Southport : Original Sources in Exploration
	Travels to discover the source of the Nile, in the Years 1768-1773  James Bruce
	TRAVELS TO DISCOVER THE SOURCE OF THE NILE, In the Years 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771 1772, and 1773. in Five Volumes. By James Bruce (published in 1790 by G.G.J. and J. Robinson, London) VOL. I. INTRODUCTION. However little the reader may be conversant with ancient histories, in all probability he will know, or have heard this much in general, that the attempt to reach the Source of the Nile, the principal subject of this publication, from very early ages interested all scientific nations: Nor was this great object feebly prosecuted, as men, the first for wisdom, for learning, and spirit (a most necessary qualification in this undertaking) very earnestly interested themselves about the discovery of the fources of this famous river, till disappointment followed disappointment so fast, and consequences produced other consequences so fatal, that the defign was entirely given over, as having, upon the faired trials, appeared impracticable. Even conquerors at the head of immense armies, who had first discovered and then subdued great part of the world, were forced to lower their tone here, and dared scarcely to extend their advances toward this discovery, beyond the limits of bare wishes. At length, if it was not forgot, it was however totally abandoned from the causes above mentioned, and with it all further topographical inquiries in that quarter.  Upon the revival of learning and of the arts, the curiosity of mankind had returned with unabated vigour towards (p.ii) this object, but all attempts had met with the fame difficulties as before, till, in the beginning of his Majefty's reign,. the unconquerable spirit raifed in this nation by a long and glorious war, did very naturally refolve itself into a spirit of adventure and inquiry at the return of peace, one of the. first- fruits of which was the discovery of these coy fountains [1], till now concealed from the world in general. The great danger and difficulties of this journey were well known, but it was likewise known that it had been completely performed without disappointment or misfortune, that it had been attended with an apparatus of books and instruments, which seldom accompanies the travels of an individual; yet sixteen years had elapsed without any account appearing, which feemed to mark an unufual self denial,. or an absolute indifference towards the wishes of the public. Men, according; to their different genius and dispositions, attempted by different ways to penetrate the cause of this silence. The candid, the learned, that species of men, in (p.iii) fine, for whom only it is worth while to travel or to write, supposing (perhaps with some degree of truth) that an undescrved and unexpected neglect and want of patronage had been at least part of the cause, adopted a manner, which, being the most liberal, they thought likely to succeed : They endeavoured to entice me by holding out a prospect of a more generous disposition in the minds of future ministers, when I should renew the .claim I had upon them by having promoted the glory of the nation. Others, whom I mention only for the sake of comparison, below all notice on any other ground, attempted to succeed in this by anonymous letters and paragraphs in the newspapers; and thereby absurdly endeavoured to oblige me to publish an account of those travels, which they affected at the same time to believe I had never performed. But it is with very great pleasure and readiness I do now declare, that no fantastical or deformed motive, no peevish disregard, much less contempt of the judgment of the world, had any part in the delay which has happened to this publication. 1 look upon their impatience to see this work as an earnest of their approbation of it, and a very great honour done to me; and if I had still any motive to defer submitting these observations to their judgment, it could only be that I might employ that interval in polishing and making them more worthy of their perusal. The candid and instructcd public, the impartial and unprejudiced foreigner, are tribunals merit mould naturally appeal to; it is there it always has found sure protection againfl the influence of cabals, and the virulent strokes of malice, envy, and ignorance. It is (p.iv) with a view to give every possible information to my reader, that in this introduction I lay before him the motives upon which these travels were undertaken, the order and manner in which they were executed, and some account of the work itself, as well of the matter as the distribution of it. Every 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 greateft 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, nothing more active appearing then within my power, when chance threw me unexpectedly into a very short and very desultory conversation with Lord Chatham. It was a few days after this that Mr Wood, then undersecretary of state, my very zealous and sincere friend, informed me that Lord Chatham intended to employ me upon a particular service; that, however, I might go down for a few weeks to my own country to settle my affairs, but by all means to be ready upon a call. Nothing could be more flattering to me than such an offer; when so young, to be thought worthy by Lord Chatham of any employment, was doubly a preferment. No time was loft on my side; but, just after my receiving orders to return to London, his Lordship had gone to Bath, and resigned his office. This disappointmcnt (p.v), which was the more sensible to me, that it was the first I had met in public life, was promised to be made up to me by Lord Egremont and Mr George Grenville. The former had been long my friend, but unhappily he was then far gone in a lethargic indisposition, which threatened, and did very soon put a period to his existence. With Lord Egremont's death my expectations vanished. Further particulars are unnecessary, but I hope that at least, in part, they remain in that breast where they naturally ought to be, and where I shall ever think, not to be forgotten, is to be rewarded.  Seven or eight months were past 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, and which was to take up several  years. 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 mould, as it were, turn peasant, and voluntarily bury myself in obscurity and idleness; that though war was now drawing fail to an end, full as honourable a competition remained among men of spirit, which mould acquit themfelves well in the dangerous line of useful adventure and discovery.  He observed, that the coast of Barbary, which might be said to be just at our door, was as yet but partially explored by Dr Shaw, who had only illustrated (very judiciously indeed) the geographical labours of Sanson [2]; that neither Dr Shaw nor Sanson (p.vi) had been, or had pretended to be, capable of giving the public any detail of the large and magnificent remains of ruined architecture which they both vouch to have seen in great quantities, and of exquisite elegance and perfection, all over the country. Such had not been their study, yet such was really the taste that was required in the present times. He wished therefore that I mould be the first, in the reign just now beginning, to set an example of making large additions to the royal collection, and he pledged himfelf to be my supporter and patron, and to make good to me, upon this additional merit, the promises which had been held forth to me by former minifters 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 for these lad two thousand years, a defiance to all travellers, and an opprobrium to geography. Fortune feemed to enter into this scheme. At the very instant, Mr Aspinwall, very cruelly and ignominiously treated by the Bey of Algiers., had resigned his consulship, and Mr Ford, a merchant, formerly the Dey's acquaintance, was named in his place. Mr Ford was appointed, and dying a few days after, the consulship became vacant. Lord Halifax pressed me to accept of this, as containing all sort of conveniencies for making the proposed expedition. (p.vii) This favourable event finally determined me. I had all my life applied unweariedly, perhaps with more love than talent, to drawing, the practice of mathematics, and especially that part necessary to astronomy. The tranfit of Venus was at hand. It was certainly known that it would be visible once at Algiers, and there was great reason to expect it might be twice. I had furnished myself with a large apparatus of instruments, the completed of their kind for the observation. In the choice of these I had been -amited by my friend Admiral Campbell, and Mr Russel, Secretary to the Turkey Company; every other necessary had been provided in proportion. Ir was a pleasure now to know that it was not from a rock or a wood, but from my own house at Algiers, I could deliberately take measures to place myself in the lift of men of science of all nations, who were then preparing for the same scientific purpose, - Thus prepared, I set cut for Italy, through France; and though it was in time of war, and some strong .objections had been made to particular passports folicited by our government from the French secretary of state, Monfieur de Choiseul most obligingly waved all such exceptions with regard to me, and most politely assured me, in a letter accompanying my passport, that those difficulties did not in any mape regard me, but that I was perfectly at liberty to pass through, or remain in France, with those that accompanied me, without limiting their number, as short or as long a time as mould be agreeable to me. On my arrival at Rome I received orders to proceed to Naples, there to await his Majefty's further commands. Sir Charles Saunders, then with a fleet before Cadiz, had orders (p.viii). to visit Malta before he returned to England. It was said, that the grand-mailer of that Order had behaved so improperly to Mr Hervey (afterwards Lord Bristol) in the beginning of the war, and so partially and unjustly between the two nations during the course of it, that an explanation on our part was become necessary. The grand-mailer no fooner heard of my arrival at Naples, than guessing the errand, he sent off Cavalier Mazzini to London, where he at once made his peace and his compliments to his Majesty upon his accession to the throne. Nothing remained now but to take possesion of my consulship. I returned without loss of time to Rome, and thence to Leghorn, where, having embarked on board the Montreal man of war, I proceeded to Algiers. While at Naples, I received from slaves, redeemed from the province of Constantina, accounts of magnificent ruins they had seen while traversing that country in the camp with their master the Bey. I saw the absolute necessity there was for affiilance, without which it was impoilible for any one man, however diligent and qualified, to do any thing but bewilder himself. All my endeavours, however, had hitherto been unsuccessful to perfuade any Italian to put himself wilfully into the hands of a people constantly looked upon by them in no better light than pirates.  While I was providing myself with instruments at London, I thought of one, which, though in a very small form and imperfect state, had been of great entertainment and use to me in former travels; this is called a Camera Obscura, the idea of which I had first taken (p.ix) from the Spectacle  de la Nature of the Abbe Vertot. But the present one was constructed upon my own principles; 1 intruded the execution of the glades to Messrs Nairne and Blunt, Mathematical instrument-makers opposite to the Exchange, whom I had usually employed upon such occasions, and with whose capacity and fidelity I had, after frequent trials, the greatest reason to be satisfied. This, when finishcd, became a large and expensive indrument; but being feparated into two pieces, the top and bottom, and folding compactly with hinges, was neither heavy, cumbersome, nor inconvenient, and the charge incurred by the additions and alterations was confiderably more than compensated by the advantages which accrued from them. Its body was an hexagon of six-feet diameter, with a conical top; in this, as in a summer-house, the draughtsman sat unseen, and performed his drawing. There is now, I see, one carried as a mow about the streets, of nearly the fame dimenfions, called a Delineator, made on the fame principles, and feems to be an exact imitation of mine. By means of this instrument, a person of but a moderate skill in drawing, but habituated to the effect of it, could do more work, and in a better state, whilst executing views of ruined architecture, in one hour, than the readied draughtsman, so unassisted, could do in seven; for, with proper care, patience, and attention, not only the elevation, and every part of it, is taken with the utmost truth and justed proportion, but the light and shade, the actual breaches as they stand, vignettes, or little ornamental shrubs, which generally hang from and adorn the projections and edges of the several  members, are finely expressed, and beautiful lessons given, (p.x) how to transport them with effect to any part where they appear to be wanting. Another greater and ineftimable advantage is, that all landscapes, and views of the country, which constitute the background of the picture, are real, and in the reality shew, very strikingly indeed, in such a country as Africa, abounding in picturefque fcenes, how much nature is superior to the creation of the warmeft genius or imagination. Momentary masses of clouds, especially the heavier ones, of stormy skies, will be fixed by two or three unstudied strokes of a pencil ; and figures and dress, in the most agreeable attitudes and folds, leave traces that a very ordinary hand might speedily make his own/or, what is still better, enable him with these elements to use the assistance of the best artift he can find in every line of painting, and, by the help of these, give to each the utmoft possible perfection; a practice which I have constantly preferred and followed with success. It is true, this instrument has a fundamental defect in the laws of optics; but this is obvious, and known unavoidably to exift; and he muft be a very ordinary genius indeed, and very lame, both in theory and practice, that cannot apply the necessary correction, with little trouble, and in a very short time.   (p.xi) I was so well pleased with the flrst trial of this instrument at Julia Caisarea, now Shershell, about 60 miles from Algiers, that I commissioned a smaller one from Italy, which though negligently and ignorantly made, did me this good fervice, that it enabled me to fave my larger and more perfect one, in my unfortunate shipwreck at Bengazi, the ancient Berenice, on the shore of Cyrenaicum; and this was of infinite service to me in my journey to Palmyra. Thus far a great part of my wants were well supplied, at least such as could be foreseen, but I still laboured under many. Besides that single province of ruined architecture, there remained several  others of equal importance to the public. The natural history of the country, the manners and languages of the inhabitants, the history of the heavens, by a constant observation of, and attention to which, a useful and intelligible map of the country could be obtained, were objects of the utmost consequence. Packing and repacking, mounting and rectifying these instruments alone, befides the attention and time necessary in using them, required what would have occupied one man, if they had been continual, which they luckily were not, and he fufficiently instructed. I therefore endeavoured to procure such a number of assistants, that mould each bear his sliare in these several  departments; not one only, but three or four if possible. I was now engaged, and part of my pride was to shew, 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, Mr Lumisden, Mr Strange, Mr Byers, and others in different parts of Italy, acquainting them of my situation, and begging their assistance. These gentlemen kindly used their utmost endeavours, but in vain. (p.xii) It is true, Mr Chalgrin, a young French student in architecture, accepted the proposal, and sent a neat specimen of rectilineal architecture. Even this gentleman might have been of some use, but his heart failed him; he would have wished the credit of the undertaking, without the fatigues of the journey. At last Mr Lumisden, by accident, heard of a young man who was then studying architecture at Rome, a native of Bologna, whose name was Luigi Balugani. I can appeal to Mr Lumisden, now in England, as to the extent of this person's practice and knowledge, and that he knew very little when first sent to me. In the twenty months which he staid with me at Algiers, by affiduous application to proper subjects under my instruction, he became a very considerable help to me, and was the only one that ever I made use of, or that attended me for a moment, or ever touched one-representation of architecture in any part of my journey. He contracted an incurable distemper in Palestine,, and died after a long sickness, foon after I entered Ethiopia, after having fuffered constant ill-health from the time he left Sidon. While travelling in Spain, it was a thought which frequently suggesed itself to me, how little informed the world yet was in the history of that kingdom and monarchy. The Moorish part in particular, when it was most celebrated for riches and for seience, was scarccly known but from some romances or novels. It seemed an undertaking worthy of a man of letters to rescue this period, from the oblivion or neglect under which it laboured. Materials were not wanting for this, as a confiderable number of books remained in a neglected and almost unknown language, the Arabic. I endeavoured to find access to some (p.xiii) of those Arabian manuscripts, an immensc collection of which were every day perishing in the dust of the escurial, and was indulged with several  conversations of Mr Wall, then minuter, every one of which convinced me, that the objections to what I wished were founded so slrongly in prejudice, that it was not even in his power to remove them. All my success in Europe terminated in the acquisition of those few printed Arabic books that I had found in Holland, and these were rather biographers than general hiftorians, and contained little in point of general information. The study of these, however, and of Maracci's Koran, had made me a very tolerable Arab; a great field was opening  before me in Africa to complete a collection of manuscripts, an opportunity which 1 did not neglect. After a year spent at Algiers, constant conversation with the natives whilst abroad, and with my manuscripts within doors, had qualified me to appear in any part of the continent without the help of an interpreter. Ludolf [3] had assured his readers, that the knowledge of any oriental language would soon enable them to acquire the Ethiopic, and I needed only the fame number of books to have made my knowledge of that language go hand in hand with my attainments in the Arabic. My immediate prospect of setting out on my journey to the inland parts of Africa, had made me double my diligence; night and day there was no relaxation from these Studies, although the acquiring any single language had never been with me either an object of time or difficulty. (p.xiv). At this instant, instead of obtaining the liberty I had foliated to depart, orders arrived from the king to expect his further commands at Algiers, and not to think of stirring from thence, till a dispute about passports was settled, in which I certainly had no concern, further than as it regarded me as his Majesty's actual servant, for it had originated entirely from the neglect of the former consul's letters directed to the secretary of state at home, before my coming to Algiers. The island of Minorca had been taken by the French; and when the fort of St Philip furrendered by an article common to all capitulations, it was ftipulated, that all papers found in the fort were to be delivered to the captors. It happened that among these was a number of blank Mediterranean paiTes, which fell therefore into the hands of the French, and the blanks were filled up by the French governor and fecretary, who very naturally wished to embroil us with the Barbary Hates, it being then the time of war with France. They were fold to Spaniards, Neapolitans, and other enemies of the Barbary regencies. The check [4] (the only proof that these pirates have of the vessels being a friend) agreed perfectly with the pafsport filled up by the French governor, but the captor feeing that the crew of these vessels were dark-coloured, wore muflachoes, and spoke no English, carried the veflel to Algiers, where the Britifli conful detected (p.xv) the fraud, and was under the disagrceable neccffity of furrendering so many Chriftians into flavery in the hands of their enemies footnote end footnote . One or two successful discoveries of this kind made the hungry pirates believe that the paflport of every veflel they met with, even those of Gibraltar, were falfe imthemfelves, and iflued to protect their enemies.. Violent commotions were excited amongft the foldiery, abetted under hand by several  of the neutral confuls there. By every occafion I had wrote home, but in vain, and the Dcy could never be perfuaded of this, as no anfwer arrived. Government was occupied with winding up matters at the end of a war, and this neglect of my letters often brought me into great danger. At last a temporary remedy was found, whether it originated from home, or whether it was invented by the governor of Mahon and Gibraltar, was never communicated to me, but a surer and more effectual way of having all the nation at Algiers maffacred could certainly not have been hit upon. Square pieces of common paper, about the fize of a quarter-meet, were fealed with the arms of the governor of Mahon, fometimes with red, fometimes with black wax, as the family circumsta nces of that officer required. These were figned by his fignature, counterfigned by that of his fecretary, and contained nothing more than a bare and fimple declaration, that the vessel, the bearer of it, was British property. These papers were called Pafavants. The cruifer, uninstructed in this when he boarded a veflel, afked for his Mediterranean pafs. The mailer anfwered, He had none, he had only a paffavant, and fliewed the paper, which having no (p.xvi)check, the cruifer brought him and his vessel as a good prize into Algiers. Upon my claiming them, as was my duty, 1 was immediately called before the Dey and divan, and had it not been from personal regard the Turks always shewed me, I mould not have escaped the infults of the foldiery in my way to the palace. The Dey afked me, upon my word as a Chriflian and an Englishman, whether these written paries were according to treaty, or whether the word paffuvant was to be found in any of our treaties with the Moorifli regencies .? All equivocation was useless. I anfwered, That these pastes were not according to treaty; that the word pajfavant was not in any treaty I knew of with any of the Barbary Hates; that it was a measure neceffity had created, by Minorca's falling into the hands of the French, which had never before been the cafe, but that the remedy would be found as foon as the greater bufiness of settling the general peace gave the British ministry time to breathe. Upon this the Dey, holding {qnzt2\ pajfavants in his hand, anfwered, with great emotion, in these memorable terms, " The British government know that we can neither read nor write, no not even our own language; we are ignorant foldiers and failors, robbers if you will, though we do not with to rob you; but war is our trade, and we live by that only. Tell me how my cruifers are to know that all these different wri-ings and feals are Governor Moftyn's, or Governor Johnston's, and not the Duke of Medina Sidonia's, or Barcelot's, captain of the king of Spain's cruifers ?" It was impossible to answer a question so simple and so direct. I I ached then the intrant of being cut to pieces by the foldiery, or of having the whole British Mediterranean trade carried into the Barbary ports. The candid and open manner in which I had spoken, the regard and efteem the Dey (p.xvii) always had shewed me, and some other common methods with the members of the regency, staved off the dangerous moment, and were the means of procuring time. Admiralty partes at lad came out, and the matter was happily adjuiled; but it was an affair the lean pleasing and the leafl profitable, and one of the moll dangerous in which I was ever engaged. All this disagreeable interval I had given to fludy, and making myself familiar with every thing that could be necellary to me in my intended journey. The king's furgeon at Algiers, Mr Ball, a man of confiderable merit in his profeffion, and who lived in my family, had obtained leave to return home. Before I was deprived of this affista nce, I had made a point of drawing from it all the advantages possible for my future travels. Mr Ball did not grudge his time or pains in the instruction he gave me. I had made myself master of the art of bleeding, which I found confided only in a little attention, and in overcoming that diffidence which the ignorance how the parts lie occafions. Mr Ball had fliewn me the manner of applying several  forts of bandages, and gave me an idea of drefling some kinds of fores and wounds, frequent and very useful leflbns, which I alfo received from my friend Doctor RuiTel at Aleppo, contributed greatly to improve me afterwards in the knowledge of phyfic and furgery. I had a small cheft of the most efficacious medicines, a dispenfary to teach me to compound others that were needful, and some short treatises upon the acute diseases of several countries within the tropics. Thus instructed, I flatter myself, no offence I hope, I did not occasion a greater mortality among the Mahometans and Pagans abroad, than may be attributed to (p.xviii) some of my brother physicians among their fellow-Christians at home. . The rev. -Mr Tonyn, the king's chaplain at Algiers, was absent upon leave before I arrived in that regency. The Protesta nt shipmafters who came into the port, and had need of spirifual aflista nce, found here a blank that was not eafily filled up; I mould therefore have been obliged to take upon myself% the disagreeable office of burying the dead, and the more chearful, though more troublefome one, of marrying and baptizing the living.; matters that were entirely out of my way, but to which the Roman Catholic clergy would contribute no assistance. There was a Greek prieft, a native of Cyprus, a very venerable man, part leventy years of age, who had attached himself to me from my firfl arrival in Algiers. This man was of a very focial and chearful temper, and had, befides, a more than ordinary knowledge of his own language. I had taken him to my house. as- my chaplain, read Greek with him daily, and spoke it at times when I could receive his correction and instmclion. It was not that I, at this time of day, needed to learn Greek,. I had long underflood that language perfectly; what I wanted was the pronunciation, and reading by accent, of which the generality of English scholars are perfectly ignorant, and to which it is owing that they apprehend the Greek spoken and written in the Archipelago is materially different from that language which we read in books, and which a few weeks converfation in the iflands will teach them it is not, I had in this, at that time, no other view than mere conveaience during my passage through the Archipelago which (p.xix) I intended to visit, without any design of continuing or studying there : But the reader will afterwards see of what very material fervice this acquaintance was to me, so very essential, indeed, that it contributed more to the success of my views in Abyssinia than any other help that I obtained throughout the whole of it. This man's name was Padre Chriftophoro, or Father Chriftophcr. At my leaving Algiers, finding himself less conveniently fituated, he went to Egypt, to Cairo, where he was promoted to be fecond in rank under Mark, patriarch of Alexandria, where I afterwards found him. Business of a private nature had at this time obliged -me to present myself at Mahon, a gentleman having promised to meet me there; I therefore failed from Algiers, having taken leave of the Dey, who furnished me with every letter that I afked, with strong and peremptory orders to all the officers of his own dominions, prefsing recommendatory ones to the Bey of Tunis and Tripoli, states independent, indeed, of the Dey of Algiers, but over which the circumsta nces of the times had given him a confiderable influence. The violent disputes about the passports had rather raifed than lowered me in his efteem. The letters were given with the bell grace poilible, and the orders contained in them were executed mod exactly in all points during my whole flay in Barbary. Being disappointed in the meeting I looked for at Mahon, I remained three days in Quarantine Ifland, though General Townsend, then deputy- governor, by every civility and attention in his power, strove to induce (p.xx) me to come on {hore, that he might have an opportunity of (hewing me dill more attention and politeness. My mind being now full of more agreeable ideas than what had for some time pad occupied it, I failed in a small veflel from Port Mahon, and, having a fair wind, in a short time made the coaft of Africa, at a cape, or headland, called Ras el Hamra *, and landed at Bona, a confiderable town, the ancient Aphrodismm f, built from the ruins of Hippo Regius J, from which it is only two miles dista nt. It Hands on a large plain, part of which feems to have been once overflowed by the fea. Its trade confifts now in the exportation of wheat, when, in plentiful years, that trade is permitted by the government of Algiers. I had a delightful voyage clofe down the coaft, and palled the small ifland Tabarca §, lately a fortification of the Genoefe, now in the hands of the regency of Tunis, who took it by furprife, and made all the inhabitants flaves. The ifland is famous for a coral fishery, and along the coaft are immense forefts of large beautiful oaks, more than fufRcient to supply the necefnties of all the maritime powers in the Levant, if the quality of the wood be but equal to the fize and beauty of the tree. From Tabarca I failed and anchored at Biferta, the Hippozaritus || of antiquity, and thence went to pay a visit to Utica, out of respecl: to the memory of Cato, without having fanguine expectations of meeting any thing remarkable there (p,xxi) there, and accordingly I found nothing memorable but the name. It may be said nothing remains of Utica but a heap of rubbish and of small bones; without the city the trenches and approaches of the ancient befiegers are ftill very perfect. footnotes * Hippo. Reg. from Ptol. Geog. lib. iv. p. 109. f Hippo. Reg. id. ib. $ AphrodLCum. id. ib. f Tbabarca, id- ib. || Plin. Ep. xxxiii. 1, 9.. end footnotes After doubling Cape Carthage I anchored before the fortrefs of the Goletta, a place now of no strength, notwithstanding the figure it made at the time of the expedition of Charles V. Rowing along the bay, between the Cape and this anchorage, I saw several  buildings and columns ftill Handing under water, by which it appeared that old Carthage had owed part of its destruction to the sea, and hence likewise may be inferred the absurdity of any attempt to represent the site of ancient Carthage upon paper. It has been, befides, at least ten times destroyed, so that the stations, where its first citizens fell fighting for their liberty, are covered deep in rubbish, far from being trodden upon by those unworthy slaves who now are its masters. Tunis * is twelve miles distant from this : It is a large and. flourishiing city. The people are more civilized than in Algiers, and the government milder, but the climate is very far from being so good. Tunis is low, hot, and damp, and deftitute of good water, with which Algiers is supplied from, a thousand springs. I delivered my letters from the Bey, and obtained permission to visit the country in whatever direction I mould please. footnote LLv. Epit. xxx. 1. 9. end footnote Plate 12: xxxx      Footnotes: 1.  "Coy fountains". This epithet given to the springs from which the Nile rises, was borrowed from a vaj elegant English poem that appeared in Dr Mary's Review for May 1786. It was sent to me by my friend Mr Barrington, to.whom it was attributed, although from modesty he disclaims it. From whatever hand it comes, the poet is defired to accept of my humble thanks. It was received with univerfal applause wherever it was circulated, and a considerable number of copies was printed at the defire of the public. Accident seemed to have placed it in Dr Mary's book with peculiar propriety, by having joined it to a fragment of Anofto, then first published, in the same Review. It has fince been attributed to Mr Masoo. 2.  He was long a slave to the Bey of Conltamina, and appears to have been a man of capacity. 3.  Ludolf, lib. i. cup. 15. 4.  This is a running figure cut through the middle like the check of a bank note. [Continue to Chapter 1] [Return to Table of Contents]	v
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