Amazon.com description: Product Description: This is the fascinating account of the travel of discovery and exploration by the famous English explorer Richard Burton. In an attempt to breach the Islamic barrier Burton assumed the guise of a Persian wanderer to travel through the jealously guarded holy cities of Arabia. He was the first Englishman to reach the holy cities of Mecca and Median and gave minute description of the cities and country side that he traveled through. Starting from Cairo in 1853 he made his way to Medina via Snez, Yambu and Bir Abbas. In Medina he describes the prophet's tomb and its history. From Medina he traveled to Mecca and visited and the Kaba and performed the Umra - the lesser pilgrimage. The book is in two volumes and has 47 illustrations.