Swallow cover

Novel record

Swallow

18 editions 37 illustrations

In Swallow, A Tale of the Great Trek, Englishman Ralph Kenzie must rescue his bride Suzanne from her kidnapper, the villain Swart Piet. Set during the north and eastward migration of Dutch and German settlers in South Africa known as the Great Trek of 1836, Swallow is the most sympathetic depiction of the Boers in Haggard's canon.

The Graphic serialized Swallow from 2 July to 19 October 1898, and William Hatherell illustrated this printing. Longmans, Green, and Co., London, published the first UK edition on 1 March 1899, which included 8 full-page illustrations by Maurice Greiffenhagen. The Longmans, New York, first US edition of Swallow published in 1899, featured 4 illustrations by Hatherell in addition to the 8 by Greiffenhagen.

Further Reading

Whatmore, D.E.. H Rider Haggard: A Bibliography. Westport, CT: Meckler Publishing Co., 1987. F22, 35-36. Print.

Edition archive

Editions of Swallow

The Graphic, vol. 58, no. 1505

Edition

The Graphic, vol. 58, no. 1505

London: The Graphic Office, 1 October 1898.

The Graphic, vol. 58, no. 1502

Edition

The Graphic, vol. 58, no. 1502

London: The Graphic Office, 10 September 1898.

The Graphic, vol. 58, no. 1507

Edition

The Graphic, vol. 58, no. 1507

London: The Graphic Office, 15 October 1898.

The Graphic, vol. 58, no. 1503

Edition

The Graphic, vol. 58, no. 1503

London: The Graphic Office, 17 September 1898.

Edition

1st UK Edition

London: Longmans, Green and Co., 1899.

Edition

1st US Edition

New York: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1899.

The Graphic, vol. 58, no. 1492

Edition

The Graphic, vol. 58, no. 1492

London: The Graphic Office, 2 July 1898.

The Graphic, vol. 58, no. 1499

Edition

The Graphic, vol. 58, no. 1499

London: The Graphic Office, 20 August 1898.

The Graphic, vol. 58, no. 1508

Edition

The Graphic, vol. 58, no. 1508

London: The Graphic Office, 22 October 1898.

The Graphic, vol. 58, no. 1495

Edition

The Graphic, vol. 58, no. 1495

London: The Graphic Office, 23 July 1898.

The Graphic, vol. 58, no. 1500

Edition

The Graphic, vol. 58, no. 1500

London: The Graphic Office, 27 August 1898.

The Graphic, vol. 58, no. 1509

Edition

The Graphic, vol. 58, no. 1509

London: The Graphic Office, 29 October 1898.

The Graphic, vol. 58, no. 1501

Edition

The Graphic, vol. 58, no. 1501

London: The Graphic Office, 3 September 1898.

The Graphic, vol. 58, no. 1496

Edition

The Graphic, vol. 58, no. 1496

London: The Graphic Office, 30 July 1898.

The Graphic, vol. 58, no. 1497

Edition

The Graphic, vol. 58, no. 1497

London: The Graphic Office, 6 August 1898.

The Graphic, vol. 58, no. 1506

Edition

The Graphic, vol. 58, no. 1506

London: The Graphic Office, 8 October 1898.

The Graphic, vol. 58, no. 1493

Edition

The Graphic, vol. 58, no. 1493

London: The Graphic Office, 9 July 1898.

Authorized Edition

Edition

Authorized Edition

New York: P. F. Collier & Son, None.

Illustration archive

Illustrations from Swallow

In this eagles' eyrie of a seat suzanne sat... watching ever.

Illustration

In this eagles' eyrie of a seat suzanne sat... watching ever.

Black clutching hands caught feet and bridle rein.

Illustration

Black clutching hands caught feet and bridle rein.

'Nothing. Nothing shall be yours.'

Illustration

'Nothing. Nothing shall be yours.'

'Spare me and I shall bring you good luck.'

Illustration

'Spare me and I shall bring you good luck.'

'The dog lives yet,' raved Swart Piet.

Illustration

'The dog lives yet,' raved Swart Piet.

He drew the sharp edge of the spear across the lashing.

Illustration

He drew the sharp edge of the spear across the lashing.

There...stood the child Suzanne... and leaning on her shoulder... a boy.

Illustration

There...stood the child Suzanne... and leaning on her shoulder... a boy.

'Sign,' he said... 'the light dies.'

Illustration

'Sign,' he said... 'the light dies.'

'Sign,' he said. 'The light dies'

Illustration

'Sign,' he said. 'The light dies'

There... stood the child Suzanne, and leaning on her shoulder... a boy

Illustration

There... stood the child Suzanne, and leaning on her shoulder... a boy

'Sign,' he said... 'the light dies'

Illustration

'Sign,' he said... 'the light dies'

Black clutching hands caught feet and bridle rein

Illustration

Black clutching hands caught feet and bridle rein

He drew the sharp edge of the spear across the lashing

Illustration

He drew the sharp edge of the spear across the lashing

In this eagles' eyrie... Suzanne sat... watching ever

Illustration

In this eagles' eyrie... Suzanne sat... watching ever

'Spare me, and I shall bring you good luck'

Illustration

'Spare me, and I shall bring you good luck'

'The dog lives yet,' raved Swart Piet

Illustration

'The dog lives yet,' raved Swart Piet

I struck him with all my strength

Illustration

I struck him with all my strength

'Nothing, Nothing shall be yours.'

Illustration

'Nothing, Nothing shall be yours.'

'I promised you a flogging'

Illustration

'I promised you a flogging'

Slowly the snake-like line pressed forward

Illustration

Slowly the snake-like line pressed forward

She slipped from his back

Illustration

She slipped from his back

'I promised you a flogging, but since it is chance that has conquered you more than I, I will take no advantage of it, save this—” and he struck him once or twice across the face with the whip'

Illustration

'I promised you a flogging, but since it is chance that has conquered you more than I, I will take no advantage of it, save this—” and he struck him once or twice across the face with the whip'

Slowly the black snake-like line pressed forward through the white foam

Illustration

Slowly the black snake-like line pressed forward through the white foam

By him sits Suzanne, a soft kaross of jackal skins wrapped over her nightgown... talking in some words which for us have little meaning, and in a voice now shrill, and now sinking to a croon, while with one hand she clasps his wrist

Illustration

By him sits Suzanne, a soft kaross of jackal skins wrapped over her nightgown... talking in some words which for us have little meaning, and in a voice now shrill, and now sinking to a croon, while with one hand she clasps his wrist

Now she stopped, and turning to the right, pushed her way through the mimosas, and there beyond them was a dell, and in the centre of the dell a large flat rock, and on the rock a boy praying

Illustration

Now she stopped, and turning to the right, pushed her way through the mimosas, and there beyond them was a dell, and in the centre of the dell a large flat rock, and on the rock a boy praying

There beneath her, within a few paces indeed, for the ground sloped steeply to the stream, men were passing. The first of these was white, and he carried a white woman in his arms; the rest were Kaffirs

Illustration

There beneath her, within a few paces indeed, for the ground sloped steeply to the stream, men were passing. The first of these was white, and he carried a white woman in his arms; the rest were Kaffirs

With a swift and awful rush, like that of a swooping bird, the dead woman and the living man plunged headlong into space

Illustration

With a swift and awful rush, like that of a swooping bird, the dead woman and the living man plunged headlong into space

Now at last he gave me the paper to sign. Besides the candles on the table, which being of mutton fat had burnt out, there was a lamp fed with whale’s oil, but this also was dying, the oil being exhausted, so that its flame, which had sunk low

Illustration

Now at last he gave me the paper to sign. Besides the candles on the table, which being of mutton fat had burnt out, there was a lamp fed with whale’s oil, but this also was dying, the oil being exhausted, so that its flame, which had sunk low

On the top of the highest and most precipitous cliff of the mountain fortress of Umpondwana was a little knoll of rock curiously hollowed out to the shape of a chair, difficult to gain and dizzy to sit in

Illustration

On the top of the highest and most precipitous cliff of the mountain fortress of Umpondwana was a little knoll of rock curiously hollowed out to the shape of a chair, difficult to gain and dizzy to sit in

I looked, and just at my side I saw a great savage who had forced his way through the thorns and crawled beneath the waggon into the laager. The gun in my hand was empty, but by me lay an axe which I snatched up

Illustration

I looked, and just at my side I saw a great savage who had forced his way through the thorns and crawled beneath the waggon into the laager. The gun in my hand was empty, but by me lay an axe which I snatched up

That morning Suzanne, mounted upon the great schimmel, which by now had almost recovered from his weariness, although he was still somewhat stiff, passed up and down before Sigwe’s regiments that saluted her as chieftainess

Illustration

That morning Suzanne, mounted upon the great schimmel, which by now had almost recovered from his weariness, although he was still somewhat stiff, passed up and down before Sigwe’s regiments that saluted her as chieftainess

First Sihamba took a sharp knife, and with it cut off Suzanne’s beautiful hair close to the head, over which what was left of it curled naturally

Illustration

First Sihamba took a sharp knife, and with it cut off Suzanne’s beautiful hair close to the head, over which what was left of it curled naturally

For a while there was silence, which presently was broken by Jan roaring at me in a loud voice as though I were deaf. 'Vrouw, let ons trek,' and, to give weight to his words, he brought his great fist down with a bang upon the table

Illustration

For a while there was silence, which presently was broken by Jan roaring at me in a loud voice as though I were deaf. 'Vrouw, let ons trek,' and, to give weight to his words, he brought his great fist down with a bang upon the table

Half seated, half lying upon a rough bedstead spread with blankets, was Suzanne. Her hair had come undone and hung about her, her feet were still loosely bound together, and as the Kaffir, Asika, had said, her face was like that of a dead woman

Illustration

Half seated, half lying upon a rough bedstead spread with blankets, was Suzanne. Her hair had come undone and hung about her, her feet were still loosely bound together, and as the Kaffir, Asika, had said, her face was like that of a dead woman

One morning my great-grandmother finished dictating her history, the ending of which seemed to affect her much, for when it was done she told me sharply to put the typed sheets away and let her hear or see no more of them

Illustration

One morning my great-grandmother finished dictating her history, the ending of which seemed to affect her much, for when it was done she told me sharply to put the typed sheets away and let her hear or see no more of them

In five minutes they were in the centre of the torrent, and here it ran with a roar and mighty force so that its waves began to break over the schimmel’s head, and they feared that he would drown

Illustration

In five minutes they were in the centre of the torrent, and here it ran with a roar and mighty force so that its waves began to break over the schimmel’s head, and they feared that he would drown

Springing from the saddle she walked up to Piet, saying, 'Take what you seek, but oh! for your sake I wish to God that my lips were poison'

Illustration

Springing from the saddle she walked up to Piet, saying, 'Take what you seek, but oh! for your sake I wish to God that my lips were poison'