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Auction: 20040 - Stamps and Covers of Southern Africa
Lot: 3

Basutoland
Covers and Cancellations
Early Letters of the Border Disputes
1862 (2 Oct.) letter, written in French, from King Moshesh, in Thaba Bosigo, to the Governor of the Colony of the Cape of Good Hope with regards to a proposed commission to agree the boundary between Basutoland and the Orange Free State; the letter concludes "I must inform you of a misfortune which happened to us last week. I had received in times past from Sir Pereguine Maitland a good quantity of gunpowder, which I had carefully preserved in a chest. But the other day, a young man having entered the Depot to take some of the powder, holding in his hand a lighted reed, a spark fell upon the powder, and produced a fearful explosion....A great many articles stored in that house have been burned or spoiled, but that which I regret above all is the loss of my powder". The letter concluding with a fine strike of the King's seal. A fascinating document with translation

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Sold for
£320

Starting price
£320