Description

John Wood (1811–71) was an officer in the navy of the East India Company who in 1836 was appointed to take part in a mission to Afghanistan led by Alexander Burnes. His instructions were to “ascend the Indus from its mouth to Attock, that a more perfect knowledge of the river may be procured, as well for purposes of commerce as of war….” He proceeded upstream to the region of Kunduz, Afghanistan, and in February 1838 discovered what he thought was the source of the Oxus (Amu Darya) River ...