AFRICA. T49 
time and in the night i and that I might have 
my people and b-ggage alvv^ays at hand, in 
order to hufband thofe valuable moments 
which one muft always facrifice to the idle 
talk and abfurd relations of thefe planters, 
who fatigue you with their tales, and exhauft 
you with their queftions ; but, above all, that 
I might fave my fpirituous liquors, with which 
I fhould have been continually obliged to en- 
liven their tedious converfations. I therefore 
thanked thefe gentlemen, who were not able 
to divert me from my purpofe, fo firm and 
irrevocable was my refolution. The conduit 
of Dr. Sparmann was no example to mc ; for 
our diiFerent viev/s muft have given us dif- 
ferent ideas : he had occafion only for day- 
light, to enable him to purfue his botanical 
refearches ; but as I often fpent a part of the 
night in hunting, if I found it necefTary, I 
fhould have been obliged to abftain from this 
praftice, or to dertnge my hofts. Another 
motive, which is purely perfonal, may, in tv/o 
words, give an idea of my chara£ler, and of 
the plan of life v/hich it had induced me to 
embrace : fhould it appear to be a mark of 
felf-love, my age, the education I have re- 
L 3 ceivedj 
