River of the gods : genius, courage, and betrayal in the search for the source of the Nile /
For millennia the location of the Nile River's headwaters was shrouded in mystery. Expeditions to find it were stymied by a giant labyrinthine swamp. In the 19th century, Richard Burton and John Hanning Speke were sent by the Royal Geographical Society to claim the prize for England. From the s...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Book |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
New York :
Doubleday,
[2022].
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| Edition: | First edition. |
| Subjects: |
| Summary: | For millennia the location of the Nile River's headwaters was shrouded in mystery. Expeditions to find it were stymied by a giant labyrinthine swamp. In the 19th century, Richard Burton and John Hanning Speke were sent by the Royal Geographical Society to claim the prize for England. From the start the two men clashed. They would endure tremendous hardships, illness and constant setbacks. Two years in, deep in the African interior Speke claimed he found the source in a great lake that he christened Lake Victoria. Back in England Speke disparaged Burton. Burton disputed his claim, and Speke launched another expedition to Africa to prove it. Millard turns to the third man on both expeditions, Sidi Mubarak Bombay, a former slave in a Sultan's army who used his resourcefulness, linguistic prowess and raw courage to forge a living as a guide. |
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| Item Description: | Maps on endpapers. |
| Physical Description: | xii, 349 pages, [16] pages of plates : illustrations, maps ; 25 cm. |
| Bibliography: | Includes bibliographical references and index. |
| ISBN: | 9780385543101 0385543107 |