'Nothing can be more curious than the appearance of the caravans when they set out, as they are by that time composed of crowds from all nations, as different in their dress as in their complexions. They carry with them besides gold dust, Venetian sequins, silver piastres, corn, wheat, beans, iron, lead and cochineal, and return through Tripoli with muslins, ostrich feathers, shawls, Arabian coffee, pearls, diamonds from Golconda...' This extract illustrates the wealth of fascinating detail to be found in this handsome volume. First published in 1817, it contains correspondence from Miss Tully whose brother-in-law was British Consul in Tripoli from 1783-1793. These letters, detailing every aspect of life, contain exact descriptions of houses, mosques, palaces, clothing, people and customs. No event has escaped the writer's notice and his account remains as fascinating today as it was to contemporary readers. This fine facsimile edition retains the beautifully illustrated colour plates of the original.