Bøker i Cambridge Library Collection - Travel and Exploration in Asia-serien

In 1783, at the opportunity presented by a new Panchen Lama, Samuel Turner (1759-1802) led a deputation from Bengal to Tibet and Bhutan in the hope of promoting British-Indian trade. Originally published in 1800, his insightful first-hand description of these countries remained the only such English-language work for decades.

Displaying a profound understanding of the local flora, fauna, history and people, William Marsden (1754-1836) provides an important account of a little-known part of Indonesia. Illustrated with botanical drawings, maps and local scenes, the third edition of 1811 is reissued here.

French explorer, author and legislator Gabriel Bonvalot (1853-1933) received funding from the French government to lead expeditions to Central Asia in the 1880s. This 1889 work is an account of the second Asian expedition. In Volume 2 the expedition reaches Chatral and is again imprisoned but eventually reaches India.

Sailor Edward Brown had taken command of a Chinese-crewed ship when it was captured by pirates. In this engaging account, published in 1861, Brown recounts his months in captivity and the places he was taken, giving a vivid picture of Cochin-China (Vietnam) during the Second Opium War (1856-60).

The botanist Robert Fortune (1813-80) was sent to China by the East India Company in 1848 in order to obtain tea samples for the plantations in the Himalayas. This account of his adventures there, first published in 1852, provides a glimpse into his enchanting and often bizarre experiences.

Later famous as Second Secretary to the Admiralty and a supporter of Arctic exploration, Sir John Barrow (1764-1848) joined Lord Macartney's British embassy to China in 1792-4. During this time he visited Cochinchina (now Vietnam). This 1806 illustrated travelogue covers the embassy's voyage via Brazil and Java.

First published in 1904, this work describes the expeditions of the horticulturalist Reginald J. Farrer (1880-1920) in Asia. His accounts of new flora, and especially of rock gardens, influenced English gardening style, and the legacy of his writings and plant introductions remains significant today.

Filled with anecdotes and observations (occasionally tinged with condescension), this 1889 book is an entertaining account not only of the journey but of the lands, people and customs that de Windt and his companion encountered while travelling overland from Beijing to the coast of France.

First published in 1876, this volume contains first-hand accounts of the first voyages to Tibet by British diplomat George Bogle (1747-1781) and scholar Thomas Manning (1772-1840). Edited by prolific writer Sir Clements Markham (1830-1916) this volume includes a detailed introduction with biographies of the two adventurers.

John Davy (1790-1868), an army surgeon, published this work in 1821, based on interviews and observations during a four-year visit. Containing an overview of the island's natural history and the culture of its people, along with an account of Davy's travels, the work offers insights into early nineteenth-century Ceylon.

John Crawfurd (1783-1868), an East India Company administrator, published this work in 1856. Focusing primarily on Java, Malay, Siam and the Philippines, this account of the culture, politics, language and geography of the region, presented concisely and alphabetically, remains an informative source on the Victorian understanding of South-East Asia.

First published in 1892, this captivating book charts the journey of two Baptist missionaries through the Shantung and Shansi provinces of China during the winter of 1890. With a preface by Glover and a map of the area traversed, this book provides a detailed account of missionary life in China.

A detailed and delightfully descriptive work from the author Alicia Little, who became famous for leading the movement against the Chinese custom of foot-binding in the late nineteenth century. The book is fully illustrated throughout.