20 pages. Plus a fold-out colour map measuring approximately 13.25 x 11.5 inches (34 x 29cm). Original condition with blue wrappers, titles to front, and containing all the ads. This is a complete issue, seldom found in such good and original condition. This is a considerably detailed account of Colonel Stewart's journeys and excursions in Perso-Afghan frontier - from the Hari-rud to Sistan - and in the Herat valley, with engaging portrayal of the desert life, tribal raids and slavery, border conflicts and mutiny, ancient ruins, less-visited towns and villages as well as fascinating remarks on the travel routes of Marco Polo and Kanikoff, history of Mogul raids, massive cultivation and consumption of tobacco, poppy and opium - "Men, women, and children even, smoke opium to a terrible extent, and I was assured that hundreds of people died annually from the effects of opium" - fine quality Persian carpet, and construction of railway by the Russians. Accompanied by a magnificent fold out colour map, this captivating account beautifully describes the author's adventurous travels, in which he suffered from excruciating heat and thirst crossing the Lut dessert, taking a route closely to that of the Kanikoff. Arriving in Khaf shortly after Sardar Ayoub Khan being defeated by the Amir at Kandahar, the author proceeds to the ancient and historically important city of Zuzan, where the inhabitants including women and children, were slaughtered by the Moguls. After visiting the ruined fortifications, he passes through the Ahinguran range reaching the town of Birjand with only 14000 inhabitants, from there he proceeds towards the flourishing town of Khusf, marching to Khur and Balabund, visiting the small village of Naiband with only 400 inhabitants, who were continuously subjected to raids by marauding Baluchis. Here he points out the road travelled by Marco Polo from Karman (Kerman) to Kain. After staying 3 days in Naiband, he returns back to Birjand, from there he continues his journey to the Persian frontier opposite Lash-Jowain, visiting Duruh, Tabbas, Gazik, and Yazdun, then getting back to his headquarters at Khaf and returning to England. Shortly after, he starts another journey to the Perso-Afghan frontier, accompanying the Shah of Persia on his travel along the then newly demarcated frontier between Persia and Russia on the northern border of Khorasan, and from there the author proceeds to the village of Mohsinabad, about 80 miles from Herat. He stays there for approximately nine months, making a long adventurous excursion in 1883 across the Hari Rud into Badghis, trying to avoid the Turkoman raiding parties. During his stay from September 1883 to May 1884, some thirty persons were carried off into slavery by the Turkomans, among them a few were from the village of Mohsinabad. After this journey, Colonel Stewart was sent to Herat, along with two engineer officers, Major Holdich and Captain Peacocke, they marched to the village of Rozanak, Sahar Kiz, then reaching Herat. Colonel stewart makes a few excursions, including visiting the holy shrine of Gazar Gah containing the tomb of a Mohammedan saint named Abdul Ansari. He remarks on the construction of the railway by the Russians from the Caspian Sea via Askabad and Merv to Samarkand, and points out on the possibility of running railroads in Central Asia - which could be easily supplied by the high quantity of extracted Petroleum - continuing the Quetta line to Herat, and joining it to the Russian line.
