FIRST EDITION OF DOUGHTY'S AFOOT THROUGH THE KASHMIR VALLEYS, 1901, WITH 12 PHOTOGRAPHIC PLATES OFFERING VIEWS AND SCENES OF THE KASHMIR AND NUMEROUS IN-TEXT PHOTOGRAPHIC ILLUSTRATIONS

DOUGHTY, Marion. Afoot Through the Kashmir Valleys. London: Sands, 1901. Octavo, original blue cloth, top edge gilt, uncut. $550.

First edition of this conversational early 20th-century travel narrative about the Kashmir, with a special emphasis on the author's botanical studies, featuring 12 photographic plates and numerous in-text photographic illustrations, in original cloth.

"Afoot Through the Kashmir Valley [is] Miss Doughty's contribution to the ever-increasing mountain of books on [India]. In it she recommends Kashmir wholeheartedly, not only to fellow travellers but to any Englishman looking for a job out of the rut. Many, she observes, had already found employment as architects, road contractors, builders and engineers… Even the tradesmen who pestered the European visitors so mercilessly won Miss Doughty's affection, for, not only were their wares temptingly pretty, but they themselves were touchingly trusting of their British consumers… Miss Doughty's own interest lay in the direction of botany, and although she hired a doonga and prettified it with hanging baskets of flowers and embroidered curtains and cushions, she spent less time on the boat than on her feet tramping through the hills, painting and collecting flower specimens in a state of wonderment and happiness… Altogether Miss Doughty collected 206 species of plants during her stay in Kashmir, and these are listed in her book along with apologies for her occasional lapses into idle rapture" (Keenan, Travels in Kasmir, 62-63).

Inner paper hinges repaired with new endpapers, only light rubbing to extremities, gilt bright. A lovely copy in near-fine condition. Scarce.