DUTREUIL DE RHINS, Jules-Léon. Saint-Étienne (Loire) 2.1.1846 — Tong-mbon-ndo in Kham 5.6.1894. French Marine Officer, Cartographer, Traveller and Explorer. Son of Jean-Denis Dutreuil de Rhins (1816–1872) and Jeanne Félicité Blondartm an aristocratic family. Born in the Loire area, educated at École navale. Joined first merchant navy, soon moved to military…
DESVAULX, Nicolas-Jacques, baron d’Oinville. Chandernagor 28.3.1745 — Paris 9.7.1817. French Officer in India. Son of an officer (some say a wealthy merchant) working in India for the French Company, grew up in Paris. In 1762 he joined the army and after a few years was sent according to his own…
DELLA VALLE, Pietro. Rome 11.4.1586 — Rome 21.4. or 11.4.1652. Italian (Roman) Traveller in Iran and India. Born in a Roman aristocratic family, son of Pompeo Della Valle (1561–1587) and Giovanna Alberini, had good education. In his youth served as a soldier, in 1611 participated in an expedition of Spanish…
DE GUBERNATIS, Giuseppe Angelo. Turin 7.4.1840 — Rome 26.12.1913. Count. Italian Indologist. Professor in Florence and Rome. Born in a noble family, son of Giambattista De Gubernatis (d. 1867), a revenue official, and Maria Cleofe Turchetti; his brother was the diplomat and geographer Enrico De Gubernatis (1836–1914), his sister the educator…
DEASY, Henry Hugh Peter. Dublin 29.6.1866 — Carrigahorig, Co. Tipperary 24.1.1947. British (Irish) Officer and Traveller in Central Asia. Captain. Son of Right Hon. Richard Deasy (1812–1883), Lord Justice of Appeal (Ireland), and Monica O’Connor. He was “educated at Bournemouth and Dublin. Joined the 16th Lancers, 1888, and resigned his…
DAVID-NÉEL, Alexandra (née Louise Eugènie Alexandrine Marie David). St.Mandé (Seine) 24.10.1868 — Digne (Basses-Alpes) 8.9.1969. French Bauddha and Traveller. The only child of Louis Pierre David (1815–1904), a huguenot freemason and ardent republican, also a journalist and teacher, and Alexandrine Borleman, a Catholic Belgian. From 1873 grew up in Belgium.…
DAPPER, Olfert. Jordaan, Amsterdam, baptized 6.1.1636 — Amsterdam 29.12.1689. Dutch Physician and Geographer. Son of a Lutheran linen weaver (d. 1644) and his wife Trintje Heeren (d. 1672). From 1658 studies at Utrecht, in 1659 Med.Dr. Then living in Amsterdam, where he became friend with mayor Nicolaas Witsen (1641–1717, known…
DALGLEISH, Andrew. Edinburgh 1853 — near Karakorum 6.4.1888. British (Scottish) Tradesman, Traveller, Spy and Geographer of Central Asia. Quitted his place as apprentice to a copper-plate engraver when 18, then five years apprentice in a trading vessel, visited many Asian ports. When 23 left sea life and became the manager…
CROOKE, William. Macroom, county Cork 6.8.1848 — Cheltenham, Gloucestershire 25.10.1923. British (Irish) Civil Servant and Anthropologist in India. Eldest son of Warren Crooke (1814–1896), M.D., of an originally English family long resident in Ireland, and Elizabeth Pyne Lindsey. Educated at the grammar school of Tipperary, studied at Trinity College in…
CORYAT, Thomas (Tom Coriate). Odcombe (Crewkerne), Somersetshire 1577? — Surat ?.12.1617. British Traveller in India. Son of the Rev. George Coryat (d. 1607), Rector of Odcombe, and his wife Gertrude. Studies at Winchester College and from 1596 at Gloucester Hall, Oxford, learning Greek and logic, but left 1599 without degree…