Background
Vogel was born in Krefeld on March 7, 1829.
Vogel was born in Krefeld on March 7, 1829.
He studied mathematics, botany and astronomy at Leipzig and Berlin, studying with Encke at the latter institution.
In 1851 he was engaged in astronomical work in London. In 1853 he was chosen by the British government to take supplies to Heinrich Baith, then in the western Sudan; and Vogel met Barth at Kuka in Bornu (1854). During 1854 and 1855 he explored the countries round Lake Chad and the upper course of the Benue. On the 16th of December 1855 he left Kuka for the Nile Valley, and nothing further was heard of him. Several search expeditions were organized to ascertain his fate and to recover his papers; it was not until 1873 that Gustav Nachtigal on reaching Wadai learnt that Vogel had been murdered in that country in February 1856.
By some accounts Vogel was disliked by the other members of the expedition due to his poor attitude, difficult personality and unwillingness to learn Arabic, the lingua franca of north Africa.
