Through deserts and oases of central Asia

About this book

The book is a travelogue and ethnographic record of the Sykes siblings’ 1915 expedition across Central Asia, from the Russian Empire to the remote cities of Kashgar, Yarkand and Khotan. It opens with a formal acknowledgment of the local contacts, Mr. Bohlin of the Swedish mission, the British consul‑general’s aide Khan Sahib, and a scholar from the India Office, who helped the authors gather material that deliberately avoids the exhaustive surveys of Sir Aurel Stein. The narrative then shifts to a vivid, day‑by‑day account of the journey’s first stage: a wartime crossing of Scandinavia and Finland, a cramped Norwegian steamer evading German submarines, and a snow‑laden train ride through Bergen, Stockholm and Petrograd. The opening pages blend logistical detail with personal observation, setting the tone for a work that interweaves geography, history and the authors’ own experiences in a region they describe as an “old‑world backwater of Asia.”

Written in a measured, early‑twentieth‑century prose style, the voice is that of a well‑educated British explorer who balances scholarly footnotes with lively descriptions of landscapes, customs and encounters with local peoples. The language reflects the period’s colonial perspective, yet the authors’ willingness to credit native guides and to include numerous photographs gives the work a documentary richness. Readers who enjoy classic travel literature, historical geography, or the early exploration of Xinjiang and the Pamirs will find the book rewarding, as will anyone interested in the cultural tapestry of Central Asia before the upheavals of the modern era.