During the latter part of the nineteenth-century the British Army was to fight several wars in India and John Burke was assigned to cover the Second Afghan War (1878-79). Burke specialized in photographing the military and their manoeuvres and his images best describe the spectacular Northwest frontiers where many a battle was fought. Burke not only took portraits of the British military but was able to record the interior of the Shergai and the frontiers of the Khyber Pass, including studies of the tribal enclaves of the Kutchi (Gipsies), the Amir Yakub Khans and Khybers. This album includes the photograph of the famous first meeting between The Amir Yakub Khan, Major Cavagnari and Mr Jenkins. Also included is a portrait of Major Cavagneri with the Sirdars of Kabul and Kunae Synd (1879). Three months after this portrait was taken, Major Cavagneri and his staff were killed by Afghan insurgents on September, 3, 1879.