By Desert Ways To Baghdad And Damascus

by Louisa Jebb

Every age witnesses the birth of some great soul. Sometimes events bring these people to the attention of the world. More often than not, they alter the lives around them, then pass on quietly. Such a soul belonged to the author of this cherished book. There was nothing in Louisa Jebb's comfortable Victorian youth to indicate she would one day take to the saddle and pen one of the most eloquent equestrian travel books ever written. Yet in the early years of the 20th century, Jebb set out with a female companion to cross the Turkish Empire on horseback. To say they were unprepared to become Long Riders would be an understatement. Neither of them could speak the local language. Furthermore, both wore cumbersome full-length skirts and rode side-saddles. They were, in a word, enthusiastic amateurs who believed courage and common sense would see them through. Remarkably, it did. Having hired a picturesque guide and reliable horses, they set out to explore the secret corners of the Sultan's empire. What they discovered were guarded harems and regal Pashas, fabled rivers and a desert world of intense beauty. If Jebb rode into Turkey expecting to find adventure, she found it. Yet she discovered something else - nomadic freedom. It is her personal observations about this subject that set "By Desert Ways to Baghdad and Damascus" apart from other equestrian travel books. "In the untravelled parts of the East you reign supreme, there is no need to go about securely chained to a gold watch. Ignore Time, and he is your servant," she observed wisely. Sadly, revolution and death soon swept across this fabled land, wiping away the kingdom of the Turkish Caliphs and laying the foundations for the grief which enshrouds this unhappy part of the world today. Upon her return to "civilization" the author lamented about what she had found, then lost. "Last night we were dirty, isolated and free, tonight we are clean, sociable and trammelled. Last night the setting sun's final message was burnt into us. Tonight the sunset passed unheeded as we sit imprisoned and oppressed by the confining walls of Damascus Palace Hotel. We are no longer princesses whose hands are kissed. We are now judged by the cost of our raiment." Few books contain as many great abiding truths as this one does.

Genres: Nonfiction, Travel

232 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1908

About the author

Louisa Wilkins OBE, also known as Mrs Roland Wilkins (born Louisa Jebb; 8 August 1873 – 1929) was a British writer and agricultural administrator. She was involved in the creation and recruitment for the Women's Land Army during World War One. She was an enthusiast for small holdings and after the war she inspired the creation of a small holding co-operative for women who had entered agriculture during the war.

Reviews

[Daren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Published in 1908, with the travel in the few years preceding, this book describes the journey of Louisa Jebb and her female companion named only ‘X’ in the text, from Istanbul to Baghdad, to Damascus. In spite of all the help afforded them by officials on route (travelling with guides, protection from soldiers etc) this was of course still a brave undertaking, given the prevalence of bandits and the like.

Of course the people along the way, while excessively interested in the women and their journey (or more particularly what they are doing in their town/village) were of course almost always very courteous and generous.

As well as travel by horse with mules taking baggage and equipment, the most interesting aspect of the travel was rafting down the Tigris River – a significant distance from Diarkbekr to Baghdad – some 800 kilometres.
P111

We were using 260 of them [inflated goat skins]... They were tied on to two layers of poplar poles put crossways, forming a raft about eighteen feet square. At one end were two small huts made of felt stretched across upright poles; the fore end was weighted down with bags of merchandise laid side by side across the poles to form a rough floor.

But the risk of banditry was always there.
P119

Our friends, however were decidedly encouraging as we bade them goodbye. "You will probably meet with Kurds", then said, "but if they do shoot at you it will only be for the fun of sinking the raft; they may rob you and strip you, but if you don't resist they won't kill you." We were distinctly elated.

However they totally lost me on P116 when she mentions seeing penguins and ducks on the Tigris! Not sure what she mistook for penguins!

While much of the book was taken up with the interactions of these ladies with their entourage, with local dignitaries and with the common people they came into contact with, there was much to enjoy in the descriptions and the interactions which were at times very amusing. Jebb and X were often on opposite sides of a debate, and their use of the local languages was somewhat hit and miss and led to plenty of amusing situations.
P146

"What a picturesque man the kalekji is," X exclaimed suddenly. "I take such a delight in watching him shaking out his flowing garments and folding himself up in such graceful attitudes."
"Personally," I said, with some malice, "it gives me no pleasure since I became aware that he is only engaged in hunting for fleas."
X made no answer; I felt we were quits. She would have to think of the presence of fleas while I thought of the absence of dinner.

This is a pretty readable book, available from Project Gutenburg. The digitised copy of the 1908 hardcover by Thomas Nelson & Sons contains a map (which is average, lacking detail) but also seven great black & white photos scattered through the chapter starts - it is a shame there were not more, one for each chapter would have been great.

3.5 stars, it had its moments, rounded down.

[Cat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found this book while browsing on Gutenberg.org. It initially piqued my interest because it is the travel journal of a pair of English women journeyed through the Middle East from Turkey to Baghdad, and then to Damascus. I enjoyed reading it because I have lived and travelled in the Middle East and North Africa, and many of the observations the writer makes are observations and experiences I also had: culture and language shock, observing different customs and ways of life, exploring ruins, and reflecting on her own culture. And, obligatory exultation over the coolness of technology...this book is Old, and therefore probably was Rare, until the Age of Digital Awesome when it got scanned in and is now widely and freely available!!

[Ralph Estes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite good, two women, pretty self-sufficient