A Broken Journey Wanderings from the Hoang-Ho to the Island of Saghalien and the Upper Reaches of the Amur River

"A Broken Journey" by Mary Gaunt is a travel story set in the early 1900s, detailing the author's journey from the Hoang-Ho River to Saghalien Island, across the Upper Reaches of the Amur River, capturing a story of exploration, cultural interactions, and a thirst for the unknown. Gaunt's motivations for undertaking this bold trip comes from a deep-seated family wanderlust that she can't seem to shake. As she lives in Pao Ting Fu, China, she wrestles with the desire and the physical and social difficulties of traveling there. These include difficult terrain and possible violence from gangs such as "White Wolf." Rather than a traditional trek, she plans to travel through Asia by a dangerous caravan route. With insight from missionaries who share their experiences, she puts together a travel team that includes a servant and a dog. Her preparations show that she is committed to embracing adventure even if people tell her not to. The beginning of the book is an exciting introduction to a trip full of personal bravery and cultural investigation.