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THE

TRAVELS

OF

JAMES BRUCE, ESQ.

ABOUT the year 1760, young Bruce, then in possession of his paternal estate, was looked upon as one of the most promising young Scotsmen of his age; and the administration, desirous of patronizing his talents, appointed him to the office of British consul at Algiers. As he discovered much of the adventurous spirit, and the passionate curiosity of a traveller, fitted to explore barbarous regions, it was recommended to him, by the ministers to whom he owed his appointment, to investigate those remains of ancient Roman magnificence, of which Africa was believed to contain many specimens, either unknown, or but imperfectly known to the curious in Europe. Such an enterprize gratified the fondest wishes of Bruce's heart. His imagination was then warm with those delightful visions which the perusal of the classics naturally excites in every ingenuous mind. To discover those remains of Roman art and of Grecian colonization, which had hitherto eluded the researches of the moderns; to penetrate to the sources of the Nile, which Julius Cæsar had in vain attempted to detect; seemed to him objects of pursuit not unworthy of the most ardent literary enthusiasm, and the most generous ambition.

Many of the most eminent philosophers in Europe earnestly offered him their advice for the direction of his enterprize. From Italy and England he was supplied with the best instru

mer.

ments for every purpose of the draughtsman and the astronoSome necessary assistants were engaged to follow him. He accordingly departed from Europe, and soon arrived in safety in Algiers. Some time was necessarily spent in the study of the language of the Moorish Arabians, and in fulfilling the functions of his official character, before he could proceed upon his researches. But within no long period of his arrival, he boldly committed himself to the dangerous faith of some tribes of wandering Arabs, and advanced in search of ancient ruins, into regions which no visitant from, modern Europe had as yet successfully explored. Associating with his Arabian hosts and guides, and displaying a skilful use of their language and manners, which left him scarcely under the disadvantages of a stranger, he was thus enabled to discriminate the peculiarities of their respective characters with an accuracy of observation perhaps unequalled by any former traveller.

Being, perhaps, more a master of the pencil than of the art of literary composition, he executed many drawings of the various ruins now discovered by him; the singular excellence of which was afterwards doomed to excite the false and invidious cavil, that they could not be his own. While he shared the hospitality of the Arabs in these deserts, he had occasion to live with them on the flesh of lions; a species of animal food so very different from roast-beef, and so much less easy than hare or venison to be procured by the chase, that some untravelled Englishmen may, perhaps, be inclined to deny that it can ever have been used as food.

From Africa he passed, in prosecution of greater designs, to the Grecian isles, and the coast of Syria. An unfortunate shipwreck damaged his valuable collection of instruments for astronomical observation, but could not deter his resolute mind from its adventurous pursuits. In Syria he surveyed the ruins of Tadmor and Balbeck, and executed many valuable drawings of those noble, though mutilated, monuments of ancient art which they display. In the hospitable society of European friends, whom he found in the commercial cities, he passed the time necessary for him to await the arrival of various arti

cles from Europe, without which he could not adventure upon his grander enterprize. During this period he diligently studied medicine, in order to recommend him to the barbarous inhabitants of the regions which he purposed to explore.

From Syria he repaired to Egypt. Its great towns, its pyramids; the sites and remains of its ancient cities; the phænomena of the overflowings of its mighty river, the Nile; the formation of its lower territory, which advances to bound the Mediterranean sea; the comparison of its present local circumstances with its ancient history, joined to the character of its government and inhabitants, all excited Mr. Bruce's attention. His science, the manly dignity and firmness of his personal character, the advantages arising from the recommendations with which he travelled, and some lucky concurring accidents, introduced him to the friendship and protection of the famous Ali Bey, who was then all-powerful in Egypt, and by this means procured him facilities for observation and inquiry, which have rarely been possessed by Europeans in that land. He was accordingly enabled to visit, without personal danger, various remote and interesting scenes, in the course of which almost every other traveller would have been inevitably robbed and probably murdered. The sacred code of the Jewish and Christian religions was in his hands, as well as the Grecian records of Homer and Herodotus: and, comparing what these books relate concerning ancient Egypt, with the scenes and state of society before him, he was enabled to understand a number of unexplained particulars, in the hints which those eldest books present respecting the early annals of a country that was almost the primeval seat of civilized society; and to confirm the truth of the Christian revelation, by discovering various new proofs of the scrupulous fidelity of the Mosaic History.

From Egypt Mr. Bruce sailed southward, on the Red sea, to Jidda in Happy Arabia. He had the good fortune to find at Jidda a number of his own countrymen from India, shipcaptains and merchants, in the service of the English India company. They welcomed him among them with kind hospitality; heard with pleasure and admiration of his bold pur

pose of penetrating into Abyssinia, and exploring the sources of the Nile; procured whatever directions were there to be obtained for his conduct during his journey; introduced him to the powerful protection of the prime minister to the sheriffe, or religious prince of Mecca, offered him the free use of their purses and credit; and, in fine, espoused all his interests so openly, so earnestly, and with such a shew of deference and respect, that the whole influence of the English name and greatness in the East appeared to be interposed for his security among those barbarians to whose doubtful faith he was now hastening to commit himself.

Before we proceed to relate the surprizing adventures of this celebrated traveller in countries till then untrod by Europeans, it may be proper to remark, that his tall, muscular, athletic form, was combined with great energy and acuteness of mind, and the lofty disdain that appeared in his deportment, and which he acquired during his long intercourse with barbarians and savages, was tempered by the most courteous manners and elegance of conversation.

Although Mr. Bruce received such kind assistance at Jidda, his first introduction was rather curious and unpromising. In sailing down the Red sea to this port he had slept little. I had, besides,' says he, an agueish disorder, which very much troubled me, and in dress and cleanliness was so like a galiongy (or Turkish seaman) that the emir bahar (captain of the port) was astonished at hearing my servants say I was an Englishman, at the time they carried away all my baggage and instruments to the custom-house. He sent his servant, however, with me to the Bengal-house, who promised me, in broken English, all the way, a very magnificent reception from my countrymen. Upon his naming all the captains for my choice, I desired to be carried to a Scotchman, a relation of my own, who was then accidentally leaning over the rail of the staircase, leading up to his apartment. I saluted him by his name; he fell into a violent rage, calling me villain, thief, cheat, and renegado rascal; and declared, if I offered to proceed a step further, he would throw me over the stairs. I went away without reply; his curses and abuses followed me long

afterwards. The servant, my conductor, screwed his mouth, and shrugged up his shoulders. "Never fear," says he, “I will carry you to the best, of them all." We went up an opposite staircase, whilst I thought within myself, if those are their India manners, I shall keep my name and situation to myself while I am at Jidda. I stood in no need of them, as I had credit for 1,000 sequins and more, if I should want it, upon Yousef Cabil, vizir or governor of Jidda.

'I was conducted into a large room, where captain Thornhill was sitting, in a white calico waistcoat, a very high pointed white cotton night-cap, with a large tumbler of water before him, seemingly very deep in thought. The emir bahar's servant brought me forward by the hand, a little within the door; but I was not desirous of advancing much farther, for fear of the salutation of being thrown down stairs again. He looked very steadily, but not sternly, at me; and desired the servant to go and shut the door. "Sir," says he, "are you an Englishman ?"-I bowed. "You are surely sick, you should be in your bed; have you been long sick?"--I said "long, sir," and bowed. "Are you wanting a passage to India?"----I again bowed. "Well," says he, "you look to be a man in distress; if you have a secret, I shall respect it till you please to tell it me; but if you want a passage to India, apply to no one but Thornhill of the Bengal Merchant. Perhaps you are afraid of somebody; if so, ask for Mr. Greig, my lieutenant, he will carry you on board my ship directly, where you will be safe." “Sir,” said I, “ I hope you will find me an honest I have no enemy that I know, either in Jidda or else where, nor do I owe any man any thing." "I am sure,” says he, "I am doing wrong, in keeping a poor man standing, who ought to be in his bed. Here! Philip! Philip!"-Philip appeared. "Boy," says he, in Portugueze, which, as I imagine, he supposed I did not understand, "here is a poor Englishman, that should be either in his bed or in his grave; carry him to the cook, tell him to give him as much broth and inutton as he can eat; the fellow seems to have been starved, but I would rather have the feeding of ten to India, than the burying of one at Jidda."

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