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Aged sixteen, Alexander Burnes (1805-41) took up a post in the Bombay army, and speedily learned both Hindustani and Persian. His skills led him to political work, and he himself proposed a covert expedition to Bukhara, to survey the country, but also to observe the expansionist activities of the Russians in central Asia. In 1832, he set off, with an army doctor, and two Indians as surveyor and secretary. They travelled in local dress and adopted whatever personas a situation required. Having reached Bukhara, they continued overland to the Caspian Sea, and then to Tehran, returning to Bombay by sea in 1833. This three-volume account of his adventures, published in 1834, was an instant bestseller. Volume 1 describes the journey to Bukhara, through Afghanistan into barely explored territory. Burnes continued his diplomatic activities in Afghanistan, but was murdered there by a mob in 1841.

Burnes, Alexander, --- Travel --- Asia, Central --- Pakistan --- Description and travel. --- Bernsʺ, Aleksandrʺ, --- Bornsʺ, Aleksandrʺ, --- Burnes, Bokhara, --- Борнсъ, Александръ,

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In the long and often disastrous history of British entanglement in Afghanistan, the name of Alexander Burnes (1805-41) deserves to be remembered. Aged sixteen, he went to India to take up a post in the army, and speedily learned both Hindustani and Persian. His skills led him to political work, and he himself proposed a covert expedition to Bukhara, to survey the country and to observe the expansionist activities of the Russians in central Asia. (Burnes' 1834 account of this journey is also reissued in this series.) In 1836, he was sent to Kabul, and became involved in the British plan to replace Dost Muhammad Khan with Shah Shuja (which he personally thought a mistake). The British became a focus of increasing local discontent, and in November 1841 Burnes was murdered in Kabul by a mob. This account of his stay in the city was published posthumously in 1842.

Burnes, Alexander, --- Travel --- Afghanistan --- Pakistan --- Kabul (Afghanistan) --- Description and travel. --- Social life and customs --- Bernsʺ, Aleksandrʺ, --- Bornsʺ, Aleksandrʺ, --- Burnes, Bokhara, --- Борнсъ, Александръ, --- Kābol (Afghanistan) --- Caboul (Afghanistan) --- Cabool (Afghanistan) --- Cabul (Afghanistan) --- Kaboul (Afghanistan) --- Kubha (Afghanistan) --- Kabura (Afghanistan) --- Caubul (Afghanistan) --- Ṣhārvālī-i Kābul (Afghanistan) --- Shahrdārī-i Kābul (Afghanistan) --- Kabul Municipality (Afghanistan) --- Kaboel (Afghanistan) --- كابل (Afghanistan) --- Kabil (Afghanistan) --- Горад Кабул (Afghanistan) --- Horad Kabul (Afghanistan) --- Кабул (Afghanistan) --- Καμπούλ (Afghanistan) --- Kampoul (Afghanistan) --- Kabulo (Afghanistan) --- 카불 (Afghanistan) --- קאבול (Afghanistan) --- Cabura (Afghanistan) --- Kabula (Afghanistan) --- Kabulas (Afghanistan) --- カーブル (Afghanistan) --- Kāburu (Afghanistan) --- Qobul (Afghanistan) --- Kobul (Afghanistan) --- Kabuli (Afghanistan) --- Кобул (Afghanistan) --- 喀布尔 (Afghanistan) --- Kabu'er (Afghanistan) --- Ka bu er (Afghanistan) --- Description and travel