FORSYTH, Sir Thomas Douglas.

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Report of a Mission to Yarkund in 1873... with Historical and Geographical Information regarding the Possessions of the Ameer of Yarkund. First edition, complete with the map. This detailed and comprehensive account of remote Yarkand, in Xinjiang, is illustrated with 45 original albumen prints; Forsyth's was one of the earliest missions of its kind to be equipped with cameras. Yarkand was ruled by the "remarkable Muslim adventurer" Yakub Beg, "veteran of a number of engagements against the Russians" (Hopkirk, p. 322).After an abortive mission to Yarkand in 1870, Forsyth (1827-1886) was sent again in 1873 to establish its commercial friendliness towards the British. The amir, Yakub Beg - an "exotic, ambiguous, and mysterious figure" (Dillon, p. 781) - had overthrown Qing rule, established an independent Muslim state (Kashgaria), and skilfully exploited the "great game" rivalry between Britain and Russia. He signed treaties with Russia in 1872 and Britain in 1874, while acknowledging Ottoman suzerainty in 1873 and received from the Porte armaments and military instructors. Forsyth's mission amassed "useful geographical, botanical, and ethnological information on the region" (ODNB).Accompanying Forsyth was a fellow old India hand, H. W. Bellew, who contributes the lion's share to this work, and two Royal Artillery officers, E. F. Chapman and Henry Trotter, who, among other duties, shared responsibility for the photographic record. Forsyth comments: "The most disquieting rumours

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