Tinted lithograph with fine later hand-colour. Approx. 364 x 522mm. (14 x 21ins).

From Sketches in Afghaunistan. A pass lying between Abigoom and Siri-Bolan. Baluchi tribesmen are shown high up in the rocks about to pounce on unsuspecting soldiers below - the Baluchis themselves unaware of a group of sepoys, futher up the rock face, with rifles trained on them.

James Atkinson was a doctor, journalist and artist during the Afghan Campaign. In 1833 he became surgeon to the 55th Native Infantry, serving in Kabul between 1838 and 1841. He received drawing lessons from the artist George Chinnery before travelling in Afghanistan, then a little-known country. Watercolour drawings were made 'on the spot' by him as he travelled through Afghanistan and subsequently lithographs based on them were made by Charles and Louis Haghe. They were published in London in 1842. 16 of the original drawings for Sketches in Afghaunistan are in the India Office Library.

Abbey Travel 508 no. 7. J.R. Abbey, Travel in Aquatint and Lithography 1770-1860 from the library of J.R. Abbey: a bibliographical catalogue. London 1957.