BENJAMIN, ISRAEL JOSEPH. Eight Years in Asia and Africa from 1846 to 1855

(TRAVEL)

Wm. Riemschneider

Hanover

1863

Second English edition. Some Hebrew text. Numerous illustrations of Holy Land sites. At conclusion, fold-out map of author’s travels. On front fly, signature of former owner: Manuel Costello, April 1864

The book is an invaluable source of intimate information concerning the Jews of North Africa, the Middle East and the Far East, including India and China. On the penultimate page we find a "List of Subscribers in Bombay," namely various members of the affluent Sasoon clan. The self-styled "Benjamin II" (after the medieval globe-trotter Benjamin of Tudela) was a native of Foltischeny, Moldavia. He died in London in abject poverty while making preparations for a second journey to the Orient. See EJ, Vol. IV, cols. 526-7