Travels from St Petersburg in Russia, to Diverse Parts of Asia

This two-volume work of 1763 describes the journeys of a Scots diplomat from Russia to Persia and China.

John Bell (Author)

9781108071529, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 17 July 2014

388 pages, 1 map
23.4 x 15.6 x 2.2 cm, 0.6 kg

John Bell (1691–1780) trained as a physician, but preferred a life of travel and diplomacy. He entered the service of Tsar Peter the Great of Russia, and had already taken part (as the expedition's doctor) in a government mission to Persia in 1715–18 when he was asked to join a further embassy to China. This two-volume work, published in 1763, describes both these journeys. The first part of Volume 1 contains an account of the Persian expedition, and the second a narrative of the journey across Siberia to the walls of Beijing. It includes fascinating anecdotes of the peoples encountered, and their environment, beliefs and customs, including a female Siberian shaman, the pet musk deer of an exiled Swedish general, and the interdependence of marmots and rhubarb (at this time a valuable medicinal drug). This is a delightful account of an area then hardly known in the west.

List of subscribers
Preface
Part I. A Journey from St Petersburg in Russia, to Ispahan in Persia: 1. From St Petersburg to Cazan
2. Occurrences during our stay at Cazan
3. Occurrences during our stay at Astrachan
4. Occurrences during our stay at Shamachy
5. Occurrences during our stay at Tauris
6. Occurrences during our stay at Ispahan
7. From Ispahan to Shamachy
8. From Shamachy to St Petersburg
Part II: A Journey from St Petersburg in Russia, to Pekin in China: 1. From St Petersburg to Tobolsky, the capital of Siberia
2. Occurrences at Tobolsky
3. Occurrences at Tomsky
4. Observations on Yakutsky and Kamtzatsky, and journey continued to Irkutsky
5. From Irkutsky, cross the Lake Baykall, to Selinginsky
6. Occurrences at Selinginsky
7. From passing the Saratzyn, and entering the Chinese territories, to our arrival at the wall of China
8. From the wall of China to Pekin.

Subject Areas: Historical geography [HBTP]