Journal of a Political Mission to Afghanistan, in 1857, under Major (now Colonel) Lumsden; with an Account of the Country and People.

BELLEW H. W. (1862.)

£1900.00 

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1st edition. With 8 chromo-lithographic plates (most of these with very light and slight staining to lower inner margins). 8vo. Title-page partly torn halfway down joint and with small Medical Society, County of Kings, Library stamp. Original brown cloth, professionally rebacked, with original spine laid on. A very good copy of this scarce book. pp. xv, tipped-in errata slip, 480 (this last page with another small stamp as on title-page). Smith, Elder. London.

A treaty of friendship was agreed between the Amir of Kabul and the British Government at Peshawar in January 1857. The terms of one of its clauses specified that a political mission to the Court of the Heir Apparent at Kandahar would take place.

Bellew (1834-1892), who had been working as an assistant surgeon with the Bengal Army, was appointed as medical officer to the mission, which was led by the Lumsden brothers (H.B. and P.S.). This beautifully illustrated book is his account of the mission.

The main narrative is preceded by three chapters on Afghanistan and its people, which Bellew felt necessary in order to re-introduce the country, which had been somewhat shut out from the rest of the world after the reported horrors of the First Anglo-Afghan War. Yakushi B115.  

This book is especially rare in original cloth.

Stock Code: 216606

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