INTRODUCTION. 



Ceasing at length from want of further words, he would very 

 willingly have reduced to silence, with his sword, those who dis- 

 approved of my project of taking into the forests and savannahs 

 my child of nine years old, and exposing him to all the unknown 

 dangers of savage Hfe, — to fatigue, rain, and all kinds of mala- 

 dies ! Why, it appeared like tempting Providence, and risking, 

 for mere amusement, the life, or at least the health, of my child. 

 The unanimity of these reflections began to shake my resolution, 

 and I expressed myself to that effect. 



" father ! " cried Lucien, " are you going to break your 

 word to me % " 



"No," I replied ; " neither now nor ever. I want you to be- 

 come a man, so you shall go. But be off to bed, for you must 

 be ready to start by four o'clock in the morning." 



I had given notice of my intended tour to my friend 

 Francois Sumichrast, a Swiss savant, well known for his dis- 

 coveries in natural history, in whose company I had undertaken 

 several journeys. About ten o'clock at night, I began to fancy 

 my letter of information had miscarried, when a knock at the 

 door startled me, and I soon recognised the happy voice of my 

 friend. He had come expressly from Cordova, in order to make 

 one in our little expedition. I told him all my doubts and 

 fears about my boy, but he quite took the part of the young 

 traveller ; almost what I might have expected from a companion 

 of Topffer. 



" Come here," he cried to Lucien, who, half-undressed, had 

 just peeped in at the door. 



The boy ran to him, and my friend, whose stature much ex- 

 ceeded the average, lifted him up and embraced him as an 

 ally. 



"At your age,'' said Sumichrast, "1 had made the tour of 

 Switzerland, my bag on my back, and had tried my teeth on 

 bears'-steaks. I predict that you will behave like a man. Shall 

 I be wrong 1 " 



"Oh, no! M. Sumichrast." 



" Can you live without eating and drinking ? " 

 " I will do all you do." 



