Adventure has traditionally been men’s domain. Although some early female explorers bucked convention and set out on their own, like Marianne North (who called marriage a “terrible experiment” that made women into servants), women were historically largely shut out of exploration.

But some women chose to use male privilege to their advantage, partnering with their husbands—and in one case, a male boss—to lead adventure-filled lives.

These strong, clever women sailed their way around the world, sometimes dressing as men, often continuing their journeys and work even as the men they were traveling with became ill and died.

When Katherine Routledge approached the British Museum and Royal Geographic Society in the 1910s about a voyage to Easter Island, she brought along her