xxii INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. 



veil which has so long obscured South-eastern Africa, Charles 

 John Andersson and' others have been performing similar work 

 for South-western Africa : Andersson, in his quiet, modest, but 

 most persistent and (considering all the difficulties and obstacles 

 he had to encounter), I will add, heroic manner, has made us 

 as familiar with the maps of Damara Land and Ovampo Land 

 and onwards towards the Cunene, as with those of the Free 

 State, or Natal, or the Cape Colony itself. 



What could be more touching than the record of his last fatal 

 journey, told so well a few months ago by his friend and fellow- 

 explorer Mr. Frederick Green ? There amid the wilds of On- 

 donga, tended only by his faithful servant, baffled and prostrate, 

 he calmly prepared himself to die ; and, after farewell thoughts 

 of his wife and children and home, he begged to have read to 

 him the Psalms in his native Swedish, which in childhood he 

 had learnt, and which in the supreme moment were now his 

 consolation and his stay. 



The University of Lund have only by this last mail conferred on 

 him the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy, a fitting acknowledg- 

 ment of the service he has rendered to the march of civilization 

 and of science; but months before, he had already passed 

 beyond the reach of earthly distinction, and finished a career 

 which will, however, still give honour to his memory as one of 

 the best and bravest of the pioneers of progress in South Africa. 

 I speak of him as I knew him ; and I could not make mention 

 of his name at all without offering this tribute at once of warm 

 affection and high esteem/' 



The extract above cited fitly closes the narrative of Charles 

 John Andersson's career ; and I will only add to it the expression 

 of my persuasion that he was one of whom it may with truth be 

 said that he habitually 



" Looked through Nature, up to Nature's God," 

 thus cultivating a tone of thought which most effectually en- 





