Page:Early western travels, 1748-1846 (1907 Volume 3).djvu/15



We publish in this volume André Michaux's journal of his travels into Kentucky from 1793-96, Englished by us from the French version in the Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society; a reprint of the English version of Travels to the West of the Alleghany Mountains, made in 1802 by his son, François André Michaux; and a reprint of Thaddeus Mason Harris's Journal of a Tour into the Territory Northwest of the Alleghany Mountains, made in the Spring of the Year 1803—omitting, however, as unnecessary to our present purpose, the appendix thereto.

André Michaux, whose name is known to scientists of both hemispheres, was born at Satory, Versailles, in 1746. Destined by his father for the superintendence of a farm belonging to the royal estate, Michaux early became interested in agriculture, even while pursuing classical studies. Upon the death of his young wife, Cecil Claye, which occurred at the birth of their son, François André (1770), he devoted himself to scientific studies in the effort to overcome his grief. These naturally took the direction of botany, and Michaux became imbued with a desire to seek for strange plants in foreign countries. From 1779-81 he travelled in England, the Auvergne, and the Pyrenees; and later (1782-85), in Persia, botanizing, and studying the political situation of the Orient. He had intended to return to Persia, but while in France (1785) the government requested that he