Through Persia on a Side-Saddle

London: John Macqueen. Poor with no dust jacket. 1901. Hardcover. A poor ex-library copy. A rough reading copy, or a book which would benefit from rebacking. Spine detached (spine has been crudely stitched to the front board). 3 1/2" tear along centre of spine. 1/2" chips and 1/4" missing at ends of spine. Text block separated from spine along rear joint. Pages xv-2 detached. All plates present, although a couple have been reattached facing different pages to those called for. Library stamps and markings, including blind-stamps on plates. The map has numerous long ragged tears, along most of nearly all of the folds. Loss of a few chips in the blank margins at the ends of tears, but the printed area is complete although very tatty.; "New and Revised Edition". xvi, 331 pages + 8 plates + folding map. Original illustrated cloth boards with white lettering on spine and front board. Dimensions: 225 x 144mm. Pages ix-xvi consist of a a new introduction to this edition, signed by F.G. "Inviting me to write a short preface to a new edition of her attractive pages descriptive of Persian life and scenery, Miss Sykes has suggested that I should take occasion to recall my own experience of travel in those parts of Eastern Persia which she herself has travesed more than twenty years later." - page ix. "As I believe that I am the first European woman who has visited Kerman and Persian Baluchistan, my experiences may perhaps interest other women who feel the 'Wanderlust' but are unable to gratigy their longing for adventure." - from the author's preface. Contents: Preface; Introduction; The Journey to the Capital of Persia; Tehran; From the Capital to Fatima's Shrine at Koom; As Far as Kashan; To the Goal of our Journey via Yezd; Housekeeping at Kerman; Kerman and its Environs; Olla Podrida; Four Visitors and a Maid; Our Stay in the Hills; Our Social Circle at Kerman; Arababad and Sagotch, Persian Ladies and some Persian Customs; Last Months at Kerman and the Start to Baluchistan; Through the Desert to Bampur and Pahra; To Kuhak and the Frontier Commission; With the Perso-Baluch Boundary Commission; To Quetta with the British Commission; Up the Persian Gulf to Busreh; The Karun River and Ahwaz; From Busreh to Tehran Again; Tehran Revisited, and the Journey Home to England. Illustrations: Persian Lady in Indoor Costume; Persian Women in Outdoor Dress; Courtyard of the Mosque of Mahun; The Luncheon Camel; Kuhak, Where the Frontier Commission Met; Kaianian Malek Tomes; Mirza Riza, the Assassin of the Late Shah; The Children of H.H. the Farman Farma. [References: Jane Robinson, "Wayward Women: A Guide to Women Travellers (1990) pages 59-60] ; Ex-Library; 8vo 8" - 9" tall .