Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to Al-Madinah and Meccah by Captain Sir Richard F. Burton

This voyage in 1852 was extremely dangerous. It was only possible because of Burton's astonishing language ability and his cultural understanding. The account is extremely detailed, at times tedious; but there are parts of extreme interest. The whole account is under the constant tension of the possibility of his discovery. Violence is always just an insult away, robbery or assault if one is momentarily relaxed. And always the heat, the implacable unbearable heat. And water is life and thirst is a death.