Of all the travels of an adventurous age, none have been more quirky and colourful than this Victorian traverse of the Middle East by canoe. Transported to the Suez Canal by steamer, the Rob Roy – an oak and cedar one-man kayak canoe – slipped into the water at Port Said and began a six months voyage. Stalked by jackals, shadowed by bandits and attacked by crocodiles, Mac Gregor battles on to be rewarded with the adventure of a lifetime. This is the Middle East seen from a truly unique perspective – airy minarets, colourful markets and Pasha’s palaces give way to solitary marshes full of strange fishes and reed-lined rivers teeming with bird and animal life seen at close range, then give way again to eerie stretches dominated by deserted temples and ruins. Crossing deserts by horseback or steam train when no channel can be found, Mac Gregor follows great rivers to their sources, explores remote shores and mixes happily with the many peoples he meets along the way, captured here in all their rich diversity. This is as much a portrait of the way life can be lived as it is of a landscape. It is also a remarkable naturalist’s account and a true-life epic worthy of Jules Verne. Illustrated with charming line drawings and practical notes on the design of the canoe, its provisioning and clothes and food necessary this is a book that cries out to be read.