Mapping South Africa in the mid-nineteenth century: the cartography of James Centlivres Chase

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Periodical article

Title:	Mapping South Africa in the mid-nineteenth century: the cartography of James Centlivres Chase
Author:	Liebenberg, Elri
Year:	2007
Periodical:	Historia: amptelike orgaan
Volume:	52
Issue:	2
Pages:	1-18
Language:	English
Geographic term:	South Africa
Subjects:	cartography 1830-1839 1840-1849
About person:	James Centlivres Chase (1795-1877)
Abstract:	By 1830, South Africa was still inadequately mapped. No reliable overview map existed of the Cape Colony, nor of Natal, nor the area to the north of the Orange River. The 1820 British settler James Centlivres Chase was the first civilian inhabitant of the Colony who tried to improve this situation. He collected as much information as possible relative to exploration in Africa and in 1830 compiled the first overview map of the eastern part of south Africa. This paper discusses the dearth of reliable maps before the 1830s; Chase's reports on the various expeditions into the interior by which new topographical information had become available; his efforts to contribute to the Colonial Office's 'official map' of South Africa; his influence on the well-known maps of John Arrowsmith and the SDUK (Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge) of 1834; and the cartographic significance of the maps he published in 1836 and 1843. Notes, ref., sum. in English and Afrikaans. [Journal abstract, edited]