The Empty Quarter

New York; (1933): Henry Holt and Co. Octavo. Frontispiece, xxiv, 433 pages, illustrated with black and white photographic images, three folding maps. Dr. L.J. Spencer of the British Museum has prepared the appendices (pages 365-412; index pages 413-433. Harry St. John Philby's initial mastery of Arabic along with the support of Gertrude Bell assisted opening doors into the forbidden territory. Here he has written of his journey in 1932 into the dreaded region (described by Dougherty as a place of terror for most inhabitants of the northern deserts of Arabia). He has described not only the geographical and geological aspects but also made zoological discoveries. He was the first European to cross the dangerous region from the desert's edge to Hadhramaut. Though Ibn Sa'ud had promised him protection, there were hostile tribes and nearly 300 miles where there was no known water though a few were known to the tribes. Here is one of the great travels into the most forbidding part of Arabia. A very nice copy bound in blue cloth, spine lettered and ruled in silver. Previous owner's name. A clean bright sharp cornered copy.