The Story of the Durand Line Negotiations. Part III
After their stay at the Emir’s newly built Winter Palace in Jalalabad, the mission left for Kabul. Before the mission would reach Kabul, an English Engineer, Mr. Thomas Salter Pyne would join the Mission on the way. Although Pyne ranked third at the Emir’s Durbar, after Ghulam Haidar and Emir; Durand writes that his influence was only second to the Emir.²⁰ Emir highly relied on Pyne’s expertise and would use his services for construction and public administration projects; he was the only adviser in Emir’s durbar. And much to the British comfort, Pyne would generously use his influence and help Durand’s Mission reach its objectives in negotiations. After returning to India, Durand would mention Pyne in praising words in a letter to Lord Cunningham.
The mission has a quick march through the Jagdallak Pass, where Durand climbs to an old crag picket and tries to remember how he had missed the passage of the stream in the snow when he was on his way back to India in 1880. He remembers how he clambered up on hands and knees, pulling his horse behind him.²¹
Following Jagdallak, upon arriving at the outskirts of Kabul, the Mission sees the signs of Emir’s methods of governance. At Lataband, he sees an iron cage hanging on a post by the roadside; he could see some bones inside the cage. He was told that those were the remains of a noted highwayman. They tell him, he was in that cage for sixteen days without food or water. In fact, such were the methods that had earned the Emir his title “the Iron Emir”.
On October 2, the mission officially enters Kabul; they are treated with “great honor” at the bridge over Logar River. A force of mounted troops salutes their mission and joins their escort. The dignitaries of the mission are soon put into the carriages sent by the Emir himself, and they are driven to Indiki, North of the city, where they pass Baber’s tomb. They are given a salute of twenty two guns and a band plays “God save the Queen”.
The formalities do not stop there and it continues to last so long that Durand begins complaining about the excessiveness of the hospitality and cordiality shown by the Emir. From welcome messages to gifts, and food from every corner of Afghanistan — the following days the Mission only rests at their house overlooking the lush green Chardeh valley. Ghulam Hyder does not allow them to leave the premises. He carries the orders of the Emir, who followed the Persian ritual of allowing the guests to rest for three days, and he believed that for some reason the people of Kabul should not see the members of the British before he himself has not officially received them at his Durbar.
And then finally Emir meets his guests. Durand finds Emir more gentleman-like and pleasant than his last visit of Rawalpindi in 1885. He thought the Emir resembled Henry the Eighth, a “burly figure” with a “ready scowl”. Emir is cordial to Durand. In fact he proceeds with his Afghan manner of cordiality and was noted as affectionate to Durand to which Durand writes: “He held my hand so long, and was very affectionate, that I began to feel quite uncomfortable.”²²
²⁰ Page 24. From a report written by Durand to the Foreign Department, India. From the book: The Durand Line Border Agreement 1893, Author: S. Fida Yunas. Areas Study Center, University of Peshawar. 2003. Peshawar.
²¹ Page 208. Sir Mortimer Durand, Author: Sir Percy Molesworth Sykes. Reprinted by Al-Biruni,1977. Lahore. Originally: Cassel and Company Limited. London. Toronto. Melbourne. Sydney.
²² Page 210 Sir Mortimer Durand, Author: Sir Percy Molesworth Sykes. Reprinted by Al-Biruni,1977. Lahore. Originally: Cassel and Company Limited. London. Toronto. Melbourne.