Flying Horses, Secret Rivers, Magical Cities

Book excerpt: Just a hundred years ago, much of the world was unknown - believe it or not! Secret cities lay hidden in the intimidating Himalayas, the perilous passes to them known to only a few. Fierce monsters were said to lurk in the swamps of north-east India. The mighty River Brahmaputra flowed through Assam and Bengal, but its place of origin was a big mystery. And in the cold, windy deserts of Central Asia, the fastest horse on earth galloped wild. Yet, intrepid explorers - men and women - full of curiosity and thirsty for knowledge, travelled to these distant and forbidding places. They returned with extraordinary tales and important discoveries, forever leaving their mark on history. Read their stories and join them on their exciting explorations in this rare book! Find how a way to Tibet was discovered, who brought the healing cinchona plant to the subcontinent, why the north-west frontier was once a very dangerous place, where exactly the Brahmaputra began its journey, what led to the rhododendron becoming a popular plant in faraway Britain, and much, much more!