8vo. 95 pp., Arabic text translated from French, b/w photographs, publisher’s original wrappers, index, copy in mint condition, Kutub Publishing, Beirut, first Arabic edition, 2012.

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 Duke of Rovigo, Governor General of Algeria. There 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 and he also visited Hijaz, Medina and Mecca. 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.