Maggs Bros.

Born in Dutch Guiana in 1753 and educated in Europe, Le Vaillant was fascinated by the idea of seeing the natural history specimens which he had studied in Paris in their natural habitat. He therefore made his first journey to the Cape in 1781, and the narrative of the resulting expedition provided much information on the natural history as well as the Dutch settlers of the interior of southern Africa.

Le Vaillant amassed a fine collection of specimens during his first expedition, which only fuelled his passion for further knowledge and in June 1783 he set out once more travelling as far north as 23° lat. His description of this his second expedition “is unique, for this period, as little information respecting these regions had been published up to this date” (Mendelssohn).

He set sail for France in July 1784, arriving in Paris in January of the following year he pursued his writing and oversaw the publication of the narrative of his first expedition which appeared in 1790. Imprisoned in 1793, Le Vaillant was freed on the death of Citizen Robespierre and died in November 1824 at the age of 71. Mendelssohn I, p890; Ogilvie, 36.