This work owes its origin to the suggestion of Mr. Mackinder and its completion to his encouragement. The author, not being a Geographer or Geologist by profession, as are the distinguished writers of the Geographical series with whom he has the honour to be associated, undertook the task with much diffidence: he did so, however, in the hope that his long personal acquaintance with the bulk of the countries described would make amends for his lack of expert knowledge; and that the power, acquired by a life-long residence in the East, of imparting a ‘local atmosphere’ to his descriptions would atone for the many deficiencies which he is the first to recognize.

The book has been written literally ‘in the intervals of business’ and that of an absorbing character: but this business has necessitated extended travel in China and the neighbouring countries, and so facilitated the accumulation of the needful knowledge of the regions described. The first of such journeys was made in the year 1860, at the time that Shanghai was invested by the Taipings; and led from Ningpo up the Tsien-tang river through Nganhui, and so by way of the famous potteries of Kingtehchen down the Poyang lake to Kiukiang—the whole country traversed being the scene of the great struggle then going on between the forces of Hung-hsu-chuen and the Imperialists; a long journey which his acquaintance with the language, and the prestige that in those days surrounded the Englishman in China, enabled him to accomplish in safety.