Ancient cultures, heroism, and an unforgivable betrayal: The greatest adventure story of the 19th century. While the European powers dispatched countless explorers to discover the unknown corners of the world, a rapturous fascination with ancient Egypt ignited on the continent. To unravel the millennia-old mystery of the Nile's source, the eccentric Richard Burton, a linguistic genius and decorated soldier, and the devout aristocrat and passionate hunter John Speke embarked on a perilous mission for the English Crown. However, the true hero of their adventure turned out to be the freed slave Sidi Bombay, whose courage and resourcefulness had been forgotten by imperial historiography. In 'The River of the Gods,' Candice Millard tells the gripping and well-researched story of one of history's most important expeditions—and of the European exploitation of the African continent.