A SELF-DENYING ENTERPRISE. 87 



made known my intention of going abroad for fur- 

 ther improvement. I selected the equinoctial 

 parts of Africa, which had not been visited by any 

 naturalist, and consequently offered a vast field 

 from which to reap a plentiful harvest of observa- 

 tions. Well aware it was no small undertaking I 

 had in view, I was not deterred by any difficulties, 

 but declared my intention to my father, who in- 

 troduced me in the year 1748 to M. David, director 

 of the East India Company, to whom he was well 

 known. He procured me a place in the factory of 

 Senegal, and promised to promote my speedy de- 

 parture." 



Adanson has not mentioned the fact that it was 

 at his own expense solely, and by the sacrifice of 

 the greater part of his patrimony, that he was en- 

 abled to embark on his arduous and self-denying 

 enterprise. He was just twenty-one years of age 

 when he left his native shores, and during a period 

 of six years expatriated himself to encounter a 

 world of hardships and perils, solely for the desire 

 lie felt to prosecute the studies of his choice. 

 " Tantus Amor." On his return to France he 

 published the history of his voyage, which gives a 

 full and detailed account of his adventures and 

 researches during five years' sojourn in those torrid 

 and insalubrious regions. He was chiefly em- 

 ployed in indefatigable enquiries and researches, 



