Alexandrine Tinne, who was born in 1839, was a Dutch explorer in Africa, and the first female to attempt to cross the Sahara. When Alexandrine was 19, she and her mother toured Egypt. Together they travelled by camel and donkey to the Red Sea, then later to the Holy Land and Damascus. The region was still considered dangerous, especially for female travellers. This particular journey, though grueling, sparked a thirst for adventure in Alexandrine, and a desire to explore the region even further. She and her mother set out to explore the Nile, and reached Wadi Haifa, but were halted by a large waterfall.
Alexandrine then set out on another expedition, accompanied by her mother and aunt. The three ladies hoped to see how far west the Nile basin extended. The journey was not an easy one for any of the travellers, and they were all particularly afflicted by tropical fevers. It is said that, they were bitten so extensively by mosquitoes that their faces swelled beyond recognition. Many members of the group fell ill, and Alexandrine’s own mother died before they reached Khartoum, in July 1864. Her aunt also died in Khartoum, and a heartbroken Alexandrine returned to Cairo.
Alexandrine’s ceaseless spirit of adventure pushed her onwards, and in 1869, she began a journey across the Sahara. Sadly, she could not reach her goal for she was murdered on the way. But she will always be remembered for her yearning to bring knowledge of regions unknown to the rest of the world… not as man or as a woman… but as a fearless explorer.
