The Making of a Frontier is a reproduction of the book by Colonel Algernon Durand, published in 1899, in which he describes his experiences on the most northerly frontier of British India during the period 1888 to 1893. The region in question, the Eastern Hindu-Kush, was a maze of tribal areas, under the direct rule of, or tributary to, Kashmir, which was in turn a native state under British influence. Durand was the brother of Mortimer Durand, the Foreign Secretary of the Government of India at the time, who himself became famous for finally settling the location of the frontier between India and Afghanistan.
The book is a good summary of his many difficulties with the spectacular but severe terrain, the extremes of climate from scorching heat to extreme cold, and of course the convoluted dealings with various local rulers who saw deviousness and treachery as just part of their daily life. Indeed, many had come to their ascendancy through murder of the previous ruler (usually their father) and execution of their brothers.
Durand discovers he must not only try to keep the area peaceful without resorting to any more than minimal military operations, but he must overcome the local customs of even the friendly rulers who have a habit of keeping for themselves the soldiers rations, their pay and anything else that comes within their borders.
Durand exhibits the attitudes common then, eg respect for tribes that came out and fought at close quarters, but open disdain for more peaceful tribes. His narrative focuses on his field duties over the five years, so that his occasional discussions in Simla with his superiors are glossed over in a few sentences.
Durand makes a good fist of telling his story, given that he was first and foremost a soldier, not an author. The book is based on notes and diaries that he wrote up in his tent wherever he happened to be. In keeping with his role and the turbulent times, the tale is part adventure story, part travelogue and part intelligence report. It is mostly in the first person and has the flowery style typical of the period. Those looking for an action packed "ripping yarn" may be disappointed.
The illustrations are mostly a number of photographs taken by the doctor who accompanied him for much of that time. They are not of professional quality, even for the time, but were no doubt taken with modest equipment and do give some idea of the people and places spoken of. The maps are disappointing. There is one sketch map of the Gilgit Valley region which covers many of the places mentioned in the text, and a final map of the whole Eastern Hindu-Kush region, which has been printed so small as to be useless.
Overall, the book's great value is in the descriptions of events by someone who was actually there, although the style is not like modern page-turners, and the views expressed do not have the benefit of a variety of sources. Given that this is a facsimile of the 1899 book, it cannot be updated, amended or edited - it is as it is - a snapshot of its time.
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