Retrospect of French Literature—Biography. 647 
conversation. After him followed the 
spare horses, and then the troop; the 
whole continuing to journey in this man- 
her, without stopping, until two hours 
before sun-set. 
It was then that the vicinity of some 
maish or rivulet was ‘selected, for the 
purpose of halting during the night. Per- 
sons were detached: on all sides, some 
to procuré wood for the purpose of 
burning, and others to seize ‘on the wild 
cows, or such tame ones as apperiained ° 
to any of the neighbouring habitations: 
if these were not to be procured in this 
manner, a herd provided before-hand 
followed in the rear.- In some parts, 
wild avimals were found in sufticient 
plenty to feed the whole body. Pro: 
vided none of these could’ be found, 1 
was customary to carry along with them 
cow’s flesh, cut into thin long pieces, 
which had been dried in the sun. These 
were roasted on wooden spits, according 
to the custom of the country ; and as 
bread was not used by the inhabitants, 
jerked beef constituted the sole aliment 
of our travellers. 
Previously to encamping, it was al- 
ways customary to take certain precau- 
tions against the vipers, which are very 
numerous. For this purpose, the horses 
were walked about in these places where 
it was proposed to spend the evening, 
with a view of either killing or dis- 
placing the reptiles, which at times occa- 
sioned the death of some of the. former 
animals, When the period of repose 
had arrived, each individual provided 
himself with a piece of cow’s flesh, and 
laid himself down on the earth; for M. 
d’Azara was the only one who had a 
hammock, which was either suspended 
to pieces of wood prepared for the pur- 
pose, or atree. During the night, each 
one had his horse by his side, in case of 
an attack from wild beasts, the vicinity 
of which was eg announced by the 
dogs. - 
In those countries where the savages 
were objecks of dread, different precau- 
tions were taken; for M. d’Azara, on 
such sas never travelled ~ but 
during the might, and was always pre- 
ceded and accompanied by armed men ; 
yet notwithstanding his utmost endea- 
vours, he was attacked: several times, 
and lost some of Jjis followers. 
It was in this manner that the subject 
of this memoir subjected himself to dan- 
gers and fatigues with a view of obtain- 
ing information; and his journies, “his 
astronomical observations, his geogra- 
phical remarks, together with his inves- 
tigations in natural history, his corre- 
spondence, and his military duties, served 
to occupy the whole of his time. After 
having studied the climate, and drawn 
a plan of the country, he was desirous of 
becoming acquainted with the quadru- 
peds and birds. To attain. this species: 
of knowledge, he made war upon tiiese 
animals; and as it was difficylt to pre- 
serve them with all their original lustre 
and brilliancy, care was ta aken to draw 
up a description of each the moment 
he obtained possession of it. On this 
occasion, no assistance whatsoever was 
derived from books, until the colonel 
at lengin obtained a translation of Button, 
by Don Joseph Clavijo y Faxardo: after 
this, he had an opportunity either to ve- 
rify or disprove the facts aSserted by 
this celebrated Frenchman, to whom.a 
number of species familiar to our travel-) 
ler, were totally unknown, Indeed, it 
is evident that he has enriched natural 
history with a multitude of new disco- 
veries. He had conceived an idea, that 
many of Bution’s descriptions were ima~: - 
ginary, and that in respect to some of | 
the birds he had been grossly imposed ~ 
upon, by means of feathers surrep tis a 
tiously stuck into the different animals, . 
At length Don Felix wrote to Spain, ‘ 
‘and stated that he had fulfilled his coms \ 
mission, and wished to return to Europe; ~. 
but without effect. What added greatly 7 
to his chagrin, was the repeated perse- — 
cutions endured by him on the part of 
several of the Spanish governars, wha _ 
took umbrage at his scientific | ingaies _ 
and cgnceived almost ridiculous jealousy ,, 
of hi¥ attainments! At last; 
accordingly sailed for Spain in 1801. 
Gn his arrival, he immediately published 
his history of birt ‘ls and quadrapeds; the 
only portion of his studies that he dared © 
to present to the public ‘without the 
consent of his court. This was dedi- 
cated’ by him to his brother Don Nicho- 
las, who was at that time ambassador 
froin Spain to the court of France. 
He himself scon after repaired to “Paris 
to visit him, but they did not*continae 
long together, for this fraternal intimacy 
was dissolved by the rude hand of death, 
on the 23d of January, 1805, on Oo iier 
‘day his Excellency expired in his bro= 
ther’s arms. Lhe king, on this, -immes 
diately sent for'him home, and conferred 
pig him an honourable appointment, 
as 
however, _ : 
he obtained- leave to return fete and 
