Jean CHAFFANJON (1854-1913), naturalist and explorer of the - Lot 13

Lot 13
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Jean CHAFFANJON (1854-1913), naturalist and explorer of the - Lot 13
Jean CHAFFANJON (1854-1913), naturalist and explorer of the Orinoco Basin and Central Asia. 3 autograph letters signed to zoologist Alphonse Milne-Edwards. 10 pp. ½ in-8. Taschkent (Uzbekistan), Vernyi (Turkestan) and Irkutsk (Siberia), March - December 1895. Rare and interesting letters from Central Asia and Siberia, written during the great voyage of exploration he undertook with Gay and Mangini. They arrived a few days ago in Taschkent after spending 2 ½ months in Samarkand "where we carried out archaeological excavations on the Aphrociab site. I was able to gather collections of archaeology and ethnography and some birds" which he sent in 8 crates. "With the crates, I'm sending you 1 female Kirghiz camel, 3 Karakul sheep & 3 Turquestan sheep. The Karakuls are the ones that give the famous astrakhan and the Turquestans are the sheep without tails and with two huge lumps of fat above and behind the kidneys." He finishes his final preparations for his departure to Mongolia. "I will first explore the lakes and steppe N. of Ablié-Aka, then Lake Issyk Koul. I'll arrive on the steppe when the bulbous plants are in bloom and the birds are flying back to Siberia. I hope to get a good harvest of everything". And from Vernoïe, the last town on the Russian border, he will send new crates of botanical and zoological collections. "I hope the live animals I'm sending you will please you. The camel is superb and the sheep have been chosen from among the most beautiful [...]". Vernyi, June 1895. "I have arrived with my companions in Vierny after two months' travel through the steppes and mountains of the Issyk Kul. During this journey, I gathered collections that I am sending you today, contained in 5 boxes". He draws up a summary list of the animals he is sending her, describes his itinerary through these unexplored regions, talks about his health and that of his companions, and the considerable number of camels and horses needed for his expedition. "I propose to explore Mongolia during the summer, from June to October, then in winter I'll look after the fauna of Lake Baikal and the terrestrial fauna, hunting and having hunters hunt during the winter, when the best hunting takes place. In the spring of 1896, I will go to Manchuria, which I will cross as well as Korea, and I will return to France around February 1897 [...]". Irkutsk, December 1895. During his journey, he met M. Gourdet, who was to send the Museum several large live animals from the Balkach steppes. "Around Kobda in the lakes, I met a yellow-headed swan, the yellow feathers coming down a little on the neck. Mr. Oustalles told me to look for a yellow swan [...]. Here in Irkutsk I'm going to get elk and big deer from the Baikal region, as well as all the animals I can get my hands on. I am currently collecting a collection of Baikal and Angora fish. Next April, I'll be leaving Urga for Moudjoune, heading for the Black Dalai, which I'll explore, then crossing the Kinghus to Vladivostok. I'll then head for Kabarovski on the Amur, which I'll explore down to its mouth. There, with the fishing boats that escape the ice in September or October, I'll reach the Sakaline Islands, explore the Pacific coast as far as Japan and try to assemble the finest collection of animals. For the time being, he sends her 5 boxes of collections, the contents of which he details. "I'm on my way here to buy a complete herbarium (as complete as possible) of Baikal plants. I have bought a collection of 7000 butterflies, which I will send you with the other collections [...]".
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