Born c. 1831,
Paris, France
Died April 30, 1903,
St. Petersburg, Russia

Paul Belloni Du Chaillu was a colorful American explorer with a love of adventure and a gift for storytelling. Traveling mainly on his own in Africa, he was the first Westerner to see and photograph gorillas and the first to report on the tribal life of Pygmies. A major mountain range in Gabon, Africa, is named for him.

Du Chaillu was always mysterious about his origins, variously claiming to have been born in Paris, New York, and New Orleans. Du Chaillu was the son of a French trader and his part-African mistress. His father set up a trading post on the coast of Gabon in West Africa in 1845; Paul joined him in 1848 and became interested in learning the native language and exploring the interior. According to some stories, Du Chaillu was rescued by American missionaries...