First published in 1876, this is the story of soldier and adventurer Frederick Burnaby's fascinating and dangerous journey from the steppes of southern Russia to the city of Khiva in what is now Uzbekistan. Part travelogue and part daring exploits, Burnaby's entertaining account will appeal to armchair travelers, fans of adventure fiction, and anyone interested in firsthand accounts of the Great Game, when the Russian and British Empires vied for control of Central Asia. British soldier and writer FREDERICK BURNABY (1842-1885) was a member of the Royal Horse Guards, and in 1882, he became the first balloonist to cross the English Channel alone. Three years later, he died from a spear wound sustained in battle in the Sudan. He also wrote On Horseback Through Asia Minor (1878).