tion regarding the source of this famous river.* But however these matters may be ultimately settled, we have no doubt that Bruce's Travels will continue to be a classic in geographical literature. Bruce had to appeal from the hostile criticism of his own day to the judgment of posterity; and posterity has already begun to do him justice. The present publication, it is hoped, may assist, to however humble an extent, in securing for the intrepid traveller that appreciation which was denied him in his lifetime.

After the publication of his Travels, Bruce occupied himself with the management of his estate, occasionally, however, corresponding with his literary friends, and devoting his attention to Biblical literature. He too keenly felt the injustice of which he had been the victim, to mingle much in society; yet he often hospitably entertained his friends and such strangers as had introductions to him.

On Saturday, the 26th of April 1794, the restless and eventful life of Bruce came to a close. He had been entertaining some company at Kinnaird, and was going down stairs about eight o'clock in the evening, to hand a lady to her carriage, when his foot slipped and he fell headlong down several of the steps. He was taken up in a state of insensibility, from which he never rallied. He died early the next morning, and was interred in the churchyard of Larbert on the Thursday following.

Bruce was six feet four inches high, and of a very command

* See Captain J. H. Speke's Journal of his "Discovery of the Victoria Nyanza Lake," in Blackwood's Magazine, Sept., Oct., and Nov., 1859.

ing figure. He possessed, as may be easily seen from his narrative, all the qualifications of a traveller. His temper, as he himself confesses, was passionate; but his heart was warm. He had a strict regard for honour and justice; and this made him all the more susceptible of the anonymous imputations made against him, while it restrained him from giving them the slightest public notice. His regard for religion seems to have been deep and sincere; and many a devout acknowledgment of the kindness of a merciful Providence is made by him in the course of his Travels.

Epitaphs do not always speak the truth; but few people will now deny that that which is written over the grave of the African traveller in Larbert churchyard is well deserved :

"In this tomb are deposited the remains of James Bruce, Esq. of Kinnaird, who died on the 27th of April 1794, in the 64th year of his age. His life was spent in performing useful and splendid actions.

He explored many distant regions; he discovered the fountains of the Nile; he traversed the deserts of Nubia.

"He was an affectionate husband, an indulgent parent, an ardent lover of his country.

"By the unanimous voice of mankind, his name is enrolled with those who were conspicuous for genius, for valour, and for virtue."

TRAVELS IN ABYSSINIA.

CHAPTER I.

Introductory-How these Travels came to be undertaken-I am appointed Consul at Algiers-Travel through the Kingdoms of Tunis and Tripoli-Shipwrecked, and beaten by the ArabsSail to Crete, Rhodes, and Syria-Visit the Ruins of Palmyra and Baalbec-Touch at Tyre and Sidon-Resolve to visit Egypt.

VERY one will remember that period, so glorious to Britain, the latter end of the ministry of the late Earl of Chatham. I was then returned from a tour through the greatest part of Europe, particularly through the whole of Spain and Portugal, between whom there then was an appearance of approaching war. I was about to retire to a small patrimony I had received from my ancestors, in order to embrace a life of study and reflection, when chance threw me unexpectedly into a very short and desultory conversation with Lord Chatham. A few days afterwards, Mr. Wood, then under

B

secretary of state, informed me that Lord Chatham intended to employ me upon a particular service. No time was lost on my side; but, just after my receiving orders to return to London, his Lordship resigned office.

Seven or eight months were passed in an expensive and fruitless attendance in London, when Lord Halifax was pleased not only to propose, but to plan for me, a journey of considerable importance. His Lordship said that nothing could be more ignoble than that, at such a time of life, at the height of my reading, health, and activity, I should, as it were, turn peasant, and voluntarily bury myself in obscurity and idleness. He observed that the coast of Barbary, which might be said to be just at our door, was as yet but partially explored. No details had been given to the public of the large and magnificent remains of ruined architecture which travellers vouched to have seen in great quantities, and of exquisite elegance and perfection, all over the country. He wished, therefore, that I should be the first, in the reign just beginning, to set an example of making large additions to the royal collection, and he pledged himself to be my supporter and patron, and to make good to me the promises which had been held forth to me by former ministers, for other services.

The discovery of the Source of the Nile was also a subject of these conversations, but it was always mentioned to me with a kind of diffidence, as if to be expected from a more experienced traveller. Whether this was but another way of exciting me to the attempt, I shall not say; but my heart in that instant did me justice to suggest that this, too, was either to be achieved by me, or to remain, as it had done these last two thousand years, a defiance to all travellers, and an opprobrium to geography.

DEPARTURE FOR ALGIERS.

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Fortune seemed to enter into this scheme. The consulship of Algiers becoming vacant, Lord Halifax pressed me to accept of it, as containing all sorts of conveniences for making the proposed expedition. This favourable event finally determined me. I had all my life applied unweariedly, with perhaps more love than talent, to drawing and mathematics, especially that part necessary to astronomy. The transit of Venus was at hand, and it would be visible at Algiers. I furnished myself with a large apparatus of instruments, the completest of their kind for the observation. It was a pleasure to know that, from my own house at Algiers, I could deliberately take measures to place myself in the list of men of science of all nations, who were then preparing for the same purpose. I also took with me a large camera obscura, constructed upon my own principles.

Thus prepared, I set out for Italy, through France. On my arrival at Rome I received orders to proceed to Naples, there to await his Majesty's further commands. After remaining there for some time, I returned to Rome, and thence proceeded to Leghorn, where I embarked on board the Montreal man-of-war for Algiers.

I was now engaged, and part of my pride was to show how easy a thing it was to disappoint the idle prophecies of the ignorant, that this expedition would be spent in pleasure, without any profit to the public. I wrote to several correspondents to procure for me a number of assistants. These gentlemen kindly used their utmost endeavours, but in vain. At last one of them by accident heard of a young man who was then studying architecture at Rome, a native of Bologna, whose name was Luigi Balugani. He knew very little when first sent to me;