The Gold-Mines of Midian and the Ruined Midianite Cities

London: C.Kegan Paul, 1878. Book. Illus. by Folding Color Map, Illustrations in Text. Very Good. Cloth. Second Edition. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. SCARCE. Subtitle is "A fortnight's Tour in North-Western Arabia. Burton was hopeful he could find gold in NW Arabia for the Khedive of Egypt. This short trip led to a longer exploration the next year, and the two volume work, The Land of Midian. Unfortunately, no gold was found, but this remains a sequel to his first Arabia venture, Pilgrimage to El-Medinah and Meccah. Pages xvi, 398. A nice copy with bright red "silky" boards and bright gilt title on the front (Penzer says gilt title only on the first edition). The spine is sun faded, but has gilt as well as black lines (again said to exist only on the first). This is a stated second edition, but with a first edition binding. Clean and tight inside, but foxing on the first few pages, and all are a bit browned. A small tag on the inside cover reads W.A. Eddy, TAPLINE, Beirut, Lebanon. As Col. Eddy, he was a famous Arabist who arranged and translated for the meeting between President Roosevelt and King Saud of Saudi Arabia on an American warship in the Red Sea in 1945. Subsequently Col. Eddy was an influential player in establishing American dominance in the Arabian oil business, first with Tapline, then Aramco. Surprisingly , he did not read this work, nor did anyone else. The tops of the page groupings are not cut. They will be for the buyer on request. Protected in clear, mylar dustjacket. Rare in the original cloth binding in this condition. .