1804 Map of the Coast of Africa from Table Bay to Saldanha Bay by John Barrow

The 1804 map by John Barrow, titled Coast of Africa from Table Bay at the Cape of Good Hope to Saldanha Bay, is a finely executed coastal survey depicting the western shoreline of the Cape Colony between Table Bay and Saldanha Bay. Issued in London by Cadell & Davies, to accompany the second volume of Barrow’s An Account of Travels into the Interior of Southern Africa, it reflects his direct observations made during the first British occupation (1795–1803). The map features detailed hydrographic and topographic data, including soundings, anchorages, mountain ranges, rivers, the wagon roads of the time and coastal settlements, drawn with the scientific precision characteristic of early 19th-century British charting. While primarily a navigational resource, it also served as a strategic and geographic record of a coastline of great imperial significance—Saldanha Bay being noted for its sheltered anchorage compared to the storm-prone Table Bay. Produced just after Britain relinquished the Cape to the Batavian Republic under the Peace of Amiens (1803), the map underscores the continued British interest in the region’s naval and commercial value, at a time when the Cape’s control was still contested.

This map is a reproduction of a historical map that is now in the public domain. It has been selected for its aesthetic appeal and historical interest and carefully restored and reproduced to preserve its original detail and character.  There may be marks and visible fold lines which add to the authentic look.  The map is printed on 230gsm heavyweight coated paper with a matte finish.  Most old maps were printed on uncoated rag or wood pulp papers and therefore a matte finish best represents the original map.