Description

In an age filled with romantic legends, Captain Frederick Burnaby literally towered above his countrymen. Strong enough to carry a pony under each arm, the dashing Burnaby enjoyed a well-deserved reputation for dare-devil equestrian deeds based on his illegal winter ride across Russia in 1875. "On Horseback Through Asia Minor" details how the brave Burnaby set off in the winter of 1876, convinced he could once again outwit the Czar's secret police. This time Burnaby determined to ride 2,000 miles across Asia Minor undetected. Ostensibly he was going to observe the Turks away from European influences. However Burnaby needed only the barest of excuses in order to undertake one of the nineteenth century's most courageous equestrian journeys. This book, which was published upon his return to England, details how Burnaby eluded Russian agents in Constantinople who had distributed his photo with orders to arrest him. Armed with a rifle, a small stock of medicines, and a single faithful servant, the equestrian traveler rode through a hotbed of intrigue and high adventure in wild inhospitable country, encountering Kurds, Circassians, Armenians, and Persian pashas. Through it all Burnaby succeeds in sharing with his readers all the dangers and delights of this timeless equestrian adventure travel classic!