Charles John Andersson
Carl Johan Anderson (Norra Råda, 4 marzo 1828 – Africa subsahariana, 5 luglio 1867) è stato un viaggiatore svedese.Dal 1850 al 1859 si occupò di esplorazioni nell'Africa subsahariana, raccogliendo reperti zoologici. Si stabilì presso i Damara e poi presso gli Ovambo, dove morì. Nel 1876 fu pubblicata la relazione dei suoi viaggi.
Carl Johan Anderson
He is most famous for the many books he published about his travels, and for being one of the most notable explorers of southern Africa, mostly in present-day Namibia.
Biography
Early life
Karl Johan Andersson was born on 4 March 1827 in Värmland in Sweden. He was the illegitimate child of the English bear hunter Llewellyn Lloyd and Lloyd's Swedish servant.Andersson grew up in Sweden. Early in his life he went on hunting expeditions with his father, experienced Swedish nature and started a collection of biology specimens.
In 1847 he started studies at the University of Lund.
In 1849 he departed for London, intending to sell his collection to raise money for travels around the world. In London he met with the explorer Francis Galton, with whom he organised an expedition to Southern Africa. On midsummer day in 1850 they arrived at the Cape of Good Hope and then travelled to Walvis Bay, in modern-day Namibia. They then trekked into the interior, at the time little explored by Europeans. They intended to reach Lake Ngami, but failed on that expedition.
Galton returned home to England, while Andersson stayed in the area and reached Lake Ngami in 1853. In 1855 he returned to London, where he published his book "Lake Ngami", in which he describes his travels. He returned to Africa the same year.
Back in south west Africa, Andersson was hired as manager for mines in what was then called Damaraland and Namaqualand. However, he only held the position for a brief time, and continued his explorations. In 1859 he reached the Okavango River, an expedition that he recorded in his book The Okavango River.
After his return, he travelled to the Cape, where he married. Andersson and his wife settled in Otjimbingwe (in modern central Namibia).
Andersson had repeated financial problems. Even though his main interests were exploration and natural history, he often needed to earn money through trade and hunting. He lacked the money needed to publish his books and Galton declined to lend him any.
Death
In 1867, despite serious illness, Andersson travelled north towards the Portuguese settlements in modern Angola, in order to establish a better trading route to Europe. He was unable to cross the Cunene River, so he had to turn back. His condition had worsened during his journey to the Cunene and, on the return journey, he died on 9 July 1867. He was buried by another Swede, Axel Eriksson.After his death, Andersson's wife and children continued to live in Africa, in the Cape Colony.
His father published notes from some of his expeditions in the book "Notes of Travel in South-Western Africa".
Bibliography
- Andersson, Charles John (1855). "Explorations in South Africa, with the Route from Walfisch Bay to Lake Ngami". Journal of the Royal Geographical Society. 25 (25): 79–107. doi:10.2307/1798105.
- Andersson, Charles John (1856). Lake Ngami, or Explorations and Discoveries in the Wilds of Southern Africa. New York.
- Andersson, Charles John (1861). The Okavango River, a Narrative of Travel, Exploration and Adventure. London.
- Andersson, Charles John (1873). The Lion and The Elephant. London.
- Andersson, Charles John (1875). Notes of Travel in South-Western Africa (PDF). New York.
- Andersson, Charles John. (1987) The Matchless Copper Mine in 1857: Correspondence of Manager C. J. Andersson, edited by Brigitte Lau. Windhoek: National Archives, Namibia.
- Andersson, Charles John. (1989) Trade and Politics in Central Namibia 1860-1864: Diaries and Correspondence. Windhoek: Archives Services Division, Dept. of National Education.
- Wallis, J.P.R. (1936). Fortune my Foe: The Story of Charles John Andersson, African Explorer 1827-1867. London.
- Bjelfvenstam, Bo (1994). Charles John Andersson: Upptäckare, jägare, krigare Explorer 1827-1867 (in Swedish). Stockholm: Carlsson. ISBN 91-7798-898-1.
- Pettersson, Christer L (2008). In the footsteps of Mr Andersson - milestones in Swedish-Namibia relations. Johannesburg: David Krut Publishing. ISBN 9780981404295.
Publications by Andersson
Published letters and correspondence
Publications about Andersson
CJAndersson
Cover of the American edition of one of Anderssons books. Note that his name is misspelled - there should be two "s".
Title page of the same book as above.
Cape Town 1856
Charles John Andersson (= 1856) Lake Ngami, or, Explorations and discoveries during four years' wanderings in the wilds of South Western Africa, London: Hurst and Blackett
Author: Dalziel
Lake Ngami, or, Explorations and discoveries during four years' wanderings in the wilds of southwestern Africa 1861
Authors: Andersson, Charles John, 1827-1867
: Lake Ngami; or, Explorations and discoveries during four years' wanderings in the wilds of southwestern Africa
Fan-palm; illustration from p.167 of the 1861 book Lake Ngami.
Ovambo people; illustration from p.195 of the 1861 book Lake Ngami.
Dwelling-house and Corn-stores; illustration from p.200 of the 1861 book Lake Ngami.
View in Ondonga; illustration from p.201 of the 1861 book Lake Ngami.
Blacksmiths at work (Ovambo); illustration from p.203 of the 1861 book Lake Ngami.
Unwelcome hunting companions; illustration from p.211 of the 1861 book Lake Ngami.
Jonker Afrikaner; illustration from p.232 of the 1861 book Lake Ngami.
Malay; illustration from p.24 of the 1861 book Lake Ngami.
Coursing young ostriches; illustration from p.249 of the 1861 book Lake Ngami.
Oryx or Gemsbok; illustration from p.273 of the 1861 book Lake Ngami.
View Walfisch Bay; illustration from p.30 of the 1861 book Lake Ngami.
Skull of a Bechuana ox; illustration from p.308 of the 1861 book Lake Ngami.
Negro boy; illustration from p.338 of the 1861 book Lake Ngami.
Pitfalls; illustration from p.361 of the 1861 book Lake Ngami.
"More Close Than Agreeable"; illustration from p.406 of the 1861 book Lake Ngami.
"Desperate Situation"; illustration from p.409 of the 1861 book Lake Ngami.
The Bechuana Picho (parliament); illustration from p.438 of the 1861 book Lake Ngami.
Ascending the Teoge (nowadays spelt Thaoge, part of the Okavango River system); illustration from p.461 of the 1861 book Lake Ngami.
Tsetse fly (as glossina morsitans, Westw.); illustration from p.468 of the 1861 book Lake Ngami.
Reed ferry; illustration from p.476 of the 1861 book Lake Ngami.
Medal of Otacilla Alba, showing hippopotamus; illustration from p.493 of the 1861 book Lake Ngami.
Reed-raft and Harpooners; illustration from p.497 of the 1861 book Lake Ngami.
Sufferings of the Author; illustration from p.510 of the 1861 book Lake Ngami.
Damaras; illustration from p.63 of the 1861 book Lake Ngami.
Nakong and Leché; illustration from p.432 of the 1861 book Lake Ngami.
Heads of Rhinoceroses (Andersson accepted four species, but in modern terms the upper two are 'whites' and the lower two 'blacks'); illustration from p.372 of the 1861 book Lake Ngami.
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