HEDIN, Sven.

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Southern Tibet: First and only edition. "The most important and comprehensive collection of material relating to Tibet up to the date of publication. Not only does it include detailed accounts of Transhimalaya, the Karakoram, Chang Tang and Lake Manasarowar regions, but also in-depth studies of previous explorers of the region, and a particularly important collection of maps of the entire area" (Hess). "Hedin's travels [drew] him increasingly into what Lord Curzon regarded as the British sphere of interest, and a well-orchestrated effort was set in motion to draw the Swede closer into the British camp... However, his determination to reach Lhasa finally dissipated after Younghusband's mission of 1904, the justification for which Hedin needed some convincing of... With Curzon's approval Hedin therefore set about planning a second expedition to Tibet, his motivation being entirely scientific." (Howgego) The removal of Curzon from India and the decision of the new Liberal government that Hedin should not be allowed into Tibet under any circumstances only spurred on the furious Swede. He quickly assembled a caravan at Srinagar and made his way to Leh from Ladakh, "By the time word got through to the British representative in Leh, ordering him to restrain Hedin by force if necessary, the Swede was already on his way to Tibet." Carried out in two "campaigns," driven by the belief that this might be his last opportunity to fill the remaining "vast blanks on the map," Hedin's survey

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