Interesting Saharans
 

I'm planning to feature small biogs of interesting Saharans in edition II of Sahara.
I'm looking for others in addition to the ones below (not necessarily the obvious explorers):

B Toy
T Monod
R Bagnold (anyone read Wind. Sand and War, seems o/p)
F Rodd
G Nachtigal
M Dayak (anyone read his biog, in Fr.?)
H Clapperton
Valerie and Jon Stevens

Add you ideas below.

thanks

Chris S

(best submitted biogs to above or others get a free copy) - check first, svp.

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Author of Sahara Overland and the Adventure Motorcycling Handbook, among other things

http://www.sahara-overland.com and http://www.adventure-motorcycling.com

Hi Chris,

what about Thesinger - a little bit far east but remarkable.
Yves

He is well known and not very Saharan, I feel.
I think Ibn Battuta is worth adding, now I realise where he went.

Ch

How about giving the dane O Olufsen long overdue credit ? He is very little known but travelled the Sahara extensively, on his own and made long travels with the touareg caravanes in the desert.
In 1912 and 14 he travlled the northern parts of the Sahara.
1922 to 24 he travlled the Hoggar, AhMuidir and Ahnet areas on camel back, making maps and doing scientific research.
1927-28 Senegal, Sudan, Niger to make contact with the touaregs living in the southern part of the Sahara. I must admit though that he might be unknown, because he only published in danish and french.
He was a forerunner for modern expeditions, in that he admired the local people and lived with them for long time on their conditions, walking 16-18 hours a day, for weeks on end, sometimes without water and little food, without claiming any privileges at all.

Poul
Denmark (of course)

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If Life Gets Boring, Risk It !

Write it up then, find an archive picture, make a little map to clarify things, and I'll use it.

thanks, keep them coming

Ch

Hi Chris,

When I first read the headline, I thought you meant interesting Saharan _locals_. Like the guy selling petrol out of barrels in Dirkou, the café owner in In Salah skiing on the sand dunes etc... I haven't travelled enough to encounter all these profiles myself, but maybe they merit a mention?!

For overseas "Saharans", maybe I could contribute with Sweden's claim to fame, Gösta Moberg. As with the danish explorer, none of his books were translated into English AFAIK, which explains why he's unknown in this forum.

Gösta did an expedition in 1924-25 down to In Salah, 16 000 km overland, and a second trip in 1950 roving all over from Beni Abbès, Gabes in Tunisia, Tam, Djanet, Djado to his main goal: Tibesti. He spent a long time there, visiting many of the small villages, Le Trou etc, collecting ethnographica for the museum back in Stockholm. Most of the time he was walking over the mountains just with one guide, and one or two camels to carry his findings.
His writing style is hilarious and quirky, great reading if a bit outdated.

On his CV, Gösta also travelled to French Guyana in the 30's, Alaska, Congo etc...

If you want me to write something on this funny guy, just let me know!

Jan

Saharans = my shortahnd for registered Saharaholics - wherever they are from.
Yep, do a Gösta biog, same style as the other guy. Jpgs of these guy's book covers might be good too, esp if they are nice artwork.
Dirkou Jerome might be worth a mention - I know someone who did a newspaper feature on him. He was very proud of his Monty/8th army connections, i recall.

Hassanein Bey and Kemal el Din also spring to mind now I think of it; the only locals from the modern exploreration era I can think of.
Byron de Prorok is a curiosity too, sounds a but shifty, but he was out there doing it.

Ch