Fred Burnaby: 'A Ride to Khiva: Travels and Adventures in Ce...

Hammer

£200

Fred Burnaby: 'A Ride to Khiva: Travels and Adventures in Central Asia', London, Cassell, [1876], 1st edition, 3 folding maps as called for (all housed in rear pocket), xviii,487pp + [4]pp publisher's ads at end, original pictorial cloth gilt, recased retaining original cloth. From the estate of Gawain Westray Bell (1909-1995), British colonial administrator who became the Governor of Northern Nigeria. Bell served in Sudan between 1931 and 1954, with secondments to Palestine in 1938 and the Arab Legion during the Second World War. In 1956, he was appointed political agent in Kuwait, surviving an assassination attempt, before serving as governor of Northern Nigeria between 1957 and 1962, where he oversaw the end of British rule. In 1965, following failed talks and an Adenese walkout from the Federal and Federal Supreme Council, Bell and Sir Ralph Hone (1896-1992) were approached by the federation's leadership travelled to Aden to act as constitutional advisors. During the course of their visit they recommended that Aden become the capital of a new United Republic of South Arabia, with enhanced representation in the legislative and executive branches. Following his work in south Arabia, he led other missions to Oman (1966 and 1974) and the Trucial States. Provenance by descent. Very scarce