Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Lucas, Louis Arthur
LUCAS, LOUIS ARTHUR (1851–1876), African traveller, born on 22 Sept. 1851. was the only surviving son of Philip Lucas of Manchester. He was educated at University College School in Gower Street, London, and at University College, where he showed a marked taste for scientific subjects. An early taste for travel and scientific enterprise was developed by a trip to Switzerland in 1870. He visited the United States in 1872, and through the good offices of George McClellan, who gave him letters of introduction to the commandants of the flirts in the west, he wag enabled to extend his tour to Nebraska, where he shot buffalo and dear, and puzzled the Indian chiefs by his feats of legerdemain. At the end of 1873 he started for Egypt to recruit his health, became interested in the country, and during enforced convalescence of many months after an attack of typhoid fever occupied himself with scientific studies. In July 1875 he announced his intention of devoting himself to African exploration, intending in the first instance to explore the Congo. His friends, supported by Sir Henry Rawlinson, remonstrated vainly against an adventure so unsuited to a weak constitution. He organised an expedition independently of the Geographical Society, of which he was an associate. He left London on 2 Sept. 1875, and made his way to Cairo, where he remained several weeks learning Arabic and engaging servants. He obtained a firman from the khedive after a personal interview, authorising him to enlist and train soldiers for escort, and from all quarters he received cordial assistance. He travelled by way of Suez, Suakim, and Berber to Khartoum, where he arrived at the end of January 1876. There he stayed for nearly three months making preparations for an absence of several years. In April he left Khartoum, and with a steam-vessel lent by Colonel Gordon ascended the White River as far as Lardo, where he met Gordon. Gordon would not permit him to go on to what he said would be certain destruction, but advised him to return to Khartoum and thence return by way of Suez to Zanzibar, there to reorganise his expedition, and make a fresh start under better auspices and in a less deadly climate. Lucas then accompanied Gordon to the Albert Nyanza, and navigated the northern portion of the lake in the first steamboat ever launched on its waters. In August he went to Khartoum intending to carry out Gordon's plan. He fell ill on the way, and was detained at Khartoum by fever and dysentery for two months, but reached Suakim by way of Berber era 18 Nov. He embarked at once on a steamboat for Suez, but died on 20 Nov. 1870. He was buried at Jeddah.
Lucas went out with a prepared list of queries furnished by the Anthropological Institute. He sent an interesting letter to the president. Colonel A. Lane-Fox, dated from Khartoum 11 March 1876, accompanied by a short vocabulary of Bishereen words and some sketches: the vocabulary was published in the 'Journal' of the institute (vi. 191-4).
[Sir Rutherford Alcock's Address in Proc. of Roy. Geogr. Soc. xxi. 418-21, 465; Athenæum, 9 Dec. 1876 p. 766, 23 Dee. 1876 p. 838; Times, 25 Dec. 1876. p. 4. col. 4; Jewish Chronicle, 15 Dec. 1876. p. 566.]