Almost as soon as the smoke cleared on the battles of 1879 adventurous tourists set out to explore the battlefields and to report on the condition of the people who had given the British Crown such a bloody nose. Whilst Bertram Mitford was undoubtedly the most significant of these there were others including Captain Ludlow who, in 1881, set out from England to find out what the fuss was about. He landed - uncomfortably - at Durban and then hired a guide - Alfred Adams, a veteran of the war - and set off to explore. His account is rich in impressions and adventures; he largely confined himself to the coastal districts but visited the remains of the forts built by Pearson's column and the 1st Division, and spent time with John Dunn. He saw lots of evidence of the fighting, and described the state of the country in the aftermath of the post-war settlement. This is a scarce book now commanding a high price in good condition; sadly, although everything is present, this copy has come adrift from its covers. It could be rebound, or would serve as a reading copy.
