Frank Oates

Frank Oates

Frank Oates (1840-1875), naturalist, explorer and uncle to Antarctic explorer Lawrence Oates. He was one of the first Europeans to see the Victoria Falls.

Background

Frank (or Francis) Oates was born in Meanwoodside, near Leeds, Yorkshire, in 1840. He was educated at Christ Church, Oxford, which he entered late in 1860, but left before taking a degree. This was due to severe ill health, and he was an invalid for some years after 1864.

Oates' first significant expedition was to Central and North America, and lasted a year, from 1871-1872. Most of this time was spent collecting bird and insect specimens in Guatemala, though he travelled widely and spent some weeks camping in the mountains of California. He was elected a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society upon his return.

African Expedition

Accompanied by his brother (W. E. Oates) Frank Oates set sail for Africa in 1873, leaving Southampton in March and arriving in Natal two months later. His original plan was to travel to the Zambesi and explore the "terra incognita" north of the river. This territory was occasioning much interest at the time: in King Solomon's Mines, published in 1885, Haggard locates the fictional land of Kukuanas there.

After outfitting his party in Pietermaritzburg, Oates travelled to the Transvaal, reaching Pretoria in June. He was not impressed with the town – which, he claimed, lacked even a book shop – or the people: "I fear the English who are here are a bad lot, with few exceptions. One man who cheated me I asked if he had a conscience. He replied that no one here had one."

Travelling north-west to Shoshong in the Bamangwato region, the next leg of the journey took the brothers to Tati and then Gubulweyo. From here Oates explored the central portion of Matabeleland, travelling to Inyati and finally reaching the Umgwanya River in October 1873. W. E. Oates returned to England at the end of 1873.

The Baobab tree is one of the curiosities described by Oates in his journals: "The tree was perfectly gigantic in girth, thickening as it got higher, though of no great height. It was swolen and bloated in a most extraordinary manner ... Though still flourishing, it was a mere shell, and, looking in at a hole in the side, I saw that it was open to the sky at the top. Inside is a good-sized chamber, strewed with minute bones of rats or some small mammalia. No doubt generations of owls have long had their abode here; one flew out at our approach."

The final leg of Oates' journey took him to through western Matabeleland to Victoria Falls. Delayed by poor weather and the hostility of local tribes, he finally reached the falls on December 31, 1874. Oates was one of the first few Europeans to see the falls in full flood. He died of a fever on February 5, while returning to Tati.

Oates' legacy, a voluminous set of journals and letters home, was collected and edited by his brother, Charles George Oates and published in 1881 as "Matabele Land and the Victoria Falls; A Naturalist's Wanderings in the Interior of South Africa" (ISBN 0955393647). This work contains detailed descriptions of flora and fauna plus drawings and detailed maps based on Oates' observation. There is a permanent exhibit dedicated to Frank Oates at The Oates Museum at Selborne in Hampshire.

Frank Oates is much admired for his indomitability of spirit. "I like anything," he once said, "that seems difficult of attainment".

See also

*Falcon College, Zimbabwe

External links

* [http://www.gilbertwhiteshouse.org.uk/ Gilbert White's House and the Oates Museum]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Frank Oates — (né en 1840 près de Leeds 1875) était un naturaliste et explorateur britannique, également oncle de l explorateur de l Antarctique Lawrence Oates. Il fut l un des premiers Européens à voir les Chutes Victoria. Il a fait ses études à Christ Church …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Oates (surname) — Oates is a surname and may refer to: Adam Oates, professional ice hockey player Cynthia de la Vega Oates, Mexican model. Dan Oates, Chief of Police and Safety Services Administrator for the City of Ann Arbor, Michigan Eugene William Oates… …   Wikipedia

  • Frank Murray Dixon — (* 25. Juli 1892 in Oakland, Kalifornien; † 11. Oktober 1965) war ein US amerikanischer Politiker (Demokratische Partei) und Gouverneur von Alabama. Inhaltsverzeichnis 1 Frühe Jahre und politischer Aufstieg …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Frank M. Dixon — Frank Murray Dixon (* 25. Juli 1892 in Oakland, Kalifornien; † 11. Oktober 1965) war ein US amerikanischer Politiker (Demokratische Partei) und Gouverneur von Alabama. Inhaltsverzeichnis 1 Frühe Jahre und politischer Aufstieg 2 Gouverneur von Al …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Frank W. Boykin — Frank William Boykin (* 21. Februar 1885 in Bladon Springs, Choctaw County, Alabama; † 12. März 1969 in Washington, D.C.) war ein US amerikanischer Politiker und vertrat den Bundesstaat Alabama im US Repräsentantenhaus. Leben Frank William Boykin …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Frank Finn — FZS, MBOU (1868 October 1, 1932) was an English ornithologist.Finn was born in Maidstone and educated at Maidstone Grammar School and Brasenose College, Oxford. He went on a collecting expedition to East Africa in 1892, and became First Assistant …   Wikipedia

  • Lawrence Oates — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Oates. Lawrence Oates Naissance …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Lawrence Oates — Infobox Person name = Lawrence Oates image size = 250px birth date = birth date|1880|3|17|df=y birth place = Putney, London, England death date = death date and age|1912|3|16|1880|3|17|df=y death place = on the Ross Ice Shelf occupation = Cavalry …   Wikipedia

  • Warren Oates — Données clés Naissance 5 juillet 1928 Depoy,  États Unis Nationalité …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Daryl Hall & John Oates (album) — Daryl Hall John Oates Studio album by Hall Oates Released August 1975 Recorded …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”