This book was inspired, prompted and written by travels and adventures of little-known Russian trailblazer Philip Efremov.
Born in 1752 in Russian town Vyatka, P.Efremov in 1774 was captured in remote Russian frontier fort by Kirghiz war party and sold to Bukhara into slavery. There, though first he endured a lot of trouble for refusing to convert into Islam, he was, nevertheless, for his bravery he was made “yuz-bashi” (centurion) and granted land and money.
But nostalgia made Philip flea from court of Khan of Bukhara and he made a huge trek through Khiva (Khoresm), Tibet, Kashmir, India. From Calcutta he sailed around Africa to Dublin and from there to London. When he finally reached Russia after nine years of wandering, he was received by Tsarina Catherine the Great, granted a warrant to the College of Foreign Affairs as a translator of Oriental languages.
His possible adventures on African continent are described in this book. The author suggests that Philip Efremov on his way home was captured by Socotra pirates, sold into slavery and with his new master traveled around East Africa. After he escaped from slavery to Seychelles where he found treasure trove, he visited Madagascar, Mauritius, and Mozambique. From Mozambique he walked through Swaziland, Lesotho. He spent some time with Zulu and Boers who helped him to reach Cape Town by wagon trains.
