"Behelzende een zeer omstandig verhaal van den tegenwoordigen toestant van dat vermaarde gewest, deszelfs gelegenheit, haven, sterkte, Tegerings-vorm, uitgestrektheit, en onlangs ontdekte aanleggende landen; nevens een geleerde beschryving van het klimaat en aart van dat landschap; van deszelfs dieren, visschen, vogelen, planten, kruiden, mitsgaders verscheide wonderen der natuur, daar te lande ontdekt; waar by nog komt, een zeer nette en uit eige ondervinding opgemaakte beschryving van den oorsprong der Hottentotten."
Modern half calf with gilt decorated spine and marbled boards. Engraved allegorical frontispiece by J.C. Philips, engraved portrait of the author by J. Houbraken, 5 (of 6) folding engraved maps, a small folding plan, and 46 fullpage engraved views and plates of costumes, animals and scenes of daily life, including double page view of the Cape of Good Hope, by J.C. Philips, J. Wandelaar, A. Zeeman, etc. (16), 529, (2); (4), 449, (87) pages. Fine copy of the first Dutch edition of this famous description of South Africa. Apart from 2 plates with soiling in excellent condition. Lacking is -as nearly always- the map "Nieuwe Caarte van Kaap de Goede Hoop en't Zuyderdeel van Africa". Peter Kolbe had been sent tot the Cape of Good Hope with letters of introduction from Nicolas Witsen, Burgomaster of Amsterdam, for the purpose of compiling the present all-round descritpion of South Africa and for astronomical and surveying research, and he lived and worked at the Cape from 1705 till 1713. Kolbe gives an exact and detailed account of all aspects of life at the Cape, including its geography, climate, flora and fauna, followed by a highly interesting and religion, manner of living, singular traditions, customs, marriage ceremonies, circumcisions, education, etc. The account of the condition of the colony of the Dutch inhabitants is also full of intersting observations not to be found in any other description of the country. Kolbe's account was first published in German in Nuremberg, 1719. The present Dutch edition is the best and most richly illustrated edition.