John Wood (explorer) facts for kids
John Wood (born 1812 – died 14 November 1871) was a Scottish explorer. He was also a naval officer, a surveyor, and a mapmaker. He is best known for his journeys in central Asia.
John Wood was born in Perth, Scotland. He went to school at Perth Academy. After finishing school, he joined the British Indian Navy. This was a navy that protected British interests in India.
John Wood quickly showed he was very good at surveying. Surveying means carefully measuring land and water to create maps. He became a Lieutenant, which is an officer rank in the navy. Many of the maps he made of southern Asia were used for many years.
Exploring Rivers and Lands
In 1835, when John Wood was 22 years old, he led an important trip. He was in charge of the first steamboat to travel up the Indus River. As he went, he carefully surveyed the river. This helped create better maps of the area.
Three years later, in 1838, he led another big trip. This expedition went into central Asia. His team found one of the places where the River Oxus begins. This river is very important in central Asia. For his amazing work, the Royal Geographical Society gave him their special Patron's Medal in 1841. This award showed how important his discoveries were.
Later Life and Legacy
After his explorations in central Asia, John Wood lived in Wellington, New Zealand for a year. Then, he moved back to India. He settled in a region called Sind, which is now part of Pakistan.
In 1871, John Wood decided to return to Britain. Before leaving, he made one last trip to Shimla in the Punjab. There, he became ill. Even so, he started his journey home. Sadly, he died just two weeks after arriving in Britain, on November 14. His travel stories and findings were published in a book in 1872.
John Wood is buried in Highgate Cemetery in London. His work helped people understand the geography of central Asia much better.
