Arabia and Persia

Itinerary (grouped under the headings 'Arabia Petræa', 'Arabia Deserta', 'Arabia Felix', and 'Persia') roughly follows the coast from the Gulf of Suez to the Persian Gulf (including Medina and Mecca), then covers Mesopotamia via the river Tigris, and continues along the coast as far as the Indus.

Composition of this volume presumably began in late 1788, with Pennant declaring in a letter to Richard Bull dated 23 November that he had crossed the Red Sea 'with the Israelites & stopped short in sight of the Land of Promise': see Curious Travellers Editions [https://editions.curioustravellers.ac.uk/], item ID 1082.

Views of Horeb and Mount Sinai (pp. 18–21), the 'High Mountain over Ras Mahomed (p. 31), 'Cape Bab el Mandeb' (p. 136), 'Chimney Hills' (p. 137), 'Cape Aden' (pp. 138–139) possibly copies by Moses Griffith, original sources unknown.

First-hand account of the coffee trade in 'Mocha' [Mokha] by 'Mr Francis Scott...resident here at times from 1755–1768', pp. 118–125.

Inserted coastal views, the largest entitled 'Part of the Land between Morabat [Mirbat?] Bay on the Coast of Arabia Felix and Curia Muria [Khuriya Muriya]', dated December 7th 1781 and giving latitude and longitude (pp. 144–145). Notes in pencil.

Full itinerary and index in rear of volume.

Numerous examples of Arabic script inserted after index.

Object Details

ID: P/16/13
Collection: Charts and maps
Type: Manuscript
Display location: Not on display
Creator: Thomas Pennant
Date made: 1773; 1773-1792 1787-01-01 - 1792-12-31 1787-1792 1790 1791 1792
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London
Measurements: 1 volume
Parts: 'Outlines of the Globe' or 'Imaginary World Tour' and related items - manuscript tours, natural history, and illustrations authored and compiled by Thomas Pennant (1726–1798), naturalist, traveller, and writer (Manuscript)