Juan Maria Schuver’s Travels in North East Africa, 1880–1883 (Hakluyt Society Second Series) - Hardcover

James, Wendy; Baumann, Gerd

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 090418045X ISBN 13: 9780904180459

Publisher: Routledge, 1999

Juan Maria Schuver was born to a wealthy Amsterdam business family in the mid-19th century. Established young as a travel writer and reporter, he decided to embark on scientific exploration. Leaving Cairo at the turn of 1880-1881 he proceeded up the Blue Nile, intending to find a new route through to the East African coast. This ambition was frustrated, mainly because of local political turbulence following the Mahdist challenge to the Sudanese government and internal stirrings in Abyssinia. As a result, Schuver remained for the better part of two years in the hills of the upper Blue Nile and the eastern watershed of the White Nile basin. He wrote lively accounts of these regions and his encounters with the local people. He had to return to Khartoum at the end of 1882, but took a steamer up the White Nile in the middle of 1883. Somewhat impatiently, he ignored advice not to travel further southwards overland, and was murdered, a few days into western Dinka country. Schuver had planned books in both English and French on his explorations in the country 'Between the Two Niles'. The only version which saw publication was an edited German translation, prepared by Petermann's Mitteilungen as a special issue in 1883. A combination of chance, the present editors' interest in the region, and the collaboration of the Schuver family led to the re-discovery of the original manuscripts. He present volume offers the full English accounts supplemented by passages from the author's French revisions, and also draws on other drafts and letters, to give for the first time a full picture of Schuver's African travels.

Product Description:

The first full account of Schuver's travels transcribed from rediscovered manuscripts in English, supplemented with passages originally in French. The appendices include transcripts of related letters and other papers. Founded in 1846, the Hakluyt Society is a registered charity based in London, England, which seeks to advance knowledge and education by the publication of scholarly editions of primary records of voyages, travels and other geographical material. The Society is named after Richard Hakluyt (1552-1616), a collector and editor of narratives of voyages and travels.

About the Author:

Wendy James, Gerd Baumann and Douglas H. Johnson

• Publisher: Routledge
• Publication date: 1999
• ISBN 10: 090418045X
• ISBN 13: 9780904180459
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 472