Narrative of a Year's Journey Through Central and Eastern Arabia (1862-3)

2 volumes. Third edition 1866.

Full-calf with gilt lineal border.

Contrasting morocco labels.

Raised bands, gilt decorative panels.

Marbled endpapers and page blocks.

Volume I.

xii, [1], 466 pages.

Frontispiece portrait with tissue-guard.

Dedication page.

2 fold-out plans.

Fold-out hand-coloured map.

Volume II.

[1], 398 pages.

Title page vignette.

2 fold-out plans.

"William Gifford Palgrave was referred to by

The Journal of the Royal Geographical Society as one

of the most important European explorers of the Arabian

Peninsula. After ordination into the Jesuit order he

convinced his superiors to allow his mission into the

interior of Arabia an unknown territory to the rest

of the world.

He also gained the support of the French emperor,

Napoleon III, representing to him that better knowledge

of Arabia would benefit French imperialistic schemes

in Africa and the Middle East. Palgrave then returned

to Syria, where he assumed the identity of a travelling

Syrian physician. Stocking his bags with medicines and

small trade goods, and accompanied by one servant,

he set off for Najd, in north-central Arabia. He traveled

as a Christian. The service he would do for the Society

of Jesus and the French empire would be as a spy,

not a missionary. At one point Palgrave was accused of

espionage and was almost executed for his Christian beliefs.

After travelling for a year from Syria, through Najd, and on

to Bahrainand Oman, he returned to Europe, where he

wrote a narrative of his travels. This narrative became a

bestseller. It makes no mention of the covert motives for

his journey.

After writing this book, Palgrave made yet another volte-face

and renounced the Catholic Church in 1865. In 1868 he

married Katherine, the daughter of George Edward Simpson,

of Norwich, by whom he had three sons. He was appointed

consul at St. Thomas and St. Croix in 1873, Manila in 1876,

and in 1878 in Bulgaria, where he was appointed Consul-General.

In 1879 he was moved to Bangkok. In 1884 he was appointed

Minister Resident and Consul-General to Uruguay, where he

served until his death in 1888."

Recorded shipping weight 2500g

Shipped and insured by recorded delivery.