Paul du Chaillu (c.1835-1903)

Paul Du Chaillu was a French-American traveller, anthropologist and zoologist. He made several expeditions to Africa in the 1850s and is credited as the first European to have 'discovered' the gorilla and the Pygmy people of central Africa. He identified a number of new species including the giant otter shrew and African pygmy squirrel. He gave lectures and wrote several books, including adventure stories for children. In later life he visited Scandanavia and studied the early history of its people which culminated in the publication of his book 'The Viking Age' in 1889.  

"I will deliver a lecture before the Royal Geographical

Society…" 

In his letter dated 16th February 1861, Paul Du Chaillu declines an offer from Sampson Low to publish a manuscript he has written. He informs Low that he will give a lecture on Feb 25th at the Royal Geographical Society, after which the publisher may make him an offer for the work which he will then consider. The work he refers to is most likely: 'Explorations and Adventures in Equatorial Africa: with accounts of the manners and customs of the people, and of the chase of the gorilla, the crocodile, leopard, elephant, hippopotamus, and other animals' which was subsequently published by J. Murray in London in 1861. The same year 'Explorations and adventures in Equatorial Africa' was published in New York by Harper & Bros. Sampson Low acted as the British literary agent and bookseller for American publishers Harper & Bros. 

View Paul du Chaillu's letter [opens in a new window]

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