The Abode of Snow

by Andrew Wilson

In the year 1873 the author traveled through one of the most inhospitable, but beautiful mountain ranges in the world, the mighty Himalayas. For six months Wilson made his way through these unforgiving mountains, struggling against the elements, desperate to buy provisions from a suspicious native populace, and always trying to fight off the unrelenting cold.

During portions of this epic journey Wilson rode a native Spiti pony. His descriptions of how this trusty mare saved her rider's life by clambering over boulders and threading her way along sheer cliffs makes for thrilling reading. The lowest pass they crossed was the 11,578 foot high Zoji-la.

Alternately an adventure tale full of murderers and rogues, The Abode of Snow is also strewn with poetic passages regarding Wilson s observations of the natural beauties he traveled through, including glacier flowers and snowy peaks. The book remains one of the best accounts of overland equestrian travel ever written about the wild lands that lie between Tibet and Afghanistan.

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1886

Reviews

[Dayanand Prabhu · Rating 3 out of 5]

if you set aside the prejudice and racist inclinations of the author this is quite a pleasant read. Bear in mind it is a product of a time when such thoughts were popular opinion.