The French explorer, author and legislator Gabriel Bonvalot (1853-1933) travelled widely in Central Asia in the 1880s. This two-volume English translation by C. B. Pitman of the 1889-90 French original was published in 1891. It describes Bonvalot's expedition across Europe and Asia to French Indochina. Accompanied by Prince Henri d'Orleans whose father, the Duc of Chartres, financed the expedition, Bonvalot left Paris in July 1889. In Volume 1, the expedition crosses first Russia and then Siberia, making its way south to Tibet. The obstacles encountered are considerable, with temperatures reaching 40 degrees below zero (Bonvalot describes how the fat that the expedition eats for butter is so hard that it may be 'used as a projectile') and altitude sickness affecting many of the party. The volume ends as the party enters Tibet, but without being certain exactly where they are.

The French explorer, author and legislator Gabriel Bonvalot (1853-1933) travelled widely in Central Asia in the 1880s. This two-volume English translation by C. B. Pitman of the 1889-90 French original was published in 1891. It describes Bonvalot's expedition across Europe and Asia to French Indochina. Accompanied by Prince Henri d'Orleans whose father, the Duc of Chartres, financed the expedition, Bonvalot left Paris in July 1889. In Volume 2, the expedition succeeds in gaining formal permission to enter Tibet, despite the Lhasa government's usual policy of turning away foreigners. Bonvalot shows himself fascinated with the polyandry and polygamy practised by the Tibetans, saying that they seem 'quite contented with their lot, and gaiety reigns supreme'. The party continues through China's Yunnan province to Tonkin in northern Vietnam, and reaches Hanoi in 1890; they return to France by sea.

The French explorer, author and legislator Gabriel Bonvalot (1853 1933) received funding from the French government to lead two expeditions to Central Asia in the 1880s. This two-volume English translation by C. B. Pitman of the French original was published in 1889 and is a richly illustrated account of the second of the two Asian expeditions, in which Bonvalot and the scientist Guillaume Capus attempted to enter Afghanistan. Although the party was detained and sent back to Samarkand upon entering Afghanistan, they refused to concede defeat, as Bonvalot was determined to reach India via a trail believed to run across the Pamir and Hindu Kush mountains. In Volume 1, Bonvalot describes the journey from Marseille via Tehran to Samarkand, interspersing his narrative with observations of the climate and culture they encounter. At the Afghan border, guards warn that 'they will hack us to pieces and throw our bodies into the stream'.

The French explorer, author and legislator Gabriel Bonvalot (1853 1933) received funding from the French government to lead two expeditions to Central Asia in the 1880s. This two-volume English translation by C. B. Pitman of the French original was published in 1889 and is a richly illustrated account of the second of the two Asian expeditions, in which Bonvalot and the scientist Guillaume Capus attempted to enter Afghanistan. Although the party was detained and sent back to Samarkand upon entering Afghanistan, they refused to concede defeat, as Bonvalot was determined to reach India via a trail believed to run across the Pamir and Hindu Kush mountains. In Volume 2 the party reaches the remote Kingdom of Chatral, but is imprisoned again. Bonvalot uses the confinement to study the customs of the local people, and eventually, with the help of the British authorities, they are released and allowed to continue to India.

The French diplomat and engineer Ferdinand de Lesseps (1805 1894) was instrumental in the successful completion of the Suez Canal, which reduced by 3000 miles the distance by sea between Bombay and London. This two-volume memoir, written towards the end of his life and dedicated to his children, was published in this English translation in 1887. In it, de Lesseps describes his experiences in Europe and North Africa. He includes reflections on European and colonial history and politics, a chapter on steam power, and a report on the 1879 Paris conference that led to a controversial and abortive early attempt to build the Panama Canal. Volume 1 focuses on de Lesseps' diplomatic missions to Rome and Madrid in the late 1840s during a period of political and social unrest in Italy, Spain and France, and the early stages of the Suez canal project.

The French diplomat and engineer Ferdinand de Lesseps (1805 1894) was instrumental in the successful completion of the Suez Canal, which reduced by 3000 miles the distance by sea between Bombay and London. This two-volume memoir, written towards the end of his life and dedicated to his children, was published in this English translation in 1887. In it, de Lesseps describes his experiences in Europe and North Africa. He includes reflections on European and colonial history and politics, an essay on steam power, and a report on the 1879 Paris conference that led to a controversial and abortive early attempt by a French company to build the Panama Canal. Volume 2 focuses on the Suez project, quoting extensively from de Lesseps' correspondence, and also contains facts and figures relating to the 'interoceanic canal', political essays, and the speeches for his inauguration into the Acad mie fran aise.

This Is A New Release Of The Original 1891 Edition.

This Is A New Release Of The Original 1891 Edition.

This Is A New Release Of The Original 1888 Edition.