Alexander Leng English explorer of Africa Country: Great Britain

Biography of Alexander Gordon Lang

Alexander Gordon Lang, the English explorer of Africa, was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. At the age of 16, he enlisted in the English army and served in Sierra Leone, a British colony in West Africa. By 1820, he had become a lieutenant and was serving as the adjutant to the governor general of West Africa. Lang's lifelong dream was to solve the problem of the Niger River and visit the mysterious city of Timbuktu. However, his proposed expedition to Timbuktu in 1821 was rejected due to the ongoing civil war in the country. During this time, the ruler of the Mandinka country was engaged in a war with one of his main leaders, which greatly affected the trading activities of Sierra Leone. In an attempt to improve the situation, the governor general sent Lang as the head of a diplomatic mission to the Mandinka camp. Lang was also tasked with studying the country's economy and geography. During this trip, Lang discovered that many people from the Sulima tribe possessed gold and ivory. This inspired him to propose an exploration of the country east of Sierra Leone to the governor. Lang's plan was approved, and the journey began in April 1822 and lasted several months. On April 16, Lang sailed along the Rokelle River and soon arrived in Rokon, the main city of the Timanni country. Like other explorers in Africa, Lang had to negotiate with local leaders for passage rights and negotiate with porters. However, due to his determination, he managed to protect himself from the extortion of African chiefs. Lang's journey took him through towns such as Toma, Balandecko, Rocketchnik, Mabung, and finally Ma-Iosso, a large city on the border of Timanni. During his travels, Lang learned about the existence of a secret society called "Purra." In the Koranko region, Lang visited Ma-Bum and then Kufulu, where he received a friendly reception. He crossed the Koranko foothills and reached Simere. Here, Lang visited the source of the Tongolele River, which flows into the Rokelle, and then left Koranko and entered the Sulima territory. Lang visited Sembe, a wealthy and populated city, and finally arrived in the capital city of Sulima, Falabu, where he was told that it would take only three days to reach the source of the Joliba River (Niger). The Sultan expressed special respect for him and organized a military parade. Taking advantage of the festive atmosphere, Lang requested permission from the Sultan to visit the source of the Niger River. The Sultan initially objected, citing the dangers of such an enterprise. However, seeing Lang's persistence and believing that "his heart yearned for water," the Sultan granted him permission. But within two hours, the permission was revoked. A few days later, Lang was allowed to visit the source of the Rokelle River (Sale-Kongo), which had not been explored before. From a distance, Lang saw Mount Loma, the highest peak of the Leone-Liberian Massif and all of West Africa west of Cameroon. According to information he received, the Niger River originated on the other side of this mountain. On September 17, Lang began his journey back to Sierra Leone. His expedition had significant importance as he had opened up a country that no European had reached before. He described its natural resources, customs, and the activities of its inhabitants. Lang also studied the course and sources of the Rokelle River and obtained accurate data on the sources of the Niger River for the first time. His book, "Travels in the Countries of Timanni, Kuranko, and Sulima in West Africa," was published in London in 1825. In the same year, Lang, now a major, led a British expedition with the goal of reaching Timbuktu. Between his two exploratory journeys, Lang visited the Gold Coast and participated in the war between Britain and the Ashanti Kingdom in Africa. The man who discovered the secret of Timbuktu was expected to receive awards of 3,000 and 10,000 francs from the geographical societies of England and France. Lang intended to reach Timbuktu via the Atlantic coast but was ordered to follow a route through the Mediterranean. On June 17, 1825, Lang set sail for Tripoli and then journeyed through the Sahara. After reaching the northern edge of Fezzan, his expedition headed west through the previously unexplored route via the oases of Ghadames and Ain Salah. Staying in Ain Salah from November 1825 to January 1826, Lang then reached the Tuat oasis. From there, he planned to proceed to Timbuktu, circumvent Lake Djenne or Deboi, visit the Melly region, return to Sokoto, explore Lake Chad, and attempt to reach the Nile. However, when the caravan Lang joined left Tuat, they were attacked by Tuaregs. One of the expedition members was killed, and Lang was severely wounded. Soon after, a dysentery epidemic claimed the lives of all his remaining companions. Despite everything, Lang managed to complete the arduous and dangerous crossing of the Sahara and entered Timbuktu on August 13, 1826. He was likely the first European to voluntarily enter Timbuktu since Benedetto Dei in 1469. In Timbuktu, Lang gradually recovered from his wounds. Although his recovery was slow, he was not persecuted by the locals due to the recommendation letters he brought from Tripoli and the caring hospitality of his host. After thoroughly exploring Timbuktu, Lang embarked on a nighttime journey to Kabru to see the Joliba River (Niger). He did not want to return to Europe through the Great Desert but planned to visit Jenne and Sego and then reach the French settlements on the Senegal River. In a letter to the British consul in Tripoli dated September 21, 1826, Lang mentioned his intention to head towards Segu upstream of the Niger River. This was his only letter written from Timbuktu and the last letter received from him. Five days after leaving Timbuktu, Lang's caravan was joined by Sheikh Hamed Uld Habib, a fanatic Muslim leader of the Zawat tribe. Under the pretext that Lang had entered the territory of the tribe without permission, he was captured and offered to convert to Islam. Lang refused and declared that he preferred death to apostasy. Following the Sheikh's orders, Lang was strangled by two slaves, and his body was thrown into the desert. All expedition materials were lost. In 1930, over 100 years after Lang's death, a memorial plaque was placed on the wall of the house where he had lived in Timbuktu. The plaque bore the inscription: "To Major Alexander Gordon Lang, 2nd West India Regiment, the first European to reach Timbuktu."