Eugène Mage

Eugène Abdon Mage (30 July 1837-19 December 1869) was a French Marine Officer and traveller of Africa.

Mage lived as adjudicator of the General Louis Faidherbe since 1858 in West Africa (in modern Senegal). After the 1860 voyage into north Senegal and toward Tagant (in modern Mauritius) and many expeditions north along the rivers Saloum and Sine toward Gambia, in 1863 with the Marines' doctor L. Quintin (and others) traversed Bafoulabe, Kita, Nioro and Diangounté in northern Nigeria. He arrived in February 1864 Ségou (modern Mali), where he was beseiged for over 3 months until General Faidherbe arrived and broke the siege. But it was not until early June 1866 when Mage returned home. Mage died on the 19th of December 1869.

By their astronomical navigation and close attention to cartography Mage and Quintin are responsible for the first detailed map of western Sudan. Mage describes his journey in his literary works (see below).

Published works

*Relation d’un voyage d’exploration au Soudan occidental, Paris 1867
*Voyage dans le Soudan occidental, Paris 1868

References

[http://palissy.humana.univ-nantes.fr/CETE/TXT/MAGE/BioMage.html] Biography