AfTeR - Nedumov, A.I.: Across Spain and Algeria. Travel Notes

Author

Nedumov, Aleksei Ivanovich (1857- ?)

Title

Po Ispanii i Alzhirii. Putevye Zametki, Varshava 1903

Across Spain and Algeria. Travel Notes

Keywords

Illustrations, Jewish People, Nedumov, North Africa, Travel Notes

Summary

The book includes fourteen photographic illustrations portraying the local population, cityscapes, and landscapes. In the introduction the author claims that he intends to share his impressions of a trip to Spain, Algiers, and Biskra. His first encounter with North Africa is through the city of Oran, which he describes as picturesque, lively and inhabited by locals and Europeans alike. The European quarters are shown as rich, new, and beautiful, while the Arab areas as dirty and poor. This appears to be a leitmotif of his description of other cities, too (for instance, Algiers). The author openly praises the French colonisers for bringing civilisation and Christianity to the area within just 50 years. The visit to Biskra allows the author to dwell on the difficulties that a European experiences in this area (harsh climate, diseases, scorpions), though some elements of modernity are present (a newspaper, a hospital). While describing Tunisi, his last stop, Nedumov indulges in the description of the Jewish community, praising the exceptional beauty of its women. Curiously, at the end of the book a map of Transvaal’ is provided.

Bio

Aleksei Nedumov was a Russian officer and military writer, member of the Keksholm Regiment of the Imperial Guards. He travelled extensively, for instance to the Middle East, Europe, Northern Africa, and the United States, which he visited in 1893 in order to attend the World’s fair. In addition to the present publication, he published also other travel notes recollecting his experiences (Na puti v Ierusalim i v Ierusalime [Toward Jerusalem and in Jerusalem], 1890; V novyi svet [In the New World], 1894; Na Sever. Ot Moskvy do Solovkov [In the North. From Moscow to Solovki], 1899), as well as materials regarding his military activity (Prebyvanie Leib-Gvardii Keksgol’mskogo Imperatora Avstriiskogo polka v lagere pri Krasnom Sele v 1909 g., 1910 [The Life Guards of the Keksholm Imperial Austrian Regiment at Krasnoe Selo in 1909]).