[ANGLO - EGYPTIAN SUDAN / OTTOMAN AFRICA / GOLD MINES / EPIDEMICS / CRITICISM OF SLAVERY & COLONIALISM / FINE ROYAL BINDINGS / HUNTING] سودان سىاحتنامه سى / Sudan seyahatnâmesi [i.e., A travel narrative of Sudan]

MIHRÎ, MUHAMMED (1849-1918).

Ahmed Ihsan ve Sürekâsi Matbaacilik Osmanli Sirketi, Istanbul, AH 1326 [1910 CE].

A splendid royal binding in burgundy silk over thick cardboards, from the library of the mother of Prince Yusuf Kâmil Pasha (1808-1876), featuring the author's inscription and signature to her on the title page. Gilt calligraphic lettering adorns the front and rear boards, accompanied by Art Nouveau floral motifs, with additional (now mostly faded) gilt decoration on the spine. Roy. 8vo. (24 x 16 cm). In Ottoman script (Old Turkish with Arabic letters). 387, [1], 7, [2] p., richly illustrated throughout. Some wear to the silk covering, spine, and board extremities; corners slightly bumped. Hinges are split and require restoration. No previous repair or restoration. Overall, a very good and well-preserved copy. 

Rare first edition of this significant Ottoman eyewitness and firsthand account of Sudan by Mihri, written during an early 20th-century journey undertaken with a delegation led by Prince Yusuf Kemal Bey of Egypt. The work provides valuable insights into the region’s geography, gold and other natural resources, epidemics, local populations, and the British-Ottoman rivalry in Ottoman Africa. Richly illustrated, it features photographs and maps taken and produced by the court painter and engraver Antranik Asdvadzaduryan (1850-1923), notably including haunting images of the delegation along the Nile and across Sudan. Signed and inscribed by the author at the foot of the title page as “Devletlü prens Yusuf Kâmil Beyefendi hazretlerinin vâlîde-i mâcîdeleri hanimefendi hazretlerine hediye-i vecîze-i nâçîzânem… Muhammed Mihrî”, [i.e., My humble and modest gift of words to Her Ladyship, the noble mother of His Highness Prince Yusuf Kâmil Bey].

In British-occupied Sudan, Mihri sharply criticizes the European colonial powers for plundering the continent, not only exploiting its people but also devastating its natural environment. He contrasts this with Ottoman Africa, where he describes a harmonious relationship between people and nature, and underscores the destructive impact of Western colonialism through slavery, missionary activities, and exploitation. (pp. xvii-xxiii, 116).

Mihrî Efendi, who departed from Egypt on January 28, 1909, travelled to Sudan as part of a delegation led by Prince Yusuf Kamil Pasha (1808-1876) of Egypt. The group also included Kazım Bey, the son of Izzet Pasha; Antranik Fendiyan, an Ottoman Armenian photographer and engraver; and Hüseyin al-Badevî from Aleppo, known for assassinating Jean-Baptiste Kléber, a French general and one of Napoleon Bonaparte's commanders in Egypt. Over the course of his roughly three-month journey through Sudan, Mihrî conveyed his profound interest in the African continent in his Sudan Seyahatnamesi, offering detailed observations on African history and drawing attention to the damaging effects of colonialism and missionary activity in the region (pp. xiv-xvi).

The journey, which began in Cairo, concluded in Aswan including Khartoum, as the capital of Sudan, Khartoum serves as a central hub in Mihri's narrative, Sennar, Beni Shankul Region, Darfur and Kassala. Throughout the delegation's travel through Egypt, Mihrî provided comprehensive details about Egypt's historical, political, and geographical conditions, covering topics such as "borders, mountains, rivers, climate, air, agricultural methods, crops, animals, mining, industry, trade, education, and civil administration," as well as the system of government, military, economic, and demographic status. During their travels, the delegation visited and studied the towns of Bulak, Hilvan, Sakkara, Luxor, Adfu, and ad-Dar, and the governorates of Giza, Beni Suef, Faiyum, Minya, Asyut, Suyut, Girga, Qena, and Aswan. While exploring various regions, cities, and towns of Egypt, Mihrî also provided valuable insights into ancient Egyptian history, antiquities, and mythology, discussing "the gods of the Egyptian Pharaohs, Egypt's status during the Pharaonic period, ancient gods, towns, ancient buildings and artifacts, pyramids, Karnak ruins and statues, as well as other significant historical and tourist sites." Additionally, he offers detailed accounts of the hunting expeditions of Prince Yusuf Kamil Pasha, the leader of the delegation, during the journey.

Later, when the delegation moved to Sudan, Mihrî, who supported his observations with historical data, shared his impressions about the region's social structure through race, society, and tribes. He also provided insights and evaluations regarding the class structure of the areas in question. While investigating the roots of the word "yamyam” [i.e., cannibal] he arrived at some conclusions.

Mihri provides insightful observations on Sudan's gold reserves, particularly focusing on the Beni Shankul region. He highlights the area's rich gold deposits, noting the abundance of gold in the Benî Shankul mountains north of Sinnar, the historical capital of the Funj Sultanate as well as in the Nuba Mountains, Tira and Shibun Mountains. Mihri suggests that if the Ottoman Empire had dispatched experts to explore these resources, both the region and Ottoman Egypt could have significantly benefited economically. He mentioned also the presence of emeralds in Harba, copper in Haferet'n Nuhas and Sevakin in the northwest of Bahr-i Gazal, iron in Kordofan, Darfur, and Bahr-i Gazal, lead in Jebel al-Kutum, and other valuable underground resources in regions such as Tebre, Damir, al-Yuwayza, Sharshar, Waha-i Selime, Wadi-i Ka'b, Dongola, Khartoum, Fashoda, Vaha-i Shab, Berber, Jebel Marra, and Debbe.

Drawing attention to the newspapers of 1899, Mihrî noted that the Sudanese government had prepared a law on minerals, and that European companies had been informed about this law. These companies had made their own evaluations on the matter. He also highlighted a crucial point regarding the aims of European colonialism concerning Sudan's underground resources (pp. 161-162). During that period, Mihrî suggested that "if experts on minerals had been sent to this region on behalf of the Ottomans, many different minerals could have been identified and extracted," which would have increased the incomes of both Sudan and Ottoman Egypt and contributed to their development. The minerals that could not be extracted at that time are now being operated by multinational companies from outside the continent," and this is considered one of the reasons for the ongoing problems and civil wars in Sudan.

The book also translates and preserves a 12-article legal agreement prepared regarding the administration of Sudan, which was signed between the Ottoman Empire's Egyptian Khedive and the British. The annex, signed on January 19, 1899, between Lord Evelyn Baring Cromer, the British political representative in Egypt, and the Egyptian Prime Minister Butros Ghali, consists of declarations related to Sudan and a total of 12 articles. This annex provides crucial information on the British political strategy in Sudan and the Ottoman Empire's influence in Sudan through the Egyptian Khedive (pp. xviii, 285-288).

The concluding sections of the travelogue also cover Congo, featuring strong critiques of the slave-trading activities carried out by European colonial powers in the region (pp. 281-285).

Muhammed [or Mehmed] Mihri was born in 1849 in Kirkuk, the son of Molla Ibrahim Efendi of Kirkuk. He received private education in Kirkuk, learning Arabic and Persian in addition to Turkish. In 1864, he went to Istanbul and entered the service of Mustafa Fazıl Pasha, tutoring the Pasha's children. In 1868, he joined the Translation Office (Tercüme Odası) at the Sublime Porte. After working in the foreign service for nine years, he was appointed consul (sehbender) to the city of Khoy in Iran. He served in this post for four years before returning to Istanbul. Upon learning of Mustafa Fazıl Pasha’s death, he went to join his family in Egypt. He was well received there, and, in 1884, he dedicated his work al-Tuhfah al-‘Abbâsiyya, published in Egypt, to Egyptian Prince Abbas Bey. He later returned to Istanbul and, in 1897, was once again appointed to the Translation Office. Accompanying Egyptian Prince Yusuf Kamil Bey, the son of Prince Ahmed Kamil Bey, he travelled for many years to England, France, and Sudan. These travels continued until 1909. Although the exact date of his death is not known, it is estimated that he passed away between 1915 and 1920.

Antranik Efendi (full name: Antranik Asdvadzaduryan or Antranik Allahverdi) was an Ottoman Armenian artist and a prominent 19th-century court painter, known for his small-scale portraits of sultans, typically painted on ivory or shell and often turned into pendants. Born in Istanbul, he started his artistic career in the 1870s and worked until the early 1920s. His works primarily featured Sultan Abdulhamid II, Sultan Mehmed V, and Sultan Vahdeddin. He was also skilled in photography and engraving, with some of his works displayed in the Topkapi Palace Museum and Dolmabahçe Palace. In addition to portraits, he created large oil paintings, panoramic scenes, and colourful photographs, documenting important events such as the Yıldız Palace's ceremonial receptions. Antranik Efendi passed away in 1923, and his works remain significant for their depiction of both Ottoman imperial life and the influence of Western art in the late Ottoman period.

Özege 18274.; Kavas: Sudan seyahatnamesi.; Yilmaz: Tarih Kritik, 3 (1), Ocak 2017.; Kursun ---As of May 2025, OCLC has more than fifteen institutional holdings worldwide (670205998, 889688924, 215270613), however, it’s very rare commercially.