HEBER-PERCY, Algernon.

£750 · Offered by Peter Harrington · No longer available

Moab, Ammon, and Gilead. First edition, presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the title page, "To Sir Offley Wakeman from the author. Oct 8th, 1896." In 1877, the recipient (1850-1929) served as the high sheriff of Shropshire - home to the author's fine residence, Hodnet Hall - and he had his seat at Yeaton Peverey Hall near Shrewsbury. His arms are embossed in blind on the front free endpaper.This was the second of two books Major Heber-Percy (1845-1911) published on his adventures in the Middle East. He arrived at Jaffa in May 1895 with his wife Alice (1843-1922) and his son Josceline (1880-1964), and the party made their way northwards from Dibon, east of the Dead Sea, to Mezarib, in the company of Bedouin guides. His account indulges his passion for archaeology and history, embellished with anecdotes, including of sipping coffee and pilsner beer while watching a party of some 30 Germans "obviously quite unaccustomed to riding... prostrate with fatigue and heat" (p. 5).

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