Travels Into the Interior of Africa Via the Cape of Good Hope by Le-Vaillant-Francois

Travels Into the Interior of Africa Via the Cape of Good Hope by Le-Vaillant Francois

Hardcover, ISBN 9780958513425
Publisher: Van Riebeek Society, 2007
Used - Like New. Book and DJ mint. Protected with a Cellophane cover.

The first new translation of the charming travel narrative by a much maligned 18th century French explorer to appear in over two centuries.

French ornithologist François Le Vaillant born in French Guiana, came to southern Africa in 1781 at the age of 28, after training as an ornithologist in Europe. His first expedition took him east as far as the Great Fish River, and he was in the area now around Somerset East and Cookhouse towards the end of 1781.  He kept journals, but did not have an almanac, and was obviously a charming, eccentric, and dashing young man.  He travelled with a large contingent in three oxwagons.  His entourage included Kees, a baboon who served as food taster and companion, and a cock which was his alarm clock.  He carried enough clothing and linen, he said, to allow him to change three times a day.

He wrote a highly dramatised account of his adventures which was translated into seven languages, and became the best seller of the time.  One English translation, Le Vaillant's Travels into the Interior Parts of Africa was published in 1790.  In 2008, the van Riebeeck Society re-translated the first half of this book and published it with many footnotes and extra information as FRANÇIOS LE VAILLANT Travels into the Interior of Africa via the Cape of Good Hope Volume 1.