Lander, Richard Lemon

views updated May 09 2018

Lander, Richard Lemon (1804–34). Originally from Cornwall, Lander was a servant of Clapperton to whom he showed great loyalty on the expedition to what is now northern Nigeria. After Clapperton's death in 1827, he returned to London and was soon commissioned by the government to return to west Africa in 1830, this time penetrating from the Guinea Coast to Bussa on the Niger. Lander then followed the river down to its outlet on the coast, solving the age-old problem of the great river's course and termination. He died on a later expedition to west Africa.

Roy C. Bridges