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Alone Among the Zulus: The Narrative of a Journey Through the Zulu Country, South Africa by Catherine Barter, edited by Patricia L. Merrett (University of KwaZulu-Natal Press, 1995) is a rare and vividly personal travel narrative documenting a British woman's journey into the independent Zulu kingdom in the mid-nineteenth century. This paperback reissue part of the Killie Campbell Africana Library series brings a compelling historic account back into print with modern editorial perspective and context.
Originally written in the 1850s, Barter's narrative chronicles her expedition from Pietermaritzburg into Zulu territory in 1855, when the Zulu nation remained politically and economically autonomous. What began as a supporting role on an elephant-hunting and trading trip became a dramatic ordeal when news reached her that her brother and his party were gravely ill on the Pongola River. With remarkable resourcefulness and courage, Barter accompanied by her African driver set out through hazardous terrain to reach and aid them, facing wildlife, unfamiliar land, and cultural challenges along the way.
In addition to the journey itself, Barter's account offers rich observation of Zulu social life, customs, environment, and early Victorian colonial attitudes, providing invaluable insight into both African and colonial perspectives of the period. The introduction by editor Patricia L. Merrett situates Barter's narrative within its broader historical, religious, and social context, exploring her views on race, gender roles, and cultural encounter.
Published in 1995 by the University of KwaZulu-Natal Press, Alone Among the Zulus runs to approximately 160 pages and is accessible to both specialist readers of South African history and general audiences interested in early travel literature and women's historical voices. The reissue makes available an account once difficult to find, preserving an extraordinary first-hand story of survival, intercultural engagement, and nineteenth-century exploration in southern Africa.
Alone Among the Zulus is a compelling addition to any collection of Africana, imperial history, or narrative travel literature from the colonial era.
Condition: Fine/Like New - Like new. No notable defects.
