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Burton, Captain R. F. (translator and annotator) : The Lands of Cazembe. Lacerda's Journey to Cazembe in 1798

(New York: Negro Universities Press, 1969)

Also journey of the Pombeiros P. J. Baptista and Amaro José, across Africa from Angola to Tette on the Zambeze. Translated by B. A. Beadle; and a résumé of the journey of MM. Monteiro and Gamitto. By Dr. C. T. Beke. Reprint of the 1873 John Murray first edition for the Royal Geographical Society. 8vo; original brown cloth, lettered in gilt on spine; pp. vii + (i) + 271, incl. index; lacks original folding frontispiece map: a folded facsimile accompanies the book. Slightest spotting to edges. Very good condition. Burton's part of the book concludes on page 164. 'The Council of the Royal Geographical Society was induced to publish the translations of these journeys to Central and South-Eastern Africa, in consequence of the interest excited by certain letters written by Dr. Livingstone concerning the country of the Cazembe and the neighbouring regions. The volume includes a descriptive introduction to Dr. Lacerda's narrative, and "Preliminary Observations" by that traveller, together with copious notes by Burton, and some remarks by Viscount de sa da Bandeira; also some "information touching the proposed Cazembe Expedition," and instructions issued to his party, by Lacerda. The latter journal states that in the year 1797 Queen Maria of Portugal commanded him to ascertain the possibility of overland transit between the eastern and western coast of Africa; but for some time he could obtain no information regarding the "hitherto untrodden lands" in the interior between the coasts. However, during a residence at Tete, some envoys from the court of the King of Cazembe paid him a visit, and in consequence of the information afforded by them, he decided to organise an expedition with a view to carrying out the Royal instructions. The journey was commenced on July 3, 1798, Lacerda keeping a diary and a journal, and penetrating right up to the capital of the Cazembe. The journal came to an end on October 2, and the traveller died on October 18. The expedition, however, was continued under the command of the chaplain, F. J. Pinto, who kept a record of the journey and visited the King of Cazembe, and, after many adventures, finally returned safely to Tete at the close of the year 1799. With reference to the journeys of the "Pombeiros," the translator (who was "Chancellier" to the Portuguese Consulate, London) states that the Route Journal of P. J. Baptista is very disconnected, and is manifestly written by an illiterate man. The résumé of the journey of Messrs. Monteiro and Gamitto has been reprinted from "Illustrated Travels," vol. ii. The volume contains a large map showing the routes taken by Dr Lacerda in 1798, the Pombeiros in 1806-1811, and Monteiro in 1831-1832: there is also an adequate index.' - Mendelssohn.

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