24 MEMOIR OF LE VAILLANT. 



published by M. Le Yaillant, as well as in the 

 letters which he wrote to his friends. 



These deficiencies, however, are but trifles, and 

 cannot in a scientific point of view derogate from 

 the merits of the author. His travels are written 

 in a spirited and agreeable manner ; they are rather 

 meagre of events, because his wanderings were 

 chiefly across deserts and mountains, which do not 

 in general afford a very rich harvest for detail ; 

 nevertheless, he has contrived to incorporate with 

 his narratives a variety of most interesting particu- 

 lars. His minuteness is sometimes more amusing 

 than important ; but what he relates of his monkey, 

 Kees, stands in no need of the apology which he 

 has thought it necessary to record on the subject. 



Some writers have reproached our traveller with 

 vanity, especially with regard to his shooting ex- 

 ploits, which he is accused of introducing too often 

 upon the scene, and to the results of which he is 

 alleged to attach too much consequence. These 

 little peculiarities, however, as well as his occasional 

 indications of self-importance and professional ^n 

 thusiasm, may be accounted pardonable infirmities 

 in a man who had made so many personal sacrifices 

 to enlarge the bounds of Natural Science, by bring- 

 ing home several rare specimens from the unex- 

 plored deserts of Africa. The same excuse may be 

 urged in vindication of the whimsical compliments 

 which he pays to savage life at the expense of civi- 

 lised society. H* views, however, of mem and 



