James Chapman (explorer)

Early the following year found him on the Zambesi River which he explored to within 70 miles (110 km) of the Victoria Falls, almost beating David Livingstone to their discovery.

By 1854 he had teamed up with Samuel H. Edwards, another explorer, and launched an expedition to Lake Ngami after which he trekked through the territory between Northern Bechuanaland and the Zambesi.

An easygoing man, he was able to get on with the Bushman hunters of the semi-desert interior and spent long periods in their company, obtaining valuable help from them.

Here he busied himself with cattle-trading in Damaraland, before setting out on an expedition with his brother Henry and Thomas Baines and lasting from December 1860 to September 1864.

He attempted to farm at Anawood on the banks of the Swakop river in 1863 and 1864, but was forced to abandon his holding due to the Nama-Ovaherero War, in which he refused to become involved.

William Roome, (master of the vessel "Olivia" on which Thomas Baines arrived at Cape Town on 23 November 1842) and Catherine Cecelia Bushnell (who was born in Virginia USA – her father, also a sea captain apparently settled in Nova Scotia).

He came to Namibia as a child in 1864, spent ten years in Cape Town and returned on 16 June 1874 to Walvis Bay as assistant at Harrison's store.

Another son, Charles Henry Chapman, was born in Cape Town and boarded the Titanic at Southampton as a second class passenger (ticket number 248731, £13 10s).