Travels into Bokhara;

with the rare folding map

Rare with the folding map. An account of a famous journey written by a spy. Burnes proceeded via Balkh to Bokhara, and on to the Oxus, Merv and Khorasan.

The map was published separately as it was not ready in time for publication of the text, which Murray wanted to release as soon as possible in order to steal a march on Arthur Conolly's book, which appeared a few months later, and Moorcroft's long delayed posthumous work. A reduced version of it was published with the second edition.

'Burnes was of the India's Company Service and after a successful mission to the Court of Lahore, during which he mapped the course of the Indus, he proposed to go further and cross Central Asia from the Indus to the Caspian. Burnes did not travel as an accredited agent of the government as it was considered too risky, but he did travel with papers stating that he was an officer returning home on leave. The book is thus an account of a famous journey written by an early spy. He visited Kabul where he met Joseph Wolff who had been travelling in the region disguised as a Moslem to preach Christianity to the Jews. Thence he proceeded via Balkh to Bokhara, and on to the Oxus, Marv and Khorasan. Volume III describes in some detail the geography of each of the regions he passed through.' (Ghani).

First edition; 3 vols, 8vo (21.5 x 16 cm) with the large separate folding map by Arrowsmith loose; half-titles present, 8 lithographed plates, one double page, the last two of coins, some plates a little foxed but still attractive; nineteenth century half calf, marbled boards, spines in six gilt compartments with contrasting gilt morocco lettering pieces, a touch of rubbing, head to vol. I a little chipped, a very good set; [vi], ix-xxii, [ii], 356; xvi, 474; [vi], ix-xx, 308 pp.

Ghani p60; cf. Wilson p.35 (later edition); Yakushi (1994) B632a.