A Personal Narrative of the Euphrates Expedition.

First edition. 2 volumes. With a folding frontispiece map. 8vo. Original green cloth, gilt; light wear to extremities, corners bumped, one small dark stain to spine of vol.I, otherwise very good. Ink ownership inscription to half-title of vol.I. Engraved bookplates of John Brinton to both pastedowns. xv, 447, 32 [publisher's catalogue]; vii, 492 pp. London, Kegan Paul, Trench & Co.,

Ainsworth's excellent account of the Euphrates expedition, to which he was appointed surgeon and geologist. The expedition was intended to "examine the feasibility of opening up the Mesopotamian rivers to steam navigation as a new route to India, as well as asserting British political presence in the area, promoting British commercial ties, and gathering scientific and archaeological data" (ODNB).

This is arguably the fullest contemporary account of the expedition, as the fraught publication history of Chesney's account meant that his Narrative... (London, 1868) was ultimately less detailed than intended. 

 

 

Stock Code: 219073