The Truth in Masquerade. The Adventures of Francois le Vaillant. By Jane Meiring

A journey into the eastern and north-western Cape in the years 1781-1784. One of the most interesting and well written accounts of early travellers in South Africa.

Juta and Co, hard cover with dust cover, 242 pages. Very good condition. Book dealer stamp in front. The dust cover shows some signs of use. Over 1kg. 

François Le Vaillant (1753 -1824) was a French explorer, collector and ornithologist. He was sent by the Dutch East India Company to the Cape Province of South Africa in 1781, and collected specimens there until 1784. He made two journeys, one eastwards from the Cape and one north of the Orange River and into Great Namaqualand. On his return he published Voyage dans l'intérieur de l'Afrique (1790, 2 vols.), and Second voyage dans l'intérieur de l'Afrique (1796, 3 vols.), both of which were translated into several languages. He also published Histoire naturelle des oiseaux d'Afrique (1796-1808, 6 vols.) with drawings by Jacques Barraband, Histoire naturelle des oiseaux de paradis (1801-06), Histoire naturelle des cotingas et des todiers (1804) and Histoire naturelle des calaos (1804). Levaillant’s illustrations often influenced scientific names given by, among others, Vieillot, Stephens and Wilkes. (Wikipedia).