One hundred and fifty years ago a young Maltese from the city of Senglea, Andrea De Bono, went to live in darkest Africa. He spent almost twenty years of his life in those harsh equatorial regions, traveling and exploring, bartering for ivory with friendly natives and fighting hostile tribesmen. De Bono had a private army, a river flotilla and a string of trading posts. Strong and brave, acclimatized and experienced, he had ample time to become the first European to discover the sources of the White Nile, which had been an enigma in Europe for more than two thousand years. However, Andrea De Bono allowed this golden opportunity to cover himself and his small island home with glory to slip right through his fingers; at one time he was just a few miles away from one of the great sources of the mighty African river. This is the story of an ordinary man who pushed himself to the limit. Facing family losses, political intrigues and petty jealousies, he was falsely accused of slave trafficking. And here he showed true grit. This and his readiness to help his fellow explorers, Speke and Grant, reveal a nobler nature than the terms 'trader' and 'frontiersman' imply.
Excellently researched, well illustrated and colourfully told, this insightful biography throws light on an unusual corner of history and human endeavour.