GILL, William.

Inquire · Offered by Peter Harrington

The River of Golden Sand. Rare publisher's deluxe edition, presentation copy, of this classic travel narrative, touchingly inscribed on the first blank of volume one, "Fanny Gill, with the best love of her brother, William Gill". In 1883, following Gill's premature death in Sinai, Frances "Fanny" Gill (1842-1930) was the driving force behind the creation of the RGS's Gill medal and John Murray's publication of a condensed memorial edition of the text.Captain William Gill (1843-1882), who served with the Royal Engineers between 1864 and 1876, was inspired to explore the relatively unknown Chinese hinterland by the earlier travels of Thomas Blakiston and Baron Ferdinand von Richthofen. In July 1876, Gill visited Berlin to consult with von Richthofen about preparations for the journey and then set sail for Asia. After several months spent visiting Peking, Shanghai, Chengde (Jehol) and the sea terminus of the Great Wall, he began his expedition in 1877, following the Yangtze to the city of Chongqing in the company of Evelyn Colborne Baber. In Sichuan province, he ventured into the remote Min mountains - becoming the first European to explore the region - and then undertook a four-month journey westwards with William Mesny to Yunnan and Tibet, following the course of the Jinsha ("Golden Sand") river, the name given to the upper stretches of the Yangtze. "From Tachienlu (Dajianlu) (8340 feet) he ascended to the summit level of the great Tibetan plateau, continuing his journey by Li

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