8vo. Volume I: Algerie & Abd el Kader: 508 pp., frontis engraved portrait / Volume II: Mission a la Mecque, Le Maréchal Bugeaud en Afrique: 503 pp, half-titles, wood-engraved plates, later morocco-backed marbled boards, rubbed, title gilt on raised spine, marbled endpapers, gilt top edges, light soiling to outer edges, otherwise set in good condition, Librairie de Firmin- Didot et Co., Paris, first edition, 1884-1885.

Synopsis

Born in Grenoble ( France) in 1809, the son of a French immigrant in Algeria, Roches became an officer in the National Guard created by the Duc de Rovigo, Governor General of Algeria. Here he learned Arabic and his mastery in the language led him to the camp of Abdul Kader, the leader of the Algerian resistance to France. Roches became involved with the resistance movement and also announced his conversion to Islam. He travelled to Tunisia and Cairo where he met Mohammed Ali , he also visited Hijaz, Madinah and Meccah. He describes the pilgrimage, the two cities and the arrival of the Syrian and Egyptian Mahmal. Roches returned to Algeria via Cairo and Rome, but was later driven out of the country and took refuge in Morocco. After the defeat of Prince Abdul Kader in 1848, Roches held official positions in Tripoli and Tunis.
The first volume deals with his travels in Algeria and his relations with Prince Abdul Kadir. The second volume deals with his “ mission “ to Makkah. Bibliographic references: The Christian at Mecca, p. 121-155; Playfair 1575.