Thomas Edward Bowdich is a explorer and a British Naturaliste , born in 1790 with Bristol and dead the January 10th 1824 with Banjul (Gambia).

In 1814, thanks to the intervention of his/her uncle, J. Hope-Smith, governor of the British colony in Ivory Coast, Bowdich obtains a post of secretary to the Company of the tradesmen of Africa with Cabo Corso. In 1817, it leaves with two companions, with Kumasi, near the king of the Confédération Ashanti with an aim of affirming the control of the area by the British. In 1818, Bowdich returns in Great Britain and makes appear the following year the report of its mission and traces the portrait of the court of Kumasi under the title of Mission from Cape Coast Castle to Ashantee, &c. (London, 1819). It presents the collections which it reports of Africa to the British Museum.

Of 1820 with 1822, Bowdich lives with Paris where he studies the Mathématiques and the Natural history. He attends then scientists like Georges Cuvier (1769-1832) or Alexander von Humboldt (1769-1859). It is during its stay in France that it makes appear the majority of its scientific work. In 1822, with his wife, it goes to Lisbon and makes appear in 1824 off in London An Account the Discoveries off the Portuguese in… Angola and Mozambique . In 1823, the couple remains with Madeira and the islands of the Cape Verde, then goes in Banhul, the mouth river Gambia. Bowdich then leave to explore the Sierra Leone, but Thomas dies in Banhul. Its widow publishes the report of their voyages under the title of Excursions in Madeira and Oporto Santo… to which is added has Narrative the Continuance off off the Voyage to its Completion, &c (London, 1825). This book will be republished by the girl of the couple, Mrs. Hutchinson Hale in 1873.

Works

• Year analysis off the natural classifications off Mammalia, for the uses off students and travelers (Paris, 1821)
• Excursions in Madeira and Oporto Santo… to which is added has Narrative the Continuance off off the Voyage to its Completion (London, 1825)
• An Account off the Discoveries off the Portuguese in… Angola and Mozambique (London, 1824)
• has Reply to the Quarterly Review (Paris, 1820)

Source

• Translation of the article of English language of Wikipédia (version of March 12th, 2006).