information as possible concerning the place, and for this purpose, one of the elder inhabitants who had spent his life in piloting vessels to and fro, was brought to me by the Nayib's man. He confirmed to me the names of all the islands we had seen in the morning, which agree most perfectly with what Bruce has called them. He recognized every island excepting two, mentioned by Bruce, as I named them from the book.' It is only due to Bruce, to repeat here the remark of Captain Keys, R. N., in whose vessel Lord Valentia and Mr. Salt first visited the Red Sea. Mr. Bruce,' says Captain Keys, is a very accurate observer. I shall take his longitudes

and latitudes.'

Dr. Clark, in his Travels to Egypt, &c., says, The officers of General Baird's army spoke highly of the accuracy of Bruce's observations; and the General himself assured us, that he considered Great Britain as indebted to Bruce's valuable chart of the Red Sea, for the safety of the transports employed in carrying the British forces.'

Many people still agree with Lord Valentia in maintaining very positively that Bruce never was below Loheia, and consequently that he never went to the Straits of Babelmandeb-because (they say) this part of his voyage is not mentioned in the private journal either of Bruce or his draftsman Balugani. But an eager traveller like Bruce has often, baffling all sober calculation, suddenly neglected everything to toil and hurry towards a barren spot, for the silly satisfaction of being able to say, or even to feel that he has been there; and surely no man was more likely to do this than

Bruce, whose whole life was spent in attempting to gain such trophies. Bruce declares that he left Cosseir with a determination to make a survey of the Red Sea, and steering direct north to Tor, his track proves the plan upon which he embarked. On his arrival at Loheia (Vide the sketch), he had sailed over nearly three-quarters of the gulf, and this being the case, is it not consistent with Bruce's general character, to suppose that he should have felt a very strong inclination to conclude his survey-and most particularly to reach a point of such geographical importance as the Straits of Babelmandeb, which were, comparatively speaking, close to him? And if it is likely that he should have entertained a feeling in which almost any phlegmatic person would have joined him, it must be evident that there was nothing to prevent him from effecting his project. He had time, wind, water, a vessel and provisions, and with an inclination to go there, what could he have asked for more?

As to the silence of the private note-books, Bruce might have drank to the King's health in the Straits of Babelmandeb, till he could not see to make observations-he might have lost his observations-or, what is much more probable, being between a barbarous shore and a barren one, and under a burning sun, he might, after all his trouble, have found nothing to make observations upon, excepting the chasm or straits, the latitude and longitude of which he did take. Balugani might have been left at Loheia to finish up the drawings which were on hand; ten thousand accidents might have occurred; but in truth it is

merely childish to attempt arguing in this fashion upon the course or conduct of an eccentric man, who, had he belonged to his common gregarious tribe, would never have voluntarily undertaken a solitary course through deserts, and savage or uninhabited countries.

The reader is gradually, we hope, becoming acquainted with his real character: by that alone he must be judged; and if his character appears unsullied, in a civilized country, Bruce, with more truth than Brutus, has a right to say- Believe me for mine honour, and have respect for mine honour, that you may believe!'

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CHAPTER VI.

PREVIOUS to Bruce's landing at Masuah, the ancient port of Abyssinia, it would be proper and regular, if it were possible, to lay before the reader, not only a correct map of the country about to be visited, but also one showing its rank or situation in the continent to which it belongs. But of Africa in general, it may justly be said that ninety-nine parts of it out of a hundred are unknown; and that, from several points, a man might travel from the Mediterranean, very nearly to the Cape of Good Hope, and from the Indian Ocean to the Atlantic, over ground which has never been trodden or seen by any of our travellers.

Our map of Africa, therefore, however highly it may be coloured in the shops, is, in fact, little more than the sea charts of the Mediterranean, the Atlantic, the Indian Ocean, and the Red Sea. We have surveyed its coast-we are acquainted with part of the Nile-and, in a very few directions, we have attempted to penetrate into the interior of the country, but it must be confessed that Africa is an immense blank in geography which remains to be filled up. Instead, therefore, of presuming to offer a map of this continent, we propose to attempt a short verbal description of its general features, with a few observations thereon; and as Bruce's memoranda on the topography and history of Abyssinia, with little attention to arrange

ment, are scattered over the seven volumes of his travels, and would alone fill three or four times as many pages as the whole of this little book contains, we propose to add, to the above sketch of Africa, a very slight descriptive outline of the kingdom of Abyssinia, and an abstract of its history, up to the time when Bruce landed in the country.

We are but badly prepared to do justice to subjects of this description; but we feel it is impossible for the general reader, going merely step by step, like a man walking in the dark with a lanthorn, to judge of Bruce's life in Abyssinia, unless he previously takes into his consideration the general character and history of that country, and, moreover, reflects for a moment on the character of that continent, of which it forms so small a part. We do not presume to instruct the reader-we only feel it necessary to bring before his mind scenes which, in common life, one has seldom occasion to consider.

SKETCH OF THE CONTINENT OF AFRICA.

That vast portion of the globe which we term Africa, is in length about five thousand mileswhich is about the distance from the line to Iceland, or from Calcutta to the North Pole: in short, it is about one thousand miles more than the distance from the earth's centre to its circumference. The greatest breadth of Africa is very nearly equal to its vast length. This immense expanse of country, a true idea of which it is beyond the capacity of the human mind to contain, is situated in exactly the hottest region of our globe; for,