Burton, Sir Richard Francis (1821-1890), was a British explorer and language expert who became famous for his travels in Africa and his translations of Arab literature. In 1858, Burton and fellow explorer John Hanning Speke became the first Europeans to see Lake Tanganyika in central Africa. Burton's best-known translation was a 10-volume English version of the Arabian Nights that he wrote in the 1880's. Burton also wrote about a dozen books about his travels. His two-volume The Lake Regions of Central Africa (1860) is a classic early account of the exploration of Africa.