Travels in Central Asia

New York: Harper and Brothers, 1865. Hardcover. Good. xvi, [17-19], 20-493, 2 p. 24 cm. 12 b&w plates. Folded part-colour map of Central Asia in rear pocket. Brown cloth hardcover with bevelled edges. Label residue on lower spine, some wear to spine ends. Corners bumped. Some faint scratches to front. Mechanics Institute stamp on front free endpaper. First pages stained. Shadow of envelope on rear endpaper.

Title continues: "Being the Account of A Journey From Teheran Across the Turkoman Desert on the Eastern Shore of the Caspian to Khiva, Bokhara, and Samarcand. Performed in the Year 1863." Although motivated by linguistic research, Vambery must have had a real spirit of adventure in him. Disguised as a dervish and travelling with a party of Muslim pilgrims, he succeeded in crossing the dreaded Turkoman desert via the ancient bed of the Oxus, and visited the cities of Khiva, Bokhara and Samarkand without detection. As well as describing these cities during their final years of independence (all were annexed by Russia within ten years of his visit), Vambery gives considerable details of the social and political relations, character and customs of the region. Finally, he provides a vivid narrative of caravan life, and of a remarkable journey in which he went in constant danger of exposure. Two pages of publisher's listings at rear highlight more adventure travel.