Africa - WORKING (François). Journey of F.... - Lot 71 - Hôtel des ventes d'Évreux

Lot 71
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Africa - WORKING (François). Journey of F.... - Lot 71 - Hôtel des ventes d'Évreux
Africa - WORKING (François). Journey of F. Le Vaillant in the interior of Africa, by the Cape of Good Hope. Then] Second journey into the interior of Africa. Paris, Crapelet, year VI - XI [1797-1803]. 2 vol. in-8 rooted basane, richly ornamented smooth spines, red morocco title page. 1 ff. of dedication, XXXII-383 & 403 pp. Following: Second voyage to the interior of Africa... in 1783, 84 & 85. 3 volumes of XLIV-343, 412 & 467 pp. Qqs small defects of wear to the bindings, qqs small scattered freckles otherwise very beautiful copy illustrated with a frontispiece and 41 plates out of text some folders. Born in Dutch Guiana, where his father was Consul of France, Levaillant studied natural history in Paris from 1777 to 1780. He is famous for his sumptuous "Histoire des oiseaux d'Afrique". Arriving in Cape Town in 1781, he explored southern Africa during two expeditions, the first of which lasted 16 months, 6 years apart. The second lasted 18 months and took him beyond the Tropic of Capricorn. He explored the country of the small and large Namaquois, hunted the giraffe that he described for the first time, and imported a specimen into France, as well as many parrots and birds of paradise that enriched the Museum's collections. It is said that Varon and Le Grand d'Aussy helped him in the writing of his travels. Although they should be viewed today with some hindsight, Le Vaillant's travels provide interesting observations on the nature and people of South Africa at the end of the 18th century.
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