He took part in the first trading venture of the Central Asian Trading Company, the company having been set up in 1873 with the encouragement of Robert Barkely Shaw. Dalgleish was one of the first British traders in Ladakh, engaged in trans-Karakoram trade in the 1870s and 1880s. He married a Yarkandi wife. He had for some years traded between Yarkand and Leh and he was fluent in Uyghur.[1]
Dalgleish was murdered by an Afghan named Dad Mahomed, a Kakar Pathan from Quetta who was once a merchant but had gone bankrupt. According to Hamilton Bower, in May 1888 Dalgleish, accompanied by some pilgrims and servants, left Leh for Yarkand. Several days into their journey they were joined by Mahomed. On 8 April 1888 the party crossed the Karakoram Pass and set up some tents to rest. While drinking tea in a tent Dalgleish and Mahomed had a conversation regarding Mahomed's debts. Mahomed excused himself and then returned with a gun and fired into the tent, striking Dalgleish in the shoulder. Dalgleish escaped from the tent but Mahomed pursued him with a sword and killed him. Mahomed did not immediately flee but instead forced Dalgleish's servants to make him a meal, then he slept in his victim's tent. The next day Mahomed departed and Dalgleish's servants and pilgrims made their way to Yarkand. The British community in Yarkand expressed their outrage over the murder and pleaded with the local yamen to have the murderer arrested. Mahomed later arrived in Kashgar and despite pleas from the Russian Consul Nikolai Petrovsky local officials refused to arrest Mahomed.[1]
During his travels through Qing China's Xinjiang Province from 1889–90, British military officer Hamilton Bower attempted without success to pursue Dalgleish's killer.[1] Mahomed was arrested in 1890 in Samarkand (then Russia) and committed suicide in prison.
A small memorial made of marble slab was erected by Bower on the desolate site of his death. It read in English and Persian, "Here fell Andrew Dalgleish, murdered by an Afghan, April 6th, 1888."[2]
His resting place is in a Christian cemetery in Leh, Ladakh.
Further reading
Rizvi, Janet. (1996) Ladakh. Crossroads of High Asia. Oxford University Press, New Delhi. ISBN0-19-564546-4, pp. 105–106
^The Earl of Dunmore. Journey in the Pamirs and Central Asia. Geographical Journal. V. II. No. 5. November. 1893.
External links
A Book of Escapes and Hurried Journeys, by John Buchan pp. 286–291.
March 04, 2023
andrew, dalgleish, confused, with, andrew, dalgleish, diplomat, andrew, dalgleish, 1853, 1888, karakoram, pass, between, ladakh, india, china, scottish, trader, traveller, government, agent, during, great, game, contents, life, murder, further, reading, refere. Not to be confused with Andrew Dalgleish diplomat Andrew Dalgleish 1853 1888 on Karakoram Pass between Ladakh India and China was a Scottish trader traveller and government agent during the Great Game Contents 1 Life and murder 2 Further reading 3 References 4 External linksLife and murder EditHe took part in the first trading venture of the Central Asian Trading Company the company having been set up in 1873 with the encouragement of Robert Barkely Shaw Dalgleish was one of the first British traders in Ladakh engaged in trans Karakoram trade in the 1870s and 1880s He married a Yarkandi wife He had for some years traded between Yarkand and Leh and he was fluent in Uyghur 1 Dalgleish was murdered by an Afghan named Dad Mahomed a Kakar Pathan from Quetta who was once a merchant but had gone bankrupt According to Hamilton Bower in May 1888 Dalgleish accompanied by some pilgrims and servants left Leh for Yarkand Several days into their journey they were joined by Mahomed On 8 April 1888 the party crossed the Karakoram Pass and set up some tents to rest While drinking tea in a tent Dalgleish and Mahomed had a conversation regarding Mahomed s debts Mahomed excused himself and then returned with a gun and fired into the tent striking Dalgleish in the shoulder Dalgleish escaped from the tent but Mahomed pursued him with a sword and killed him Mahomed did not immediately flee but instead forced Dalgleish s servants to make him a meal then he slept in his victim s tent The next day Mahomed departed and Dalgleish s servants and pilgrims made their way to Yarkand The British community in Yarkand expressed their outrage over the murder and pleaded with the local yamen to have the murderer arrested Mahomed later arrived in Kashgar and despite pleas from the Russian Consul Nikolai Petrovsky local officials refused to arrest Mahomed 1 During his travels through Qing China s Xinjiang Province from 1889 90 British military officer Hamilton Bower attempted without success to pursue Dalgleish s killer 1 Mahomed was arrested in 1890 in Samarkand then Russia and committed suicide in prison A small memorial made of marble slab was erected by Bower on the desolate site of his death It read in English and Persian Here fell Andrew Dalgleish murdered by an Afghan April 6th 1888 2 His resting place is in a Christian cemetery in Leh Ladakh Further reading EditRizvi Janet 1996 Ladakh Crossroads of High Asia Oxford University Press New Delhi ISBN 0 19 564546 4 pp 105 106References Edit a b c Hamilton Bower A trip to Turkistan Geographical Journal 1895 pp 241 257 The Earl of Dunmore Journey in the Pamirs and Central Asia Geographical Journal V II No 5 November 1893 External links EditA Book of Escapes and Hurried Journeys by John Buchan pp 286 291 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Andrew Dalgleish spy amp oldid 1110920112, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
