In 1901, journalist Francis H. Nichols traveled from New York to China's Shaanxi province to report on the famine there. This book from 1902 is the result of his experiences in Xian and surrounding areas, including Hebei and Shanxi provinces.
This book details a three-year expedition to study ethnic minorities in Guizhou, Sichuan, and Tibet led by French army officer Henri d'Ollone. First published in 1911 in French, the English volume was released the following year.