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THOMAS, Bertram.
Arabia Felix: Across the Empty Quarter of Arabia.
With a Foreword by T. E. Lawrence (T.E.S.) and Appendix by Sir Arthur Keith.
First edition, first impression. Spotted by Sir Arnold Wilson, British acting civil commissioner in the Persian Gulf, Thomas "held a number of civilian posts under Wilson and distinguished himself as political officer at Shatra during the Iraqi uprising in 1920 … Wilson's successor in the gulf, Sir Percy Cox, retained Thomas in his position as a political adviser to the Arab leaders serving under the provisional British administration. He was appointed OBE and transferred to Transjordan as assistant to the chief British representative at the court of Amir Abdullah. He became in 1924 financial adviser (and later first minister) in the sultanate of Muscat" (ODNB). During the 20s he developed the ambition to cross the "empty quarter" and made preparatory reconnaissance of the region, "On these trips he dressed as a Bedouin, eschewed tobacco and alcohol, and spoke only Arabic." Late in 1930 Thomas left Muscat on a passing British warship, arriving at Dhufar, on the Indian Ocean coast of Arabia "from where he intended to commence his south–north crossing of the empty quarter. After waiting some months for his guides (who were involved in desert hostilities) he eventually set out with a small camel caravan but no promise of protection from the warring and predatory tribes of the interior. He emerged fifty-eight days later at Doha, on the Persian Gulf. The Royal Geographical Society in London promptly awarded him their founder's medal, and other learned societies around the world followed suit … He was admired by T. E. Lawrence and by his successor Wilfred Thesiger, who found twenty years later that Thomas was remembered by the Bedouin as an honourable, brave, and tolerant man."
Octavo (233 × 159 mm) Later dark brown half morocco on marbled boards, title gilt to the spine, lozenges to the compartments. Frontispiece and 47 other plates, illustrations to the text, some full-page, folding coloured map at the rear, 2 full-page charts to the text. A very good copy, handsomely bound.
