Couverture / Jaquette

The White Hand and the Black: A Story of the Natal Rising by Bertram Mitford is a historical novel set in the turbulent period following colonial influence in South Africa. The narrative captures the intense struggle for survival amid racial and social conflicts. The story begins with the protagonist experiencing a newfound sense of freedom, which quickly turns to tension as he faces a life-or-death confrontation on a mountain. This moment of danger introduces a battle for survival and foreshadows the larger conflicts to come. As the plot unfolds, a young girl emerges, engaged in art amidst the perilous landscape, reflecting the delicate balance between creativity and the constant threats of nature. Her encounter with a male character, who saves her from a snake, sets the stage for themes of courage, respect, and emerging relationships in a world fraught with danger. The novel weaves together elements of adventure, bravery, and the complexities of human interaction, all against the backdrop of the Natal Rising.

Note biographique

Bertram Mitford (13 June 1855 4 October 1914) was a colonial writer, novelist, essayist, and cultural critic who published forty-four books, the majority of which were set in South Africa. He was a contemporary of H Rider Haggard. He was a Mitford family member and the third son of Edward Ledwich Osbaldeston Mitford (1811-1912). In 1895, he became the 31st Lord of the Manor of Mitford, succeeding his brother Colonel John Philip Osbaldeston Mitford. He died in 1912 at Mitford Hall in Northumberland. Bertram Mitford was born in Bath in 1855, educated at Hurstpierpoint College in Sussex, traveled to southern Africa in 1874, lived in Cheltenham in 1881, married Zima Helen Gentle, daughter of Alfred Ebden, on March 9, 1886 in Brighton, had daughter Yseulte Helen on June 3, 1887 (died July 1969), son Roland Bertram on June 17, 1891 (died April 16, 1932), lived in London in 1891, and died of liver disease in 1914 in Cowfold, Sussex. He belonged to four London clubs: The Junior Athenaeum, Savage, the New Vagabond, and the Wigwam.

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