, successfully reaching the remote shores of Lake Ngami.
His fascinating narrative balances high-stakes big game hunting accounts with precise ethnographic profiles of the Boer, Bechuana, and Griqua communities. Crucially for historians, Leyland records a historic face-to-face meeting with Dr David Livingstone at his Kolobeng mission station in 1850. The text concludes with a highly collectible, comprehensive Victorian appendix detailing the preservation, skinning, and transport of exotic ornithological specimens.
Author Profile: J. Leyland
J. Leyland (John Leyland) was a dedicated 19th-century British naturalist, hunter-biologist, and intrepid traveler. Driven by a profound desire to expand the natural history archives of the British Empire, Leyland braved intense disease, tribal conflicts, and dangerous wildlife encounters across Southern Africa and Central America. His highly technical contributions to early taxonomy and avian taxidermy made his field guides essential reading for the scientific societies of the late Victorian era.
