The last of the great plant hunters, Frank Kingdon-Ward undertook 25 major expeditions over a period of fifty years. This anthology of his best writings balances the botanical side of his activities with his interest in the geographical terrain where he worked, its birds, beasts, insects and its various inhabitants, not only Tibetan and Chinese, but also the hill tribes - Abors, Darus, Dulengs, Marus and others - in whose lives he took such an affectionate interest.