78/2510 [Africa]. Alberti, J.C.L. De Kaffers aan de Zuidkust van Afrika, Natuur en Geschiedkundig beschreven. Amst., E. Maaskamp, 1810, 1st ed., (6),XII,(4),260,(2)p., engr. title-p., fold. handcol. engr. plan, 2 handcol. plates by L. PORTMAN after W.B.E. PARAVICINI DI CAPELLI and J. SMIES, sl. later boards.

- Spine-ends and upper joint sl. worn/ rubbed. Otherwise a very fine copy.

= The very rare first edition. Landwehr, Dutch Books w. Col. Plates 217; Tiele 31 and Cat. NHSM p.209 (both listing the first Dutch ed. Amst., 1810); Gay 3153; Mendelssohn p.18; Henze I, p.32; Kainbacher I, p.10 (German ed. Gotha, 1815). "He gives a full account of the natives, including chapters on the situation and climate of kaffraria, and on the education, language, occupations, and ailments of the various tribes, together with remarks on their form of government, manner of conducting their warfare, relations with the Cape Colony, and many other interesting matters." (Mendelssohn). The author was a German officer from Waldeck who served in the Dutch army and was sent to Cape of Good Hope in 1802 and shortly afterwards to Fort Frederik in the Bay of Algoa. He stayed there until 1806, during which time he was able to observe the life and culture of the Bantu speaking people who were at the time known as Kaffers. He wrote his book in his native tongue, but had it translated for the first edition in Dutch by J. Konynenburg (the first German edition was published in Gotha in 1815). Interestingly, Alberti distances himself from the observations of Barrow(in his An account of travels into the interior of southern Africa) and others concerning the customs and culture of the native people that he describes in much more favourable terms than Barrow and with more esteem.