Daniel Houghton
Encyclopedia
Daniel Houghton was an Irish
explorer and one of the earliest Europeans to travel through the interior of West Africa.
. In 1772, he was stationed in the garrison at Gibraltar
, whence his commanding officer General Edward Cornwallis
sent the young lieutenant to the court of the Moroccan
emperor on a diplomatic mission.
After he retired from the army he married and started a large family.
The following years were full of financial hardship for Houghton. In a desperate bid to change his fortune, he accepted the post of engineer at the court of the Nawab of Arcot
, but instead of reaching India
, his ship abandoned its journey at the island of Goree
off the African coast. Here, Houghton took up the post of Fort-Major, a role in which he continued for the next four years.
in London
, proposing a mission to travel up the Gambia river
and explore the hinterland of Africa
's west coast. His optimism, determination and apparent fearlessness worked in his favour, as did his basic knowledge of Arabic and Mandingo
. His proposal was accepted by the Association. Houghton's instructions were to sail to the mouth of the Gambia, navigate the river to the Barra Kunda
falls, and then to travel overland to the Hausa lands to the east. He was also tasked with pinpointing the exact location of the fabled city of Timbuktu
as well as charting the course of the Niger River
.
Houghton sailed for Africa in October 1790. He touched down at Barra
in present-day Gambia and proceeded to the trading post upriver at Pisania
. Thence, via the town of Jonkakonda, he reached the frontier of the kingdom of Wuli in early 1791. Although he was received cordially by the king, Houghton's luck did not hold. The town of Medina, where he was staying, burnt down one day in March 1791, destroying much of Houghton's possessions, including his weapons and valuable navigational equipment. More misfortunes followed, compounded by the outbreak of war between rival kingdoms on the road to Timbuktu.
Nevertheless, Houghton ploughed on, and in May 1791, he left the river/falls at Barra Kunda, pushing off overland in the direction of Timbuktu. As the Association later noted: "He had now passed the former limits of European discovery." He reached the Faleme river
, the southern tributary of the Senegal river
. The local ruler, however, proved hostile to the newcomer, and Houghton was robbed again. Eventually, he managed to reach the town of Ferbanna in the kingdom of Bambuk in the middle of the rainy season.
He was then approached by a trader called Madegammo who offered to take Houghton to Timbuktu for a fee. They started off on this final stage of the journey in July 1791. Houghton sent his last dispatch to the Pisania trading post in September 1791, from the village of Simbing deep in the interior. He was never heard from again.
, Houghton feared that his travelling companions intended to kill him. He turned back south, alone and without any food or water, and made it to a watering-hole called Tarra. The natives camped there refused him any sustenance, and Houghton died there of starvation
. His corpse was left unburied to be eaten by scavengers.
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
explorer and one of the earliest Europeans to travel through the interior of West Africa.
Early life and family
Houghton was born into an Irish military family. At the age of 18, he signed up with the 69th Regiment of Foot, in which his father had also served. He was soon promoted to the rank of lieutenantLieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
. In 1772, he was stationed in the garrison at Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
, whence his commanding officer General Edward Cornwallis
Edward Cornwallis
Lieutenant General Edward Cornwallis was a British military officer who founded Halifax, Nova Scotia with 2500 settlers and later served as the Governor of Gibraltar.-Early life:...
sent the young lieutenant to the court of the Moroccan
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
emperor on a diplomatic mission.
After he retired from the army he married and started a large family.
The following years were full of financial hardship for Houghton. In a desperate bid to change his fortune, he accepted the post of engineer at the court of the Nawab of Arcot
Nawab of the Carnatic
Nawabs of the Carnatic , ruled the Carnatic region of South India between about 1690 and 1801. They initially had their capital at Arcot,vellore city...
, but instead of reaching India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, his ship abandoned its journey at the island of Goree
Gorée
Île de Gorée Île de Gorée Île de Gorée (i.e. "Gorée Island"; is one of the 19 communes d'arrondissement (i.e. "commune of arrondissement") of the city of Dakar, Senegal. It is a island located at sea from the main harbor of Dakar ....
off the African coast. Here, Houghton took up the post of Fort-Major, a role in which he continued for the next four years.
African explorer
In 1790, Houghton approached the African AssociationAfrican Association
The Association for Promoting the Discovery of the Interior Parts of Africa , founded in London on June 9, 1788, was a British club dedicated to the exploration of West Africa, with the mission of discovering the origin and course of the Niger River and the location of Timbuktu, the "lost city" of...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, proposing a mission to travel up the Gambia river
Gambia River
The Gambia River is a major river in West Africa, running from the Fouta Djallon plateau in north Guinea westward through Senegal and The Gambia to the Atlantic Ocean at the city of Banjul...
and explore the hinterland of Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
's west coast. His optimism, determination and apparent fearlessness worked in his favour, as did his basic knowledge of Arabic and Mandingo
Mandinka language
The Mandinka language is a Mandé language spoken by millions of Mandinka people in Mali, Senegal, The Gambia, Guinea, Côte d'Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea-Bissau and Chad; it is the main language of The Gambia. It belongs to the Manding branch of Mandé, and is thus fairly...
. His proposal was accepted by the Association. Houghton's instructions were to sail to the mouth of the Gambia, navigate the river to the Barra Kunda
Barrow Kunda
Barrow Kunda is a town in The Gambia. Barrow is the name of the Alkalo and Kunda means compound. It is located in Wuli District in the Upper River Division. There is another Barrow Kunda located in Foni Kansala district which is not to be confused with this Barrow Kunda...
falls, and then to travel overland to the Hausa lands to the east. He was also tasked with pinpointing the exact location of the fabled city of Timbuktu
Timbuktu
Timbuktu , formerly also spelled Timbuctoo, is a town in the West African nation of Mali situated north of the River Niger on the southern edge of the Sahara Desert. The town is the capital of the Timbuktu Region, one of the eight administrative regions of Mali...
as well as charting the course of the Niger River
Niger River
The Niger River is the principal river of western Africa, extending about . Its drainage basin is in area. Its source is in the Guinea Highlands in southeastern Guinea...
.
Houghton sailed for Africa in October 1790. He touched down at Barra
Barra, Gambia
Barra is the non-traditional name of Niumi, The Gambia.Although Mandinka-speaking Africans always referred to the state along the north bank of the Gambia River's estuary as Niumi, not everyone did...
in present-day Gambia and proceeded to the trading post upriver at Pisania
Pisania
Pisania is a genus of marine whelk in the family Buccinidae. Some species prey on barnacles.-Species:According to the World Register of Marine Species species with accepted names within the genus Pisania include:...
. Thence, via the town of Jonkakonda, he reached the frontier of the kingdom of Wuli in early 1791. Although he was received cordially by the king, Houghton's luck did not hold. The town of Medina, where he was staying, burnt down one day in March 1791, destroying much of Houghton's possessions, including his weapons and valuable navigational equipment. More misfortunes followed, compounded by the outbreak of war between rival kingdoms on the road to Timbuktu.
Nevertheless, Houghton ploughed on, and in May 1791, he left the river/falls at Barra Kunda, pushing off overland in the direction of Timbuktu. As the Association later noted: "He had now passed the former limits of European discovery." He reached the Faleme river
Faleme River
The Falémé River is a river in West Africa. The Falémé arises in northern Guinea and flows in a north-northeast direction to Mali, forming a short portion of the border between Guinea and Senegal...
, the southern tributary of the Senegal river
Sénégal River
The Sénégal River is a long river in West Africa that forms the border between Senegal and Mauritania.The Sénégal's headwaters are the Semefé and Bafing rivers which both originate in Guinea; they form a small part of the Guinean-Malian border before coming together at Bafoulabé in Mali...
. The local ruler, however, proved hostile to the newcomer, and Houghton was robbed again. Eventually, he managed to reach the town of Ferbanna in the kingdom of Bambuk in the middle of the rainy season.
He was then approached by a trader called Madegammo who offered to take Houghton to Timbuktu for a fee. They started off on this final stage of the journey in July 1791. Houghton sent his last dispatch to the Pisania trading post in September 1791, from the village of Simbing deep in the interior. He was never heard from again.
Death
In July 1793, reports finally arrived in London confirming that Houghton had died in Africa. As the circumstances were pieced together, it appeared that Houghton had been discouraged from taking the direct route to Timbuktu. He had thus decided to travel through the desert to Tisheet in the north. But two days into the SaharaSahara
The Sahara is the world's second largest desert, after Antarctica. At over , it covers most of Northern Africa, making it almost as large as Europe or the United States. The Sahara stretches from the Red Sea, including parts of the Mediterranean coasts, to the outskirts of the Atlantic Ocean...
, Houghton feared that his travelling companions intended to kill him. He turned back south, alone and without any food or water, and made it to a watering-hole called Tarra. The natives camped there refused him any sustenance, and Houghton died there of starvation
Starvation
Starvation is a severe deficiency in caloric energy, nutrient and vitamin intake. It is the most extreme form of malnutrition. In humans, prolonged starvation can cause permanent organ damage and eventually, death...
. His corpse was left unburied to be eaten by scavengers.