XXXIV INTRODUCTION. 



" ' The truth of the Narrative of Leguat can be established 

 by a vahiable testimony : He names Paul B..,, one of his two 

 companions who returned with him, in 1698, to Flushing. 

 A descendant of this B. is the wife of Councillor Von Martens, 

 to whom I owe the following information : — Paul Bcnelle 

 was with his father, when they were obliged to quit France 

 on account of their religion ; they betook themselves to 

 Amsterdam, where, at the age of twenty years, Paul decided 

 to make the voyage to Eden, which du Quesne had depicted 

 in so charming a fashion. After eight years became back to his 

 father at Amsterdam. There he lived, after having contracted 

 two marriages, until 1746 [that is, eleven years after Leguat's 

 death], that is to say, until the age of 70 years. He has 

 acknowledged the truth of Leguat's story, although, indeed, he 

 was not precisely his friend. This Benelle has also left a 

 journal, which probably yet remains in the hands of the heirs 

 of Pierre Benelle, his grandson, deceased a short time ago at 

 Amsterdam. Can this manuscript be published ? ' 



" Thus, Benelle, who died eleven years after 

 Leguat — Benelle, the very same to whom has heen 

 attributed the authorship of Leguat's Adventures, 

 who was not precisely the friend of Leguat, has 

 formally acknowledged that Leguat was undoubtedly 

 the author of that work. 



" Any doubt is no longer possible ; the French 

 Esquire, Leguat of la Fougere, the chief of the 

 expedition of the Hirondelle, the exile of the desert 

 islands Bodriguez and Marianne, is the self-same 

 individual who has published The Voyages and 

 Adventures of Fra7igois Leguat and of his Com- 

 panions." 



Nevertheless, M. Sauzier's arguments, forcible as 

 they are, will not convince other critics who hold to 

 their opinion that Leguat's MS. was largely mani- 



