Charles Tilstone Beke (10 October 1800 – 31 July 1874) was an English traveller,geographer and Biblical critic.
Born inStepney, London, the son of a merchant in theCity of London, for a few years Beke engaged in mercantile pursuits. He later studied law atLincoln's Inn, and for a time practised at theBar, but finally devoted himself to the study of historical, geographical and ethnographical subjects.[1]
The first fruits of Beke's researches appeared in his workOrigines Biblicae orResearches in Primeval History, published in 1834. An attempt to reconstruct the early history of the human race fromgeological data, it raised a storm of opposition on the part of defenders of the traditional readings of theBook of Genesis, but in recognition of the value of the work, theUniversity of Tübingen conferred upon him the degree of PhD.[1]
Between 1837 and 1838, Beke held the post of acting Britishconsul inSaxony. From that time until his death, his attention was largely given to geographical studies, chiefly of theNile valley. Aided by private friends, he visitedEthiopia in connection with the mission toShewa sent by theIndian government under the leadership of Major (afterwards Sir)William Cornwallis Harris, and exploredGojjam and more southern regions up to that time unknown to Europeans. Among other achievements, Beke was the first to determine, with any approach to scientific accuracy, the course of theAbay River (Blue Nile). The valuable results of this journey, which occupied him from 1840 to 1843, he gave to the world in a number of papers in scientific publications, chiefly in theJournal of the Royal Geographical Society.[1]
On his return to London, Beke re-engaged in commerce, but devoted all his leisure to geographical and kindred studies. In 1848 he planned an expedition from the mainland oppositeZanzibar to discover the sources of theNile. A start was made, but the expedition accomplished little. Beke's belief that the White Nile was the main stream was, however, shown to be accurate by subsequent exploration.[2]
In 1856, he endeavoured, unsuccessfully, to establish commercial relations with Ethiopia throughMassawa. In 1861-1862 he and his wife travelled inSyria andPalestine, and went toEgypt with the object of promoting trade with Central Africa and the growth of cotton in theSudan. In 1865, he attempted to visit Ethiopia to negotiate from EmperorTewodros the release of the British captives. On learning that the captives had been released, Beke turned back, but Tewodros afterwards re-arrested the party. To themilitary expedition sent to effect their release, Beke furnished much valuable information, and his various services to the government and to geographical research were acknowledged by the award of £500 in 1868 by the secretary for India, and by the grant of a civil list pension of £100 in 1870. In his 74th year he undertook a journey to Egypt for the purpose of determining the real position ofMount Sinai. He conceived that it was on the eastern side of theGulf of Aqaba, and his journey convinced him that his view was right. It has not, however, commended itself to general acceptance. Beke died inBromley, inKent.[3]
Beke's writings are very numerous. Among the more important, besides those already named, areAn Essay on the Nile and its Tributaries (1847),The Sources of the Nile(1860), andThe British Captives in Abyssinia (1865). He was a fellow of theRoyal Geographical Society, and for his contributions to the knowledge of Ethiopia received its gold medal, and also that of the FrenchSociété de Géographie. But as a result of a controversy over the statements of a rival Ethiopian explorer,Antoine Thomson d'Abbadie, Beke returned the French medal.[3]
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Beke, Charles Tilstone".Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 3 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 660–661.
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