(London: Francis Westley, 1822).

FIRST EDITION OF THIS IMPORTANT EARLY WORK ON SOUTH AFRICA. This two volume set is the record of the second tour of inspection that the London Missionary Society asked the Rev. John Campbell to make of its South African missions, the first tour having been in 1815. The tour consisted of two journeys. The first was undertaken in the company of Rev. Robert Moffat and his wife to Caffraria and the Cape Colony in 1818-19, and the second was in 1821, deep into the interior to settlements such as Lattakoo, Mashow, Griqua Town and Kurreechane. Campbell had not planned to venture so far into the interior but upon his reunion with King Mateebe of Lattakoo (with whom he had had good relations on his last visit) he seized the invitation the king offered for a friendly reception by King Kossie of Mashow further north.
Throughout his ten month journey into the northern interior of South Africa and back out again along the River Krooman and the Great Desert, he closely chronicled his experiences in which he included everything from the histories of the native peoples to adventures with marauding bushmen. Campbell also recorded the effects of Christian influence upon the natives surrounding the mission towns. The preface states that  whilst pious Missionaries are zealously pursuing their grand object--the conversion of the Heathen to Christianity--they are materially contributing to the stores of general Science, and particularly to the advancement of Geographical Knowledge... Indeed, this work is a valuable look at missionary efforts in South Africa as well as an interesting and important narrative in the history of African travel and exploration. A beautifully illustrated fine first edition. Item #28707

2 volumes. First edition. With a hand-coloured aquatint frontispiece to each volume, large hand-coloured folding map and 10 additional hand-coloured, aquatint plates. 8vo, handsomely bound to style in three-quarter calf over brown cloth sides, spines gilt ruled between raised bands, with brown morocco labels lettered in gilt and volume numbers gilt on red morocco labels. xii, 322, [6]; 384. Errata bound into the first volume, pp. A handsome copy of this scarce set. Ownership stamps to the verso of the plates and title-pages not affecting the images, one title page reinforced at the gutter. The colouring is very strong and very beautifully accomplished on all plates.