Henry Salt has explored the Cape of Good Hope, India, and the Red Sea area.

The son of Thomas Salt, a physician and Alice née Butt, Henry was born in Lichfield on June 14, 1780, as the youngest of their eight children.

He attended school in Lichfield, Market Bosworth, and finally in Birmingham under the teachings of his brother John Butt Salt.

He took an interest in portrait painting during his early life, studying under a water color artist named John Glover while in Lichfield and traveling in 1799 to London, where he first studied under Joseph Farington and later under John Hoppner.

After a time, he gave up being a portrait painter because he was unable to gain any substantial acclaim with his works.

After his time as a portrait painter, Salt was permitted to travel with the English nobleman George Annesley, Viscount Valentia as his secretary and draftsman after being recommended by Thomas Simon Butt.

They started on an eastern tour in June of 1802, traveling on the British East India Company's extra (chartered) ship Minerva to India via the Cape Colony.

Through their friendship, Valentia comes to describe Salt as a "secretary-draftsman" as Salt not only provides company for the Lord, but also sketches and illustrations of the various sites and scenes they encounter on their voyage.

In 1805, Valentia sends Salt on a journey into the Abyssinia (now Ethiopia) to meet with the ras of Tigré to open up trade relations on behalf of English.

While visiting there, Salt gains the respect of the ras of Tigré.