Russian Missions Into The Interior Of Asia

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Excerpt from Russian Missions Into the Interior of Asia Russia appears, by its geographical position, to be, of all the states of the Continent, that which is the best calculated to serve as an entrepot for Europe and Asia. On the one hand, rivers and canals unite the Baltic with the Caspian Sea; and make Nischnei-Novogorod and Astrachan great markets, where commerce would become of great importance, if its safety were insured on the roads which it is obliged to follow; on the other hand, the ports of the Black Sea are open to the mercantile fleets which trade to the Levant. Yet, notwithstanding the advantages of this position, it has hitherto been impossible to surmount all the obstacles to the progress of commerce, arising from the unsocial character of the Asiatic tribes, bordering upon Russia. The difference in manners, religion, and civilization, between the Europeans and the Orientals, or the consequences of a distrustful and suspicious policy, have caused the people of Asia to remain in a state of separation, which, while it gives them security, leaves commerce without a sufficient guarantee, to enable it to follow a regular course. Caravans have long been accustomed to go from Bucharia to Orenburg and Astrachan, and this last town has a commercial intercourse with the Turcomans; but the routes which these caravans take, pass across Steppes infested by the invasions of the Kirghis; and the expeditions from Manghichlak to Astrachan are neither constant nor regular. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Containing more than 600 entries, this valuable resource presents all aspects of travel writing. There are entries on places and routes (Afghanistan, Black Sea, Egypt, Gobi Desert, Hawaii, Himalayas, Italy, Northwest Passage, Samarkand, Silk Route, Timbuktu), writers (Isabella Bird, Ibn Battuta, Bruce Chatwin, Gustave Flaubert, Mary Kingsley, Walter Ralegh, Wilfrid Thesiger), methods of transport and types of journey (balloon, camel, grand tour, hunting and big game expeditions, pilgrimage, space travel and exploration), genres (buccaneer narratives, guidebooks, New World chronicles, postcards), companies and societies (East India Company, Royal Geographical Society, Society of Dilettanti), and issues and themes (censorship, exile, orientalism, and tourism). For a full list of entries and contributors, a generous selection of sample entries, and more, visit the Literature of Travel and Exploration: An Encyclopedia website.

For nearly a century the two most powerful nations on earth, Victorian Britain and Tsarist Russia, fought a secret war in the lonely passes and deserts of Central Asia. Those engaged in this shadowy struggle called it 'The Great Game', a phrase immortalized by Kipling. When play first began the two rival empires lay nearly 2,000 miles apart. By the end, some Russian outposts were within 20 miles of India. This classic book tells the story of the Great Game through the exploits of the young officers, both British and Russian, who risked their lives playing it. Disguised as holy men or native horse-traders, they mapped secret passes, gathered intelligence and sought the allegiance of powerful khans. Some never returned. The violent repercussions of the Great Game are still convulsing Central Asia today.