A RIDE TO KHIVA: TRAVELS AND ADVENTURES IN CENTRAL ASIA

London: Cassell & Co. Ltd., n.d.. Early popular edition. Small 4to, three-quarter contemporary brown calf stamped with floral border in blind over feathered boards, spine in compartments separated by gilt rule and tooling, red and green morocco labels lettered in gilt. 398, including appendix. A handsome and sturdy copy, internally quite fresh and clean. AN ATTRACTIVE COPY OF THIS SCARCE WORK OF CENTRAL ASIAN TRAVEL. Burnaby’s famous journey on horseback from St. Petersburg to Khiva during the winter of 1875-1876 in what is now Uzbekistan, which had just lately been closed to travellers. While the author calls this a travelogue of his journeys through Russia, he was primarily concerned with Russia’s expansion through Central Asia. Khiva had been taken over by the Russian army 5 years earlier, who had since steadily continued their encroachment towards India. Burnaby devotes an appendix and much discussion in this book to the fears of the residents over the Russian invasions and the danger of war with England as the Russians came ever closer to the British-Indian border. Detailed notes are also given on routes and terrain. An excellent copy of this scarce, classic work of travel.