On Horseback through Asia Minor

A two-volume 1877 account of the author's two-thousand mile journey from Constantinople to eastern Turkey before the Russo-Turkish War.

Fred Burnaby (Author)

9781108037600, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 22 December 2011

426 pages, 2 maps
21.6 x 14 x 2.4 cm, 0.54 kg

Frederick Burnaby (1842–85) joined the Royal Horse Guards in 1859, but, when not assigned to active duty, he crafted his own adventures. He ballooned across the English Channel, and travelled in Spain, Asia Minor and Russia. He was wounded, and eventually killed, fighting for the British Empire. His book, A Ride to Khiva (1876) gave a personal account of his hazardous mission into Russian territory during the 'Great Game' when the British and Russian Empires were vying for power in central Asia. It was an instant bestseller, and brought him overnight fame. This two-volume work, published in 1877, recounts his next adventure: a two-thousand mile journey through Asia Minor to assess Turkey's chances in the impending war with Russia. On the way, he creates vivid snapshots of the region and the people he encounters. Volume 2 covers the journey from Armenia to the Black Sea and includes numerous appendices.

1. My host
2. The Mohammedan school
3. Radford
4. The Armenian church
5. Hasta Khan
6. Kemach
7. Erzingan
8. Russia's conduct in Servia
9. Climbing the mountains
10. The Pacha's interpreter
11. The European society in Erzeroum
12. A conversation with the Pacha
13. The weather
14. The Turkish cemetery
15. The Kurd
16. Low hills
17. Clearing the way
18. Armenian lads
19. A spy
20. A Yezeed (devil-worshippers) village
21. Dinner
22. Villages
23. No signs of Khoi
24. The bazaar
25. Kotoor
26. The artillery at practice
27. An extempore market
28. Akserai
29. My host
30. Alongside the river Murad
31. Mohammed's febrifuge
32. The garrison of Kars
33. The march to Ardahan
34. Ardanusch
35. The precipice
36. Price of corn
37. The journey is over.

Subject Areas: Middle Eastern history [HBJF1]