When one of the leading publicists in America, Dr. Albert Shaw ofthe Review of Reviews, after reading the manuscript of Part I ofthis volume, characterized the author as "The Robinson Crusoe ofthe Twentieth Century," he touched the feature of the narrativewhich is at once most attractive and most dangerous; for thesuccession of trying and thrilling experiences recorded seems inplaces too highly colored to be real or, sometimes, even possiblein this day and generation. I desire, therefore, to assure thereader at the outset that Dr. Ossendowski is a man of long anddiverse experience as a scientist and writer with a training forcareful observation which should put the stamp of accuracy andreliability on his chronicle. Only the extraordinary events ofthese extraordinary times could have thrown one with so manytalents back into the surroundings of the "Cave Man" and thus givento us this unusual account of personal adventure, of great humanmysteries and of the political and religious motives which areenergizing the "Heart of Asia."My share in the work has been to induce Dr. Ossendowski to writehis story at this time and to assist him in rendering hisexperiences into English.