A Thousand Miles Up The Nile

The original tomb raider! The original female traveloguer! The author of The Phantom Coach and Other Stories.

Accompanied by Lucy Renshaw, Edwards toured Egypt in the winter of 1874. They journeyed southwards from Cairo in a manned houseboat. The two women visited Philae and ultimately reached Abu Simbel, where they remained for six weeks. Their boat joined a flotilla with another female English traveler, Marianne Brocklehurst, also travelling with a female companion.

Edward’s travels in Egypt made her aware of increasing threats to ancient monuments from tourism and modern development. She set out to hinder these through public awareness and scientific endeavor. In 1882 she co-founded the Egypt Exploration Fund at the British Museum. Edwards became joint Honorary Secretary of the Fund until her death. She gained the nickname "Godmother of Egyptology" for her contributions.