Synopses & Reviews
William Gill (1843-1883) was an explorer and commissioned officer in the Royal Engineers. After inheriting a fortune from a distant relative in 1871, Gill decided to remain in the Army and use his inheritance to finance explorations of remote countries, satisfying his love of travel and gathering intelligence for the British government. He was awarded a gold medal by the Royal Geographical Society in 1879 for his scientific observations on his expeditions. This two volume work, first published in 1880, is Gill's account of his expedition from Chengdu, China through Sichuan, along the eastern edge of Tibet via Litang, to Bhamo in Burma, a region little explored by westerners before him. Gill describes in vivid detail the cultures, societies and settlements of the region, and their political and economic systems. Volume 2 recounts his travels across the plateau to the upper reaches of the Irrawaddy, partly retracing Marco Polo's route.
Synopsis
An 1880 report describing an expedition from Chengdu, China along the eastern edge of Tibet to Bhamo in northern Burma.
Synopsis
William Gill was an explorer and officer in the Royal Engineers, who used his large inheritance to finance explorations of remote countries. This two volume work, published in 1880, describes Gill's expedition from Sichuan along the eastern Tibetan border to Burma. Volume 2 covers his travels across the Great Plateau.
Table of Contents
1. 'A rich and noble city'; 2. The ancient marches of Tibet; 3. 'The arrow furnace forge'; 4. The Great Plateau. I. Ta-Chien-Lu to Lit'ang; 5. The Great Plateau continued. II. Lit'ang to Bat'ang; 6. Region of the River of Golden Sand. I. Bat'ang to Sha-Lu; 7. Region of the River of Golden Sand continued. II. Sha-Lu to Ta-Li-Fu; 8. In the footsteps of Marco Polo and of Augustus Margary. I. The Land of the Gold-Teeth; 9. In the footsteps of Marco Polo and of Augustus Margary continued. II. The marches of the Kingdom of Mien; Appendices; Index.