Bridge at Paraibunda

"The Paraibunda is a considerable stream, looking like a salmon river full of rapids and deep pools, was here crossed by a long bridge built of beams on stone piers. Wishing to make a sketch, I wandered down to the river. My host put my saddle bags on a wall for security as he thought I was bringing gold down from the mines. I took an early opportunity to show him that most of the weight was caused by my sketch-book and a pair of thick boots".
This is a page from a unique leather-bound volume of Robert Elwes’ travelogue 'A Sketcher's Tour Round the World', first published 1854, (see page 48 for corresponding passage).
The book contains the printed text of the manuscript but remarkably, the monochrome wash illustrations are hand painted by Elwes. The book bears a handwritten inscription ‘Mary F Elwes from her affect. husband Robert Elwes Jan 25 1878’, dated after Robert Elwes became ill at Congham, his Norfolk home. On 28th January 1878 , their youngest daughter Violet noted in her diary: “Papa much worse”. Less than three months later, Robert Elwes died on 17th April aged 58.