KNOX, Thomas W.

Inquire · Offered by Peter Harrington

Overland through Asia. Pictures of Siberian, Chinese, and Tartar Life. First edition, issued by subscription only, of this profusely illustrated narrative of Knox's journey to scout the feasibility of a telegraph line through Central Asia. He was one of the first to analyse the practice of exiling criminals and prisoners to Siberia. Knox (1835-1896) was an American journalist and traveller who worked for the New York Herald during the American Civil War. In 1866 he was assigned to accompany the Russo-American Telegraph Company's expedition as they crossed Siberia, attempting to find a way to connect Europe and the United States by way of the Bering Strait. During the journey he wrote this volume, which became widely popular upon release. "He described the sights and peoples he encountered in generally glowing terms", and with regards to the Siberian exile system, "[stressed] that the hardships of banishment were compensated by the rareness of the death penalty and the positive accomplishments of many of the exiles" (Saul, p. 178). The map at the rear of the volume charts his route.

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