Mandalay to Momien A narrative of the two expeditions to western China of 1868 and 1875 under Colonel Edward B. Sladen and Colonel Horace Browne

Set against the rugged frontier between Burma and Yunnan, two mid‑nineteenth‑century British expeditions venture deep into a landscape of soaring mountains, tangled rivers and hostile passes. Led first by Colonel Edward Sladen and later by Colonel Horace Browne, the parties confront hostile terrain, shifting political alliances and the ever‑present threat of local unrest. Their journals capture the day‑to‑day struggle to push an overland route toward China, offering a vivid window onto the early days of imperial ambition in the East.

Beyond the travelogue, the narrative intertwines careful scientific observation with rich ethnographic detail, from Kakhyen hill‑tribe customs to the catalog of regional deities. Illustrated with photographs, sketches and hand‑drawn maps, the work summons the sights and sounds of a scarcely documented world. Listeners will find a measured blend of adventure, natural history and cultural insight that brings a forgotten chapter of exploration to life.