A Visit to the Citadel of the Iron Amir & Ox Cart Cargo

The Arg-e-Shahi, or "Citadel of the King" -- commonly known in the Kabul vernacular simply as the "Arg"...

Built by the current King, Abdur Rahman Khan, known as THE IRON AMIR...

On this warm August day in 1890, a visitor from Afghanistan's South-East Frontier (AKA: India's North-West Frontier) stands waiting for his audience with His Royal Highness The Protector of the Faithful, Despoiler of the Kaffiri Unbelievers, Suppressor of Rebellious Ghilzais, Uzbeks, Tajiks, and Hazaras, and Beautifier of the Land...

ROYAL ADJUTANT: "Mullah Mian Gul?"

MULLAH: "As-Salam-u-Alaikum wa-rahmatullahi wa-barakatuh, my son.

I am he."

ROYAL ADJUTANT: "Walaikum a-salam.  His Royal Highness the Amir will see you now."

MULLAH: "Peace be upon you, oh Great King from over the Mountains.

Truly it is as the Faithful say: the light of the Prophet

does shine brightly from your eyes."

ABDUR RAHMAN KHAN: "And also upon you.

Peace that is, not the light of the Prophet from your eyes,

ass-kisser.  They tell me you have  something to trade.

I am a busy Amir, so tell me quick.

What is it exactly?"

MULLAH: "Your vassals speak true, Great King. I come as the 

humble emissary of the rising devout Malik

of the tribal belt between your Kingdom and 

that of the Great White Queen's Heathen slaves.

Malak Mansur Khan is his name and his word is law

from Dir to the Malakand Pass."

ADBUR RAHMAN KHAN: "Don't try to impress me.

Surely you know I have been known to take dumps

which cover more territory than that.  What does

this half-a-loaf of naan offer to the man who

built this Palace and from its throne rules more

men and more mountains than the grains of sand

he will trod on if you add up all the

footsteps of his lifetime?"

THE MULLAH LEANS CLOSE AND

WHISPERS TO THE AMIR...

AND THOUGH THE PARTICIPANTS

REMAIN COMPLETELY UNAWARE...

DUE TO THE INESCAPABLE LAWS OF

ARCHITECTURAL  ACOUSTICS,

EACH WORD IS OVERHEARD...

BY A PAIR OF EARS POISED

WITHIN A WINDOW ABOVE THE

PALACE SAHN (courtyard)...

MULLAH: "I shall tell you, oh Great King..."

*  *  *  *  *

MEANWHILE, 150 MILES EAST-SOUTH-EAST,

A NONDESCRIPT OX-DRAWN CART

AND SPARE MULE MOVE TOWARDS

THE KHYBER PASS...

As seen here in another set of Silver Prints --

-- also taken during his 1889-1890 "Impressions of the Faithful" tour:

DOES THE CART CARRY...

...POMEGRANATES?

...OPIUM?

...RIFLES?

...OR BRITISH SUBALTERN HAMPTON FITZROY.