An early Dumas, this is a permutation of Mes Bêtes, Baron Munchausen (Raspe), and Captain Singleton (Defoe). It's partly the story of a rather eclectic menagerie that is domiciled by an artiste. The inimitable protagonist of the novela tradesman who loads his cargo only once at sea (i.e., a pirate)provides the conduit by which the beasts are collected. So this is their stories: the beasts as well as the pirate. Apropos Wyss (and his possible collaborators on the Swiss Family Robinson), Dumas seems to have no more knowledge of geography and the flora and fauna of various regions than they did; not to mention that of the natives of the St Lawrence Seaway and the Great Lakes regions. On the upside, there is a trace of the Dumas wit throughout. Also, the death throes of one of the monkeys is worthy of the emoting of the greatest "ham" actor imaginable. You can skip this one and never hamper your enjoyment of Dumas.

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