Isabel Godin des Odonais

Isabel Godin des Odonais (1728 in Riobamba, Viceroyalty of Peru, now in Ecuador – 28 September 1792 in Saint-Amand-Montrond, Cher, France) was an 18th-century woman who became separated from her husband in South America by colonial politics, and was not reunited with him until more than 20 years later. Her long difficult journey in the 18th century, from western Peru to the mouth of the Amazon River, is considered extraordinary in the history of South America. Her story has been often repeated and sometimes inspired popular misconceptions of the dangers of the tropical rain forest.

Odonais was born in the Viceroyalty of Peru to a wealthy Criollo family. She was well educated, and met her husband when he came to South America on a scientific expedition. In 1749, her husband, Jean Godin des Odonais, left their home in Riobamba, Ecuador, Spanish South America to visit French Guiana. Because he was a French citizen, he was refused permission by the Spanish and Portuguese authorities to return for his family. After years of waiting for the authorities to relent, Isabel Odonais insisted that she must go to him. Odonais became famous for being the only survivor of a 42-person, 3000-mile expedition through the Amazon Basin to rejoin her husband. They were reunited in 1770 and later returned to France together. Provided by Wikipedia