STA DAK U On chi~ ha-., been built our tradition or Sl'r\'l((' and \CCurin·. W e arc proud or our pa"c. f 1 A Breath from the Veldt Retail Price Standard Ed.: Rhod. $46,50 Leatherbound Ed.: Fully Subscribed. \/'/e proudly present our facsimile reprint of J. G. Millais' rare wild-life book A '5REATH FROM THE VELDT which has been published in a limited numbered edition of 750 copies of which SO were bound in full leather. Featured above is the handsome­ box in which the standard edition Is presented. BOOKS OF RHODESIA PU8LISHING CO. (PVT.I LTD. P.O. BOX 1994, BULAWAYO. RHODESIA THOMAS MEIKLE, 1862-1939 The founder of the Meikle Organisation sailed from Scotland with his parents in 1869. The family settled in Natal where Thomas and his brothers John and Stewart gained their first farming ex­ perience. In 1892 the three brothers set off for Rhodesia with eight ox- wagons. Three months later they had completed the 700 mile trek to Fort Victoria. Here they opened a store made of whisky cases and roofed over with the tarpaulins that had covered their wagons. Progress was at first slow, nevertheless, branches were opened in Salisbury in 1893, Bulawayo and Gwelo in 1894, and in Umtali in 1897. From these small beginnings a vast network of stores, hotels, farms, mines and auxilliary undertakings was built up. These ventures culminated in the formation of the Thomas Meikle Trust and Investment Company in 1933. The success of these many enterprises was mainly due to Thomas Meikle's foresight and his business acumen, coupled with his ability to judge character and gather around him a loyal and efficient staff. His great pioneering spirit lives on: today the Meikle Organisation is still playing an important part in the development of Rhodesia. THOMAS MEIKLE TRUST AND INVESTMENT CO. (PVT.) LIMITED. Travel Centre Stanley Avenue P.O. Box 3598 Salisbury ii THE I PICTORIAL COLLECTION IN THE NA TJONAL ARClllVES OF RHODF.SIA This includes a fine collection of paintings by the artist-explorer Thomas Baines (182()..75). Apart from painlings and draw­ ings a comprehensive coUection of photographs is maintained which covers all aspects of the Nation's life from the earliest times to the present day. Thjs material is in great demand by all those who wish lo illustrate articles, books, lectures and so on. The tariff for the various photographic services provided is available on request. The National Archives wel­ comes the opportunity of exam­ ining and copying photographs Left to right & top to bottom in order to improve and eoJarge the colJection. Persons in pos­ Matabele War Dance Fort Charter session of interesting photo­ graphs are requested to please Post Office, Salisbury Queen Victoria Museum gel in touch with the Director, Hartley discovers gold An early prospector P/Bag 7729, Causeway. Relief of Mafeking Allan Wilson and patrol Rhodes on tour A motor-car. 1910 I Police camels Umtali tearoom, 1897 iii PIONEER HEAD Rhodesia's Quality Publisher announce the publicouon of EXPLORATIONS IN SOUTH-WEST AFRICA by Thomas Baines Herr toge Serres Volumes,,, This latest luxurious volume 1s a complete facsimile of the text of the first ed1t1on of 1864 New material includes an intro­ duction by Frank Brac!low, F.R.G.S.• a facsimile of an envelope addressed co Baines' mother, a full colour frontispiece and a new dust Jacket reproduced from a Baines watercolour L1m1ted to 900 numbered copies. Standard Edmon Price S21 00 We regret that the de/u,ce ed111on 01 S50,00 hos been oversubscnbed and ts sold our! FROM KINGSTONS AND ALL BOOKSELLERS P.O . Box 2374, Salisbury, Rhodesia. I iv RHODESIANA Publication No. 30 — June, 1974 THE RHODESIANA SOCIETY Salisbury Rhodesia V Edited by W. V. BRELSFORD Assisted by E. E. BURKE Copyright is reserved by the Society Authors are responsible Jor their own opinions and for the accuracy oj statements they make. vi CONTENTS June 1974 Page THE HISTORY OF THE RHODESIANA SOCIETY FROM JUNE 2ND 1953 TO JUNE 2ND 1974, BY G. H. TANSER 1 THE EARLY EUROPEAN SETTLEMENT OF THE SOUTH WESTERN DISTRICTS OF RHODESIA, BY ALLISON SHINN. PART I 13 ARMS AND THE MONOMATAPA, BY J. G. STORRY 34 THE MANICA FRONTIER DISPUTE: MAJOR SAPTE'S MISSION, BY R. R. LANGHAM-CARTER 38 THE FLYING MAPMAKERS: SOME NOTES ON THE EARLY DEVELOPMENT OF AIR SURVEY IN CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN AFRICA, BY J. MCADAM .. .. 44 TEX LONG, BY A. M. EWING 65 SIR ERNEST LUCAS GUEST: A TRIBUTE BY THE RT. HON. SIR HUGH BEADLE 73 SOCIETY ACTIVITIES 81 SOME RECENT ADDITIONS TO THE LIBRARY OF THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES. COMPILED BY C. COGGIN 84 PERIODICALS AND ARTICLES OF INTEREST. A SURVEY BY DOROTHEA ROWSE 87 NOTES 90 CORRESPONDENCE 94 REVIEWS 96 THE RHODESIANA CONSTITUTION 114 The cover picture is from a painting by T. Baines, showing his expedition on the market-square in Pietermaritzburg, 1869, prior to his departure for the Interior. An expedition by E. Mohr was there at the same time; the two explorers are seen greeting each other. vii The Rhodesiana Society Founded 1953 The Society exists to promote Rhodesian historical studies and to encourage research. It also aims to unite all who wish to foster a wider appreciation and knowledge of the history of Rhodesia. There is no entrance fee; the subscription is $3.00 Rhodesian currency ($5,00 U.S.A. or R3.30) a year, and this entitles paid- up members to those numbers of Rhodesiana issued during the year. There are two issues in each year, dated June and September. For further information and particulars concerning membership please write to: The Honorary National Secretary. Rhodesiana Society, P.O. Box 8268, Causeway. Salisbury. Rhodes'a. For information about Branch activities please write to: Matabeleland Branch, P.O. Box 1614. Bulawayo. Manicaland Branch, P.O. Box 136, Umtali. Mashonaland Branch, P.O. Box 3946, Salisbury. Manuscripts will be welcomed by the Editor. They should preferably be typed in double spacing and be complete with any illustrations. Copies of published works for review will also be welcomed. National Executive Committee Members G. H. Tanser. National Chairman R. W. S. Turner, National Deputy Chairman C. W. H. Loades, National Honorary Secretary W. V. Brelsford. Editor E. E. Burke R. D. Franks Colonel A. S. Hickman, M.B.E. viii T. J. Kerr M. J. Kimberley B. W. Lloyd J. H. G. Robertson, Mashonaland Branch Representative L. W. Bolze, Matabeleland Branch Representative R. A. R. Bent, C.B.E., Manicaland Branch Representative Matabeleland Manicaland Mashonaland Branch Branch Branch Committee Committee Committee Members Members Members Chairman Chairman Chairman H. Simons R. A. R. Bent, C.B.E. R. W. S. Turner Honorary Secretary and Treasurer Honorary Secretary Vice-Chairman B. Lovemore, O.L.M. Mrs. P. M. Brodie M. J. Kimberley L. W. Bolze R. Y. Armstrong Honorary Secretary E. T. Hepburn Miss A. Cripps Mrs. Wendy Hedderick C. O. Liebold K. M. Fleming W. Parry E. H. Howman Honorary Treasurer P. W. Porter P. M. Hutchinson Mrs. R. M. T. Barker H. J. Vickery J. E. Mazorati Mrs. M. Waddy R. D. Franks G. Zacharias W. D. Gale J. M. Leach J. H. G. Robertson, M.L.M. J. G. Storry ix H. A. Cripwell. Founder Member and first National Chairman, Rhodesiana Society. June 1953. B. W. Lloyd. Founder Member and first Honorary Secretary and Treasurer, Rhodesiana Society, June 1953. THE FOUNDERS xi 1953 - - - 1974 THIS ISSUE COMMEMORATES THE 21st A'.'INl\'ERSARY OF THE RHQD. ESIA!'iA SOCIETY WITH A'\' ARTICLE ON ITS HISTORY. xii The History of The Rhodesiana Society from June 2nd 1953 to June 2nd 1974 by G. H. Tanser Chairman of the National Executive Committee of the Rhodesiana Society. During the years 1949 to 1952 two men, Mr. Harry Archie Cripwell and Mr. Brendon Lloyd, living in Fort Victoria, found they shared a common interest in books on Rhodesian and South African history. The following year they were transferred to Salisbury where discussions on their interests were renewed. The possibility of founding a society on the lines of the Van Riebeeck Society was mooted and it was decided to obtain a copy of that Society's constitution for study. In May 1953, Mr. Cripwell and Mr. Lloyd decided to take action. They sent out notes to those who they knew were interested in Rhodesian books, inviting them to a meeting in the Presbyterian Church Hall. The notice indi­ cated that the meeting was being held to discuss the collection and preservation of Rhodesiana, and ended "Please come and bring a friend if you should know of anyone else interested." As the invitations were delivered by a Native Department messenger (Mr. Cripwell was the Provincial Native Commissioner of Mashonaland) they were not spread over a very wide area. However, one was delivered to Mrs. Rhoda Ellis of the Education Department who took along with her to the meeting a friend, Mr. G. H. Tanser, also of the Education Department. Both were interested in books on Rhodesian history. So Mr. Cripwell, Mrs. Ellis, Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd, and Mr. Tanser together with Father Hannan and Mr. Jan van Heerden were present at the meeting which decided to hold a meeting to establish a society at a venue to be found. The venue was provided by Mr. Tanser who gave permission for the meeting to be held in the small Audio-Visual Theatre of the Ministry of Educa­ tion, on June 2nd 1953. A small advertisement was placed in the "Rhodesia Herald". At the meeting Father Hannan took the chair.