Travels into Bokhara: A Voyage up the Indus to Lahore and a Journey to Cabool, Tartary & Persia by Alexander Burnes

by Alexander Burnes

At the age of only twenty six, Alexander Burnes proved himself to be one of the most effective intelligence agents of his time. Making two dangerous journeys beyond the frontiers of the Indian Empire, he reported back via the East India Company to Downing Street on the geography and politics of the kingdoms that lay to the northwest as far as fabled Bokhara. He travelled simply, disguised as a local, but with his rapier-like mind, an ear for languages and an infectious charm and curiosity, he had a formidable arsenal of talents at his command. In 1835, the publication of BurnesOCOs Travels into Bokhara made him a celebrity in London, where he lectured to packed halls and was even given an audience by the King. This brand new edition brings the heady sense of excitement, risk and zeal bursting from the pages."

Genres: Travel, History, India, Nonfiction, Pakistan, Memoir, Biography

Paperback

First published January 1, 1835

About the author

Captain Sir Alexander Burnes, FRS was a Scottish traveller and explorer who took part in The Great Game. He was nicknamed Bokhara Burnes for his role in establishing contact with and exploring Bukhara, which made his name. His memoir, Travels into Bokhara, was a bestseller when it was first published in 1835.

He advised Lord Auckland to support Dost Mohammed on the throne of Kabul, but the viceroy preferred to follow the opinion of Sir William Hay Macnaghten and reinstated Shah Shuja, thus leading to the disasters of the First Afghan War. On the restoration of Shah Shuja in 1839, Burnes became regular political agent at Kabul, where he was attacked by the mob and killed in 1841. His Cabool: Being a Personal Narrative of a Journey to, and Residence in that City was published posthumously in 1842.

Reviews

[howsoonisnow · Rating 2 out of 5]

Accounts of a British spy employed by the East India Co, to travel through India and the Middle East. The book provided an insightful overview of 19th century British India and the Middle East, which was educational. The former consistently treated Burnes with deference (by virtue of being a British colony) - this formed a rather dull and boring 2/3 of the book where we witness Burnes wine and dine with a litany of brown nosing locals. The latter was much more interesting, with lots of brushes with slave traders and lawless "Wild Wild West" type societies. Overall, despite potentially exciting content, Burnes's narration is dull, flat, distant and removed, rendering this to be a tedious book, despite its exciting premise. It doesn't give you a full and heady sense of his experiences. It isn't immersive in the way one hopes a rip roaring account of adventure should be. It reads more like a stale thesis by a sociologist.

[W · Rating 3 out of 5]

British spies,two hundred years ago,were willing to travel anywhere,and everywhere,to expand the frontiers of their empire.Alexander Burnes' journey,brought him fame and a knighthood.Eventually,however,he ventured forth into Afghanistan once more and paid with his life.

[Lucas]

Alexander's narration of his journey through Central Asia provides a unique perspective to the study of the Great Game through an unparalleled lens.

Developments in the region during the 1830s encourage the reader to make amazing comparisons to current world events and challenges.

[Zacharias Sifakis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable and insightful

This is the travel log of an explorer, adventurer, diplomat and spy.
Reading this book you become a companion of Burnes in his primitive mission, mapping a relatively unknown area of the world (unknown even in modern time for many of us).
Although in many cases the descriptions of the landscape can be tedious (i.e. length and depth of rivers), it is useful to put it into perspective of the time this was written, and understand the importance it had at this time.
Thankfully most of the time the descriptions are magnificent, and give a real insight to the lands he travelled, the people he encountered, and their customs and cultures, that also relevant (in some extend) today.
The reader has a lot also to gain by appreciating the ways he traveled in each region (change of medium, clothes, habits) and the ways he built his relationships with the different people.
I am not sure if this is the most accurate history/travel book for this region, yet I rate it with 4 stars because I definitely enjoyed reading it and following Burnes to his journey.
Explanatory notes on this edition were also helpful.

[Marcus · Rating 4 out of 5]

For anyone who has worked or travelled in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan or Turkmenistan this is a gem. An under-cover British agent on an intelligence gathering mission in the1830s, giving his first-hand account. An episode of ‘The Great Game’, when no-one in the British Empire knew whether the Indus was navigable, or what was really happening in Central Asia beyond Kabul. A spectacular success with a very sorry end. Altogether fascinating!

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although the text is a little dry and plodding and slow for me to read, and although most of the author's travels were in countries that I have no immediate intention of visiting (such as Afghanistan and Pakistan), it was still interesting and enjoyable to read an almost 200 year old travelogue of getting to Bukhara and what is now modern Uzbekistan.

[Daniel Rivero · Rating 5 out of 5]

En 1831, un joven y aventurero explorador británico llamado Alexander Burnes emprendió un peligroso viaje al corazón de Asia Central, con Bujará como destino final. Este viaje se convertiría más tarde en una fascinante historia de intriga, diplomacia y choque de culturas.

En aquella época, Asia Central era una región rodeada de misterio e intriga, conocida por sus antiguas ciudades, sus vibrantes rutas comerciales y el enigmático emirato de Bujará. Burnes, un carismático e ingenioso oficial de la Compañía Británica de las Indias Orientales, recibió el encargo de una audaz misión: establecer relaciones diplomáticas y reunir información crucial sobre esta tierra lejana y poco conocida.

El viaje de Burnes comenzó en la India, donde se hizo pasar por un rico comerciante para ocultar su verdadera misión. Viajó a través de un terreno traicionero, se encontró con tribus nómadas, cruzó vastos desiertos y navegó por la intrincada red de la Ruta de la Seda. A lo largo del camino, fue documentando sus experiencias con vívidas descripciones de la gente, las costumbres y los paisajes que iba encontrando.

Al llegar a Bujará, Burnes se enfrentó a un desafío de enormes proporciones. El emirato de Bujará estaba gobernado por Nasrullah Khan, un líder astuto e impredecible conocido por su estricta interpretación del Islam. Burnes tuvo que andarse con cuidado, ya que las consecuencias de que se descubriera su verdadera identidad eran nefastas. Sin embargo, su encanto, ingenio y profundo conocimiento de la cultura persa le permitieron navegar por la compleja red de la política cortesana y establecer relaciones amistosas con el Emir.

Durante su estancia en Bujará, Burnes conoció la rica historia de la región, incluido su papel como centro de erudición y comercio islámicos. También descubrió valiosa información sobre la dinámica política de Asia Central y la importancia estratégica de la región en el Gran Juego, la rivalidad geopolítica entre los imperios británico y ruso.

El viaje de Burnes a Bujará es un testimonio de su valentía e ingenio. Este vívido diario de viaje, ofrece una visión del enigmático mundo de Asia Central. Su misión sentó las bases para la futura implicación británica en la región y contribuyó a una mayor comprensión de la historia y la importancia de Asia Central.

[Jrobertus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Burnes was an officer in the British Indian army and in 1831 made a trip from India, through the Punjab, into Afghanistan and up to Bukhara. He traveled in disguise as far as locals were concerned, but identified himself to local officials as a British officer to be sure he wasn’t accused of spying. Along the way he took note of roads, topology, climate etc., all as part of the Great Game. Several years later, Barnes was killed by a mob in Afghanistan as part of the first war there. Anyway, this is a most engaging read. He describes the landscape, rivers, cities, and people along the way. There are so many observations I can’t summarize them all, but I will list a couple. He observed that people in desert Bukhara always drink water with ice, which they warehouse from the harsh winter. There is a lot of discussion of slave selling; Persian Shia and Russian infidels being the top sellers. Except for being held captive, the slaves he talks with say they are generally well treated, as long as they at least pretend to be Sunni Moslems. Barnes and his party spend a lot of time as guest of various potentates. When the cheese of Bukhara helps them find a safe caravan to the Caspian, he does it by calling in the caravan leader, holding his family hostage and insisting that the leader bring him back a sealed letter from Barnes that he has safely reached his destination, or else the caravan leaders family will be “wiped from the earth”. I guess that’s how you facilitate commerce in 1830 central Asia. I loved this short book.

[Janet E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A twenty-six-year-old British adventurer, multi-lingual Alexander Burnes explored and spied for the British East India Company and, ultimate, the Crown. 'Bokhara Burnes' explored Bukhara, served as a spy during the first Afghan War. He was knighted by Queen Victoria for his clandestine services in those tempestuous times. Here is his detailed record of a trail-blazing journey across Afghanistan and beyond, which he later published as "Travels into Bokhara - A Voyage up the Indus to Lahore and a Journey to Cabool, Tartary & Persia." What more do you need to know? Grab a copy.

[Paul Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shows its age and rather too much a list of events but nevertheless an account of an extraordinary and extraordinarily perilous journey into the precarious tribal regions beyond British India. If only the British, the Russians and the War on Terror coalition had paid greater heed to the dangers of invading Aghanistan.

[Banbury · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel a bit churlish only giving this book two stars, as the adventure it recounts took intelligence and bravery on the part of the author. However, the writing itself is more in the nature of a report, and lacks an overview, and perhaps self-awareness, of the larger history of the British aims in Central Asia, and the author's role in it.

[Zoe Saadia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most fascinating testimony to the voyages of British adventurer, employed by the East India Company and later on knighted by Queen Victor for his accounts and deeds, through parts of India, Uzbekistan and Afghanistan, a vivid account that I, for one, found impossible to put down!

[Frank · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great edition to a masterwork of travel writing/human observation

A thrill for numismatists and travel buffs alike. Nice edition with explanatory notes. Burnes was a humane man, far ahead of his time. Very readable, not overwrought Victorian prose. Clear and even funny.

[Khalillaher]

Finished the book by Alexander Burnes written in the 1830s who was the first British spy to travel the full length of the Indus River detailing all the different types of people and mini kingdoms he comes across - Karachi to Bukhara onwards

Travels into Bukhara
Not very long but very good

[William O'Brien · Rating 5 out of 5]

Travels Into Bokhara
by Alexander Burnes

Brilliant for those currently interested in the history of Queen Victoria.

One to add to the collection.

[Paul Conroy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating look at life, 200 years ago, in the “Terra Incognito” on the frontiers of British India, the Russian Empire, the Chinese Empire and the Middle East.

[Emmapettitt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting and of its time.

[Carol Griffiths · Rating 3 out of 5]

This account of a young Englishman's travels in central Asia in 1831 was very interesting, particularly in light of present events in Afghanistan.

[Daniel Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was an interesting read. Although for a modern reader it can move pretty slow.

[Anita Wallace · Rating 1 out of 5]

Struggled to read this. It is very interesting but very dense language.

[Thomas B · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of Britain's most important missions of exploration and diplomacy, preceding a Catalogue of bad political decisions that cost her dear.

The prose of the time is floral and dynamic, but you get a true sense of the land and people as Alexander's mission travels through the north west frontier. Despite the differences the land has undergone in nearly two hundred years, it is highly poignant relevant to activities in the same region today.