BURCHELL'S AFRICAN ODYSSEY, revealing the return journey 1812-1815

248pp., b/w & colour illus., maps, hardback, d.w., Cape Town, 2022

The English naturalist William Burchell (1781-1863) arrived in Cape Town in June 1811 to explore the flora and fauna of the southern African interior. Over a four-year period he amassed 63 000 specimens of plants, bulbs, insects, reptiles and mammals – many not previously documented for science – and produced over 500 paintings and illustrations.

His book, Travels in the Interior of Southern Africa, details his outbound trek. This book covers his return journey to Cape Town through the northern Cape, the Great Karoo, the Eeastern Cape, and along  southern Cape coast.

Roger Stewart deals in historical maps of Africa. His publications include the collection of essays inspired by maps, A Cape Odyssey (2021). He is a representative of the International Map Collectors’ Society in South Africa, Chair of the Friends of the Cape Medical Museum and Cape Bibliophile Society, and a member of the Washington Map Society and the Royal Society of Southern Africa.

Travel writer and photojournalist Marion Whitehead first followed Burchell’s tracks while working as assistant editor at Getaway magazine and has subsequently traced parts of his journey while researching articles for other magazines. She is the author of South Africa’s Favourite Passes & Poorts and Visitor’s Guide: Flower Route.