The Okavango River: A Narrative of Travel, Exploration, and Adventure -
Charles John Andersson
1861 - Hurst and Blackett, London - First Edition
A scarce example of the first edition in original publisher’s cloth, with engraved frontispiece, engraved extra title page, and fifteen further engraved plates.
Swedish explorer, hunter, trader and naturalist Charles Andersson describes his expeditions through Namaqualand and Damaraland (Namibia). He intended to explore these countries right up to Cunene or Nourse River but the difficulties of the expedition, though encountered with indomitable courage, proved to be insuperable, and he had to turn back. He obtained, however, much valuable information and his success as a hunter and collector was unique in this part of the continent. The coast-line of South-West Africa is carefully described and there is an interesting account of the once-famed guano island, Ichaboe.’ [Mendelssohn] Charles John (Karl Johan) Andersson (1827-67) was born in Vårmland, Sweden, the illegitimate son of Llewellyn Lloyd, a British bear hunter, and his Swedish servant. Andersson grew up hunting in Sweden with his father and started to collect natural history objects, after studying in Lund he went to London, hoping to sell his natural history collection to finance his travels. There he met Francis Galton, and they decided to make a joint expedition to Southern Africa. In 1850 they arrived at the Cape and travelled from there to Walvis Bay by boat. They went far inland on their expedition, aiming to reach Lake Ngami, which had been discovered not long before by David Livingstone, but were unsuccessful. Galton returned to England, Andersson remained and finally managed to reach Lake Ngami from Namibia in 1853. He returned to London and in 1954 published ‘Lake Ngami’, the record of his two expeditions. Travelling back to Namibia the same year, Andersson worked as a mine manager, but preferred to continue his explorations, reaching the Okavango river in 1859 detailed in this work ‘The Okavango River’.
Andersson then settled with his new wife in Otjimbingwe, central Namibia, breeding and trading cattle. In 1867 he travelled north, to the Portuguese settlements in Angola, in the hope of opening up a better route of communication with Europe. However, he did not manage to cross the Kunene River and had to return. On his way back he died after a short illness, and was buried by his companion. Andersson had collected some 400 species of birds on his travels; his notes on the ornithology of Namibia were published posthumously, together with ‘Notes of Travel. [Troelstra]
Provenance: Frederick Clark Junior, with gift inscription from his cousins L. A. & M. E. Horsfall, dated 1866.
References: Howgego IV, Continental Exploration, A19. Czech, African Big Game Hunting, 7. Mendelssohn, South African Bibliography I 42. Troelstra, Bibliography of Natural History Travel Narratives.
Octavo (book size 23.2x15cm), pp. [4] [4 (frontis/extra illustrated title)] [2] vii-xxi [3] 364. In publisher’s red embossed cloth, rebacked retaining original cloth spine lettered and decorated in gilt, boards patterned and bordered in blind, original grey coated endpapers. Condition: Near fine, frontis and title pages foxed as commonly encountered, else generally clean throughout, neatly rebacked retaining original cloth spine and original endpapers. Ref: 109353 Price: HK$ 15,000
Swedish explorer, hunter, trader and naturalist Charles Andersson describes his expeditions through Namaqualand and Damaraland (Namibia). He intended to explore these countries right up to Cunene or Nourse River but the difficulties of the expedition, though encountered with indomitable courage, proved to be insuperable, and he had to turn back. He obtained, however, much valuable information and his success as a hunter and collector was unique in this part of the continent. The coast-line of South-West Africa is carefully described and there is an interesting account of the once-famed guano island, Ichaboe.’ [Mendelssohn] Charles John (Karl Johan) Andersson (1827-67) was born in Vårmland, Sweden, the illegitimate son of Llewellyn Lloyd, a British bear hunter, and his Swedish servant. Andersson grew up hunting in Sweden with his father and started to collect natural history objects, after studying in Lund he went to London, hoping to sell his natural history collection to finance his travels. There he met Francis Galton, and they decided to make a joint expedition to Southern Africa. In 1850 they arrived at the Cape and travelled from there to Walvis Bay by boat. They went far inland on their expedition, aiming to reach Lake Ngami, which had been discovered not long before by David Livingstone, but were unsuccessful. Galton returned to England, Andersson remained and finally managed to reach Lake Ngami from Namibia in 1853. He returned to London and in 1954 published ‘Lake Ngami’, the record of his two expeditions. Travelling back to Namibia the same year, Andersson worked as a mine manager, but preferred to continue his explorations, reaching the Okavango river in 1859 detailed in this work ‘The Okavango River’.
Andersson then settled with his new wife in Otjimbingwe, central Namibia, breeding and trading cattle. In 1867 he travelled north, to the Portuguese settlements in Angola, in the hope of opening up a better route of communication with Europe. However, he did not manage to cross the Kunene River and had to return. On his way back he died after a short illness, and was buried by his companion. Andersson had collected some 400 species of birds on his travels; his notes on the ornithology of Namibia were published posthumously, together with ‘Notes of Travel. [Troelstra]
Provenance: Frederick Clark Junior, with gift inscription from his cousins L. A. & M. E. Horsfall, dated 1866.
References: Howgego IV, Continental Exploration, A19. Czech, African Big Game Hunting, 7. Mendelssohn, South African Bibliography I 42. Troelstra, Bibliography of Natural History Travel Narratives.
Octavo (book size 23.2x15cm), pp. [4] [4 (frontis/extra illustrated title)] [2] vii-xxi [3] 364. In publisher’s red embossed cloth, rebacked retaining original cloth spine lettered and decorated in gilt, boards patterned and bordered in blind, original grey coated endpapers. Condition: Near fine, frontis and title pages foxed as commonly encountered, else generally clean throughout, neatly rebacked retaining original cloth spine and original endpapers. Ref: 109353 Price: HK$ 15,000