Messrs. Cowie and Green's Expedition to Dela Goa Bay

Abstract

This account provides a firsthand narrative of the ill-fated expedition undertaken by Messrs. Cowie and Green from Natal to Delagoa Bay (present-day Maputo Bay, Mozambique) and their tragic deaths on the return journey. Based largely on the testimony of their interpreter, Jacob, an African who accompanied them, the narrative recounts the arduous fifteen-day overland journey, the severe hardships faced, and the fatal illnesses that befell the expedition members.

Upon departing Delagoa Bay after a short stay, both explorers and their servant Jantje became gravely ill. Dr Cowie was the first to succumb, followed by Jantje, who died after ten days of illness and was buried en route. Mr Green, increasingly weakened, continued the journey but eventually died in great suffering near a Portuguese settlement named Chumbany. Jacob described performing the burials with great care, constructing makeshift coffins and marking the graves to deter wild animals.

Jacob ultimately survived to return to Fynn’s kraal, carrying the explorers’ effects, including firearms, a book, and a silver cup. He reported that all had suffered from severe headaches, chills, trembling, and near blindness—symptoms suggesting a febrile illness rather than poisoning. Jacob also recalled earlier cautions against the potential treachery of the Portuguese at Delagoa Bay, which Cowie and Green had dismissed.

This sombre narrative stands as a testament to the perils of early exploration in southern Africa, illustrating both the physical hardships and the fatal risks faced by those attempting to traverse unfamiliar and disease-ridden territories in pursuit of geographical discovery.