An Account of an Embassy to the Court of the Teshoo Lama, in Tibet; containing a Narrative of a Journey through Bootan, and Part of Tibet.
by
Captain Samuel Turner

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DETAILS: (London): Printed by W. Bulmer and Co., 1800. First edition. Contemporary boards with recent calf spine. xxviii, 473pp. Illustrated with 12 engraved plates (one double-page), plus folding engraved map. 4to (large coffee table sized book - 10in x 11.75in). *This is a heavy item weighing over 2kg with packaging! Would non-UK customers please e-mail us for a shipping quote prior to bidding. The UK shipping rate is quoted below.

CONDITION: Very Good to Good (see table below for details). Rebacked, with later endpapers. Heavy rubbing and wear to boards, bumps to board corners. Ex-library, with bookplates removed from front endpaper, plus small ink stamp to 13 plates (in the image). Some sunning to pages and plates. Foxing to most pages and plates, text still clear and readable. Dirt spots to many pages, small stain spots to a couple of pages, again all text clear and readable. *Photo(s) given of actual book.

CONTENTS: "To which are added, Views taken on the Spot, by Lieutenant Samuel Davis; and Observations Botanical, Mineralogical, and Medical, by Mr. Robert Saunders." Turner, a captain in the Indian army, was sent to Tibet in 1783 by Warren Hastings as the head of a mission to congratulate the lamaist regency on the installation of the new grand lama of Tibet, the Tashi Lama, a follow-up to Bogle’s mission of 1774. Following Bogle’s route, he reached the summer palace of the Deb Raja of Bhutan in June, and in September reached Tashi-ihunpo in Tibet where he had an audience with the infant Tashi Lama, who, Turner was informed, could understand every word he said! Turner successfully concluded a commercial treaty with the Regent, Chanjoo Cooshoo, before returning to Patna, in March 1784. Turner’s "Account" is a highly detailed portrayal of the area’s natural history and social and cultural characteristics, and includes an account of Tibet from 1785-1793, and a description of the Nepalese-Tibetan War of 1788-1792. Turner’s original report of the mission to Warren Hastings is included as an appendix. This was the first account of Tibet to appear in English, until the publication of Bogle’s narrative in 1875. The fine engraved views were drawn by Lieutenant Samuel Davis, a member of the mission. There are 13 engraved plates, 12 views and one double-page plate of Tibetan handwriting. There is also an additional engraved folding map, a 'Survey of the Road from Buxadewar to Tassisudon in Bootan, and from Tassisudon to Teshoo Loomboo in Tibet." There is some foxing to the plates, and a library stamp to each plate (not the map), but the views are still impressive. There is foxing to many pages, but all the text is still clear and readable, and all the pages (and plates) are present. The volume retains its original boards, but is nicely rebacked in calf, with a green morocco label to the spine. An uncommon first edition, of great interest to collectors.