Travels in Arabia: (1845 and 1848)

The Finnish Explorer Yrjö Aukusti Wallin (whose name is perhaps more familiar to us as Georg August or George Augustus) made two historic journeys into the Arabian Peninsula in the 1840s. D.G. Hogarth, paying tribute to Wallin in his Penetration of Arabia, writes: “One recognises in him, perhaps for the first time in the history of Arabian discovery, a scientific explorer of the best modern type, thoroughly prepared, and determined to leave nothing for the man who might come after him. His assumption of an eastern character seems to have been perfect; but his observation of the scenery and society about him was in no way inspired by it; and the minute accuracy of his report, as attested by the comparison of the narratives of later travellers, argues that he took most copious notes without let or hindrance, save only in the fanatic company of the Persian pilgrims to the Holy Cities”. Wallin’s narratives, Travels in Arabia (1845 and 1848), are here reprinted in their entirety by kind permission of the Royal Geographical Society, in whose Journal they originally appeared. They are preceeded by important contributions by W.R. Mead of University College, London, on the connections between Wallin and England, where his writings on Arabia found a welcome; and by Mrs M. Trautz, on the background to Wallin’s years of exploration. This is the first reprint of Wallin’s writings, and constitutes in its way as signal an appreciation of the great Finnish explorer’s work as the original publication of his absorbing pioneer journeys more than a century ago. Part of the Oleander Classics series, this title has been reproduced using the highest-quality modern scanning technology in order to keep this and other important works from the Press’s 50-year history from going out of print. In this way, the invaluable resources provided by books in the series remain available for general readers, academics and other interested parties.