To Herat and Cabul by G. A. Henty

Against the grim backdrop of the First Afghan War, To Herat and Cabul follows Angus Campbell, a spirited Scottish boy raised in Persia, as he is swept from schoolboy mischief into imperial intrigue, frontier danger, and hard-won responsibility. When plague, loss, and anti-foreign violence destroy his life in Tabriz, Angus must bury his guardians, flee with only what he can carry, and rely on the kindness of an Armenian merchant before finding a new future in Teheran. His language skills and local knowledge bring him into the service of the British minister, where he translates, gathers intelligence, and earns trust as tensions mount over Herat and the Shah's alliance with Russia. Sent on a perilous mission across the Afghan frontier, Angus travels through war-torn country, survives suspicion and hardship, and joins a determined mountain expedition into snowbound passes where survival depends on courage, discipline, and Hassan's local expertise. Blending coming-of-age adventure, political intrigue, and vivid historical drama, Henty's novel charts a young man's growth amid betrayal, loyalty, faith, and the catastrophic turmoil of one of Britain's darkest military episodes. This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design.