afghanistanup residence with one of the leaders of the city’s Armenian community.
Masson was a keen archaeologist and in September 1832 he accompanied
Hajji Khan Kakar on his campaign against Yazdan Bakhsh of Besud and
the Uzbek amirs of Saighan, Kahmard and Duab, during which he sketched
and described the famous Buddha statues at Bamiyan. Sayyid Karamat
‘Ali, the British ‘native’ news writer in Kabul, reported Masson’s presence
to Wade. After Masson returned to Kabul he wrote to Henry Pottinger,
the Resident in Sind, mostly about his archaeological discoveries, and was
encouraged to write regularly about the affairs in Kabul.
Wade later sacked Karamat ‘Ali for allegedly forging letters to Shah
Shuja‘ and other intrigues and appointed Masson in his place. Masson
was a copious writer and keen observer, and the value of the intelligence
he provided was such that Wade eventually secured a Royal Pardon for
his capital offence of desertion. However, Masson’s appointment as Kabul
news writer was done without his prior consent, but in the circumstances
Masson felt there was little choice but to accept the position, given that he
was indebted to Wade for securing the pardon. Even so, Masson feared his
new status in Kabul compromised him and that he would henceforth be
regarded as nothing better than a spy. In fact this is exactly what happened
and many of his closest friends distanced themselves from him. Masson
eventually became so disillusioned with his position and with Britain’s
The Saighan valley from the medieval fortress of Qal’ayi Hanifa. Saighan was on
a military and trade route between Bamiyan and Khulm. The valley was also the traditional
southern frontier of the Khanate of Bukhara. Charles Masson was the first European
to sketch this fortress and other monuments in the Bamiyan area.