Audacious African Adventurers Trivia Quiz

Answer: Hanno the Navigator

The record of Hanno II of Carthage, known as Hanno the Navigator, is found in the "Periplus of Hanno the Navigator" and was transcribed from earlier copies late in the first millennium. Around 500 B.C. Hanno explored the northern and western coasts of Africa, replenishing known settlements near the Atlas Mountains and forming new ones as he went.

He wrote detailed notes (a "novel" idea for the time period) which included distances and landmarks. Some of his notes described encounters with active volcanoes and the first known written report of gorillas.

Answer: Zheng He

Zheng He was tasked by the Yongle Emperor, who had imposing influence around the Indian Ocean, to explore outlying areas. He did his job well, travelling to many ports in Southeast Asia, India, the Arabian Peninsula and Africa. He mostly used diplomacy, but would use force if needed. He brought back many riches and animals from his travels.

Answer: Bartolomeu Dias

Dias sailed to the southern tip of Africa in 1488 but was forced to turn back due to weather and the fact that his crew refused to go any further. He originally named it the Cape of Storms (for good reason), but it was later renamed the "Cape of Good Hope" because it represented the opening of a route to the east.

Answer: Lisbon

All the incorrect answers are ports in Italy.

Vasco da Gama's father (Estavo), a well-to-do Portuguese explorer and member of the nobility, was originally supposed to attempt the trip but he died before he could go. It was quite a brave undertaking since very few people at the time thought the Indian Sea connected with any other body of water. After experiencing trouble with the both the violent weather and the inhabitants of Africa and India who were trying to protect their trade routes, he brought 20 armed ships on his next trip in 1502. Gory details ensued. Eventually, however he was appointed the Portuguese Viceroy to India and died there in 1524.

Answer: Timbuktu

Alexander Gordon Laing was a Scottish explorer who set out to cross the Sahara from north to south and find the mouth of the Niger River and the city of Timbuktu. As he and his group found many kind locals along his travels, he ran into some who attacked his party and during one raid on his caravan he lost an arm and was wounded dozens of times.

He reached another and though out of money, joined another caravan and made it to Timbuktu in August of 1826. He wrote of his arrival and soon departure, which is believed to have taken place, but he was never heard from again and it is likely he was murdered soon after leaving Timbuktu.

Answer: Rene Caillie

Rene Caillie was the son of a prisoner and after reading "Robinson Crusoe" found himself travelling to Senegal amongst other expeditions. He was taught Arabic and learned the customs and laws of Islam when he stayed with Brakna Moors at the northern part of the Senegal River. In April of 1827 Callie reached Timbuktu and after a two week stay, headed back for France, where after giving his accurate account of the fabled city, he was awarded 10,000 francs which had been offered by the Société de Géographie.

Imagine his surprise when he discovered that the fabled city was not made of gold - but of MUD! His accurate account was of a small, poor village rather than the fabled city Timbuktu may have once been.

Answer: Snow on mountains

Rebmann is generally considered to be the first European to see Mount Kilimanjaro, as well as Mount Kenya. No one at "home" believed that snow or glaciers could exist in hot humid Africa. It wasn't until further expeditions were carried out almost 15 years later, that his observations were proven. Rebmann lived for nearly thirty years in Africa and was well known for his patience and disdain of firearms.

There are anecdotes which suggest that he fended off lions and human attackers with ... an umbrella, of all things!

Answer: John Hanning Speke

After various illnesses, deafness and temporary blindness during his expedition, Speke discovered Lake Victoria while searching for the source of the Nile. He "fell out with" Richard Burton when he returned to London first and announced his discoveries to The Royal Geographic Society.

Answer: Frederick Courtney Selous

In 1890, Selous joined the service of the British South Africa Company serving as a guide to the pioneer expedition to Mashonaland. In two and a half months Selous delivered the column safely to its destination, having traveled over 400 miles of road which had been constructed over rough terrains including forest, mountain and swamp. Selous listed amongst his friends Theodore Roosevelt, Cecil Rhodes, Frederick Russell Burnham and Sir Robert Baden-Powell.

In World War I, at the age of 64, Selous rejoined the British Army, participating in the fighting in East Africa. On 4 January 1917, while fighting on the banks of the Rufiji River, Selous was shot and killed by a German sniper.

Answer: Carl Peters

Carl(Karl) Peters was known in Africa as "Milono wa Damu" (which means "the man with blood on his hands"). He was known for his horrible treatment of African natives as well as getting many Arab and African chiefs to sign away all rights to their lands/resources.

Despite being recalled from Africa and being "bombed" in the German press, he was eventually exonerated by Wilhelm II. Adolf Hitler referred to him as a "German hero".