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The struggles for Africa
There can be few more interesting and evocative periods of British
imperial history than the struggles for south-eastern Africa. The
empire had found itself colliding with the interests of many native
powers across the globe during the decades of it's expansion. Many
had fought to maintain their independence and some, like the Sikhs
of the Punjab, were sufficiently well versed in the practice of
warfare as to be a serious threat. This could not be said of the
tribes which rose from the Zulu nation, yet the Zulu War of 1879
gave British forces a chilling and brutal lesson in what a
'primitive' African tribal army was capable of achieving on the
field of battle. The Matabele, as an off-shoot of the martial
Zulus, also inevitably came into conflict with the British during
the closing decade of the 19th century. The First Matabele War did
not decisively subjugate the tribe and in 1896 it rose again laying
siege to Bulawayo with over 10,000 Ndebele warriors. This unique
Leonaur edition brings together two accounts written by remarkable
men who were central to these events. The first was written by the
legendary Frederick Selous. Those who know anything of the man know
that he was the 'great white hunter', 'Nimrod' and the character
upon whom the fictional Alan Quatermain was based, and so his
account of this period is nothing less than compelling. The second
book, by a commander of colonial forces engaged in the conflict,
brilliantly combines a history of the events with his first-hand
narrative. Highly recommended.
Leonaur editions are newly typeset and are not facsimiles; each
title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket; our
hardbacks are cloth bound and feature gold foil lettering on their
spines and fabric head and tail bands.
Frederick Courteney Selous (1851-1917) was a British explorer,
officer, hunter, and conservationist, famous for his work in
south-east Africa. In early 1882 he embarked on an eleven-year
expedition to record species that, to his great sadness, were
becoming endangered. First published in 1893, these revealing
memoirs document the wildlife, landscapes and people that
characterised his journey. Through vivid descriptions and extensive
illustrations, he recalls exhilarating adventures with lions,
leopards, hyenas and crocodiles, recounts challenging treks across
lakes and mountains, and describes hostile - and at times barbaric
- encounters with native peoples. Detailed accounts of hunting
endeavours, colonial institutions, and commercial enterprises such
as gold mining, also feature in this study, which provides a unique
and diverse perspective on Africa in the late nineteenth century.
Insightful and revealing, Selous' experiences remain of enduring
interest to geographers, anthropologists, zoologists, and all those
interested in African history and culture.
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