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Adventure, betrayal & beetles: the quest for the source of the Nile

Candice Millard recounts the trials and tribulations of a gruelling Victorian expedition to locate the source of the River Nile, from deadly diseases to bitter rivalries

Published: March 3, 2023 at 9:45 AM

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In the mid 19th century, a team of explorers set off in search of an elusive goal – the source of the River Nile. Set against a backdrop of imperial expansion into Africa, the expedition was led by Richard Francis Burton and John Hanning Speke – two men who should have been great partners, but became bitter rivals. Candice Millard tells Ellie Cawthorne about Burton and Speke’s gruelling, dangerous journey, and the guide who made it possible – Sidi Mubarak Bombay.

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Candice Millard is the author of River of the Gods: Genius, Courage, and Betrayal in the Search for the Source of the Nile (Swift Press, 2022)

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Authors

Ellie CawthorneHead of content (audio)

Ellie Cawthorne is head of content (audio) at HistoryExtra

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