Francisco de Orellana vs Henry Morton Stanley

Orellana was sent by Gonzalo Pizarro to scout ahead for food along the Napo River. When he failed to return, Pizarro accused him of desertion. Orellana continued downstream, eventually reaching the Amazon, while Pizarro's starving expedition returned to Quito.

Orellana led a group of 50 men down the Napo River and into the Amazon River, becoming the first Europeans to navigate the entire length of the Amazon. The journey covered over 4,000 miles from the Andes to the Atlantic Ocean, taking 8 months.

Orellana's expedition reported being attacked by a tribe of female warriors near the mouth of the Tapaj

Orellana returned to Spain and reported his discovery to King Charles I. He was granted a royal commission to conquer and colonize the Amazon region, with the title of Governor of New Andalusia. He was given permission to take 300 men and 30 horses.

Orellana died on the Amazon River during his second expedition to colonize the region. The exact cause of death is unknown, but it is believed to be from disease or attack by indigenous peoples. The expedition failed to establish a colony.

Stanley, on an expedition funded by the New York Herald, found the missing missionary David Livingstone at Ujiji on Lake Tanganyika. The meeting produced the famous greeting 'Dr. Livingstone, I presume?' and renewed public interest in African exploration.

Stanley circumnavigated Lake Victoria in a boat, proving it was a single large lake and not a series of smaller lakes. This confirmed it as the primary source of the Nile, resolving a major geographical debate.

Stanley led an expedition into the Congo Basin on behalf of King Leopold II of Belgium. He established trading stations, signed treaties with local chiefs, and surveyed the Congo River, laying the groundwork for the Congo Free State.

Stanley led a large expedition to rescue Emin Pasha, a German governor in Equatoria. The expedition crossed central Africa, faced starvation and disease, and resulted in the deaths of hundreds of porters, but successfully reached Emin Pasha.