Born April 14, 1831,
Near Bremen, Germany
Died June 2, 1896,
Germany

Gerhard Rohlfs was an adventurer whose aimless wanderings contributed greatly to knowledge of the maps of Africa. Although he was the first European to cross West Africa from the Mediterranean to the Gulf of Guinea, his place in history is based on his extensive chronicles of his journeys over a 20-year period. His accounts, which were widely read, helped to shape German public opinion about Africa and Africans; today they give us a valuable insight into the way Victorians looked at exploration.

Gerhard Rohlfs was born near Bremen in Germany in 1831. The third son of a doctor, he was educated at home until he was 15; once he got to school he hated it. He ran away to Amsterdam, but his parents caught up with him and brought him back home. At the age of 18 he quit...