Auguste Rene Caillie was born on 19th November 1799 in Mauze, France, and he died on 17th May 1838 (aged 39 years) in France. Rene was the first modern European to have reached the cities of West Africa and to return alive from there. He decided to journey to Timbuktu despite not getting any financial backing. His knowledge of customs and language enabled him to travel there without any problem. He pretended to be an Egyptian Muslim pilgrim on reaching there. He made the detailed notes on the lifestyle, trade, buildings and people of the region.
Do you know: The Geographical Society of Paris awarded Rene a prize of 10,000 Franc for being the first traveller to visit and return from Timbuktu.
