Konstanty Jelski (1837–1896) i jego działalność w zakresie nauk przyrodniczych dokumenty z Archiwum K. Jelskiego – unikalne materiały dla historii nauk przyrodniczych Francuskiej Gujany

Activities of Konstanty Jelski (1837–1896) – a voyager, naturalist and researcher of South American fauna have been reminded. His life has been presented, reasons to leave for South America have been brought forth, finally his stay in French Guiana and Peru, as well as his position as a curator of a physiographic collection at the PAU have been presented. It has been referred to the authors’translation into French of the K. Jelski’s book (2007): Popular natural stories on sojourn in French Guiana and, partly, in Peru (1865–1871), to the part concerning French Guiana, which has been provided with scientific commentary, index of geografic and taxonomic names, and index of people. Origin of K. Jelski’s memories of Guiane has been presented together with the role of A. Baraniecki and priest J. Sowiński played in the memories edition and publication, which in practice has been the only source of information about Jelski’s stay in Guiana so far. Memories and documents of the K. Jelski’s archive are a unique testimony for the French Guiana history, an interesting description of a French colony life style, still remaining a very precious material on work techniques of a naturalist in Guiana.