The book focuses on Chinese Turkestan approached from Russia through Siberia; from Kashgar and Yarkand the route leads over the Karakoram into Ladakh and the Himalayas and winds up in India. The journey took place in 1873-74, in a period of particularly strong rivalry for hegemony by Russia, Britain and China in the area concerned. The ‘Great Game’ was exacerbated by the exceptional forward thrust of a stately diplomatic mission from British India to Kashgaria. At the same time a gentleman of independent means arrived at the country ruled by Yakub Beg, feared as a despotic Amir. The traveller came from Hungary in search of populations from which his own people originated. He ran into deep trouble because the locals could neither comprehend his identity, nor understand his motives. He was lucky, however, in obtaining clearance and support from the British envoy and avoid further ignominy by turning south and leaving the region as fast as he could. This is how L. Berzenczey became the first European to make his way from Saint Petersburg to Bombay through Central Asia and over the Himalayas. He told his story in a series of twelve articles published in The Times of India. This material is reproduced from a typescript, accompanied by relevant extracts from the government records concerned, from the Ambassador’s report on his mission to Yarkand and from the minutes of a meeting in the Royal geographical society, London. The foreword and two introductory papers describe the Hungarian traveller’s colourful background and present the political setting.
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