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BOSTON UNIVERSITY

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College of Liberal Arts Library

GRADUATE SCHOOL AFRICAN STUDIES

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TRAVELS

TO DISCOVER THE

SOURCE OF THE NILE,

In the Years 1768, 1769, 1770, 177 h 177*, and 1773.

IN FIVE VOLUMES.

BY JAMES BRUCE OF KINNAIRD, ESQ. F. R. S.

M-eaUi JS-

VOL. I.

Opus aggred'wr oplmum cqfibus, atrox praliis, difcors fediiionibtts, Ipfd ettam pace favum. Tacit. Lib. iv. Ann.

EDINBURGH:

PRINTED BY J. RUTHVEN, FOR G. G. J. AND J. ROBINSON, PATERNOSTER-ROW,

LONDON.

MrDCCXC.

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S I R,

TO THE

KING.

TH E ftudy and knowledge of the Globe, for very natural and obvious reafons, feem, in all ages, to have been the principal and fa- vourite purfuit of great Princes ; perhaps they were, vol. i. a at

DEDICATION.

at certain periods, the very fources of that great- nefs.

But as Pride, Ambition, and an immoderate *hirft of Conqueft, were the motives of thefe re- fearches, no real advantage could poflibly accrue to mankind in general, from inquiries proceeding upon fuch deformed and noxious principles.

In later times, which have been accounted more enlightened, ftill a worfe motive fuceeeded to that of ambition; Avarice led the way in all expeditions, cru- elty and opprefhon followed : to difcover and to de~ ftroy feemed to mean the fame thing ; and, what was ftill more extraordinary, the innocent fufferer was ftiled the Barbarian ; while the bloody, lawlefs inva- der, flattered himfelf with the name of Chriftian.

With Your Majesty's reign, which, on many accounts, will for ever be a glorious aera in the an- nals of Britain, began the emancipation of difcovery from the imputation of cruelty and crimes.

I T

DEDICATION.

I t was a golden age, which united humanity and fcience, exempted men of liberal minds and educa- tion, employed in the nobleft of all occupations, that of exploring the diftant parts of the Globe, from be- ing any longer degraded, and rated as little better than the Buccaneer, or pirate, becaufe they had, till- then, in manners been nearly hmilar.

I t is well known, that an uncertainty had ftill remained concerning the form, quantity, and confift- ence of the earth ; and this, in fpite of all their abili- ties and improvement, met philofophers in many ma- terial inveftigations and delicate calculations. Uni- verfal benevolence, a diftinguilning quality of Your Majesty, led You to take upon Yourfelf the direc- tion of the mode, and furnifhing the means of remo- ving thefe doubts and difficulties for the common be- nefit of mankind, who were ail alike interefled in them.

By Your Majesty's command, for thefe great pur- pofes, Your fleets penetrated into unknown feas,

fraught

DEDICATION.

fraught with fubjecls, equal, if not fuperior, in courage, fcience, and preparation, to any that ever before had navigated the ocean.

But they pollened other advantages, in which, beyond all comparifon, they excelled former difcover- ers. In place of hearts confirfed with fantallic no- tions of honour and emulation, which conftantly led to bloodfhed, theirs were filled with the moll bene- ficent principles., with that noble perfuafion, the foun- dation of all charity, not that all men are equal, but that they are all brethren ; and that being fuperior to the favage in every acquirement, it was for that very reafon their duty to fet the example of mildnefs, companion, and long-fuffering to a fellow -creature, becaufe the weakeft, and, by no fault of his own, the ieaft inftruded, and always perfectly in their power.

Thus, without the ufual, and moft unwarrantable exceftes, the overturning ancient, hereditary king- doms, without bloodlhed, or trampling under foot the laws of fociety and hofpitality, Your Majesty's

fubjecls,

DEDICATION.

fubje&s, braver, more powerful and mfifni&ed than thofe deftroyers of old, but far more juft, generous, and humane, erected in the hearts of an unknown people, while making thefe difcoveries, an- empire founded on peace and love of the fubjecl:, perfe&Iy confiftent with thofe principles by which Your Ma- jesty has always profefled to govern ; more firm and durable than thofe eitablifhed by bolts and chains, and all thofe black devices of tyrants not even known by name, in Your happy and united, powerful and flourifhing kingdoms.

While thefe great objeds were fteadily conduct- ing to the end which the capacity of thofe employed, the juftnefs of the meafures on which they were plan- ned, and the conftant care and fupport of the Public promifed, there ftill remained an expedition to be undertaken which had been long called for, by philo- sophers of all nations, in vain.

Fleets and armies were ufelefs ; even the power of Britain, with the utmoft exertion, could afford no V0L' x- b protedion

DEDICATION.

protection there, the place was fo unhappily cut off from the reft of mankind, that even Your Majesty's name and virtues had never yet been known or heard of there.

The fituation of the country was barely known, no more : placed under the moft inclement fkies, in part furrounded by impenetrable forefts, where, from the beginning, the beafts had eftablifhed a fovereign- ty uninterrupted by man, in part by vaft deferts of moving fands, where nothing was to be found that had the breath of life, thefe terrible barriers inclofed men more bloody and ferocious than the beafts them- felves, and more fatal to travellers than the fands that encompafled them ; and thus fhut up, they had been long growing every day more barbarous, and defied, by rendering it dangerous, the curiofity of travellers of every nation.

Although the leaft conliderable of your Maje- sty's fubjecls, yet not the leaft defirous of proving my duty by promoting your Majesty's declared

plan

DEDICATION.

plan of difcovery as much as the weak endeavours of a fingle perfon could, unprotected, forlorn, and alone, or at times aifociated to beggars and banditti, as they offered, I undertook this defperate journey, and did not turn an ell out of my propofcd way till I had completed it : It was the firft difcovery attempted in Your Majesty's reign. From Egypt I penetrated into this country, through Arabia on one fide, paff- ing through melancholy and dreary deferts, ventila- ted with poifonous winds, and glowing with eternal fun-beams, whofe names are as unknown in geogra- phy as are thofe of the antediluvian world. In the fix years employed in this furvey I defcribed a circum- ference whofe greater axis comprehended twenty- two degrees of the meridian, in which dreadful circle was contained all that is terrible to the feelings, pre- judicial to the health, or fatal to the life of man.

r

In laying the account of thefe Travels at Your Majesty's feet, I humbly hope I have (hewn to the world of what value the efforts of every indivi- dual of Your Majesty's fubjects may be ; that num- bers

DEDICATION.

bers are not always neceflary to the performance of great and brilliant actions, and that no difficulties or dangers are unfurmountable to a heart warm with affection and duty to his Sovereign, jealous of the honour of his mailer, and devoted to the glory of his country, now, under Your Majesty's wife, merci- ful, and juft reign, defervedly looked up to as Queen of Nations- I am,

SIR,

YOUR MAJESTY'S

Moll faithful Subject,.

And mofl dutiful Servant,

JAMES BRUCE.

-

H

INTRODUCTION.

OWEVER little the reader may be converfant with an- cient hiftories, 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 fubje6t of this publication, from very early ages interefted all fcientific nations : Nor was this great object feeb/y profecuted, as men, the firft for wifdom, for learning, and fpirit (a mod neceffary qualifica- tion in this undertaking) very earneftly interefted themfelves about the difcovery of the fources of this famous river, till difappointment followed difappointment fo faft, and confe- quences produced otherconfequencesfo fatal, that the defign was entirely given over, as having, upon the faired trials, ap- peared impracticable. Even* conquerors at the head of im- menfe armies, whohad firfldifcovered and then fubdued great part of the world, were forced to lower their tone here, and dared fcarcely to extend their advances toward this difcovery, beyond the limits of bare wifhes. At length, if it was not forgot, it was however totally abandoned from the caufes above mentioned, and with it all further topographical in- quiries in that quarter.

Upon the revival of learning and of the arts, the curiofity

of mankind had returned with unabated vigour towards

Vol. I. a this

n introduction;

this object, but all attempts had met with the fame difficul- ties as before, till, in the beginning of his Majefty's reign,. the unconquerable fpirit raifed in this nation by a long and . glorious war, did very naturally refolve itfclf into a fpiric of adventure and inquiry at the return of peace, one of the. firft- fruits of which was the di (cover y of thefe coy foun- tains *, till now concealed from the world in general.

The great danger and difficulties of this journey were well known, but it was likewife known that it had been completely performed without difappointment or misfoiv tune, that it had been attended with an, apparatus of books and inftruments, which feldom accompanies the travels of an individual ; yet fixteen years had elapfed without any ac* count appearing, which feemed to mark an unufual felf- denial,.or an abfolute indifference towards the wifb.es of the public*.

Men, according; to their different genius and difpofitions, attempted by different ways to penetrate the caufe of this filence. The candid, the learned, that fpecies of men, in

fine,

* This epithet given to the fprings from which the Nile rifes, was borrowed from a vaj elegant English poem that appeared in Dr Mary's Review for May 1786. It was fent to me by my. friend Mr Barrington, to.whom it was attributed, although from modefty he difclaims it. From whatever hand it comes, the poet is defired to . accept of my humbde thanks. It was received with univerfal applaufe wherever it was circulated, and a conGdera- ble number of copies was printed at the defire of the public. Accident feemed to have placed it in Dr Maty's book with peculiar propriety, by having joined it to a fragment of Anofto, then firft published, in the fame Review. It has fince been attributed to Mr Mafoo.

INTRODUCTION. &

fine, for whom only it is worth while to travel or to write, fup- poling (perhaps with fome degree of truth) that an undefcr- ved and unexpected neglect and want of patronage had been at leaft part of the caufe, adopted a manner, which, being the moll liberal, they thought likely to fucceed : They endeavoured to entice me by holding out a profpect of a more generous difpofition in the minds of future miniflers, when I fhould mew the .claim I had upon them by having promoted the glory of the nation. Others, whom I mention only for the fake of comparifon, below all notke on any other ground, attempted to fucceed in this by anonymous letters and paragraphs in the newfpapers ; and thereby ab- furdly endeavoured to oblige me to publifh an account of thofe travels, which they affected at the fame time to believe I had never performed.

But it is with very great pleafure and readinefs I do now declare, that no fantaftical or deformed motive, no peevilh difregard, much lefs 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 fee this work as an earneit of their approbation of it, and a very great honour done tome; and if I had Mill any motive to defer fubmitting thefe obfervations to their judgment, it could only be that I might employ that interval in poliihing and making them more worthy of their perufal. The candid and inftructcd public, the impartial and unprejudiced foreigner, are tribunals merit mould naturally appeal to ; it is there it always has found fure protection againfl the in- fluence of cabals, and the virulent fh-okes of malice, envy, •and ignorance.

a 2 lx

iv INTRODUCTION.

It is with a view to give every poffible information to my reader, that in this introduction I lay before him the motives upon which thefe travels were undertaken, the order and manner in which they were executed, and fome account of the work itfelf, as well of the matter as the dillribution of it.

Every one will remember that period, fo glorious to Britain, the latter end of the miniftry of the late Earl of Chatham. I was then returned from a tour through thegreat- eft 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 fmall pa- trimony I had received from my anceilors, in order to em- brace a life of fludy and reflection, nothing more active appearing then within my power, when chance threw me unexpectedly into a very fhort and very defultory converfa- tion with Lord Chatham.

It was a few days after this that Mr Wood, then under- fecretary of ftate, my very zealous and fincere friend, in- formed me that Lord Chatham intended to employ me upon a particular fervice ; that, however, I might go down for a few weeks to my own country to fettle my affairs, but by all means to be ready upon a call. Nothing could be more flattering to me than fuch an offer; when fo young, to be thought worthy by Lord Chatham of any employment, was doubly a preferment. No time was loft on my fide ; but, juft after my receiving orders to return to London, his Lordfhip had gone to Bath, and refigned his office.

This

INTRODUCTION. v

This difappointmcnt, which was the more fenfible to me, that it was the firft I had met in public life, was pro- mifed to be made up to me by Lord Egremont and Mr George Grenville. The tormer had been long my friend, but unhappily he was then far gone in a lethargic indiipo- fition, which threatened, and did very foon put a period to his exiflence. With Lord Egremont's death my expectations vanifhed. Further particulars are unneceflary, but I hope that at leaft, in part, they remain in that breaft where they naturally ought to be, and where I mall ever think, not to be forgotten, is to be rewarded.

Seven or eight months were pafl in an expenfive and fruitlefs attendance in London, when Lord Halifax was pleafed, not only to propofe, but to plan for me a journey of coniiderable importance, and which was to take up feve- ral years. His Lordfhip faid, that nothing could be more ignoble, than that, at iuch a time of life, at the height of my reading, health, and activity, I mould, as it were, turn peafant, and voluntarily bury myfelf in obfeurity and idle- nefs ; that though war was now drawing fail to an end, full as honourable a competition remained among men of fpirit, which mould acquit themfelves bell in the danger- ous line of ufeful adventure and difcovery. " He obferved, that the coaft of Barbary, which might be faid to be juit at our door, was as yet but partially explored by Dr Shaw, who had only illuftrated (very judicioufly indeed) the geogra- phical labours of Sanfon * ; that neither Dr Shaw nor San-

fon

s

* He was long a (lave to the Bey of Conltamina, and appears to have been a man of capa- citv.

vi INTRODUCTION.

fon 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 feen in great quantities, and of exquifite elegance and per- fection, all over the country. Such had not been their ihidy, yet fuch was really the tafte that was required in the prefent times. He wilhed therefore that I mould be the firft, in the reign juft now beginning, to fet an example of making large additions to the royal collection, and he pled- ged himfclf to be my fupporter and patron, and to make good to me, upon this additional merit, the promifes which had been held forth to me by former minifters for other ibr vices.

The difcovery of the Source of the Nile was alfo a fub- ject of thefe converlations, 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 mall not fay ; but my heart in that inftant did me juftice to fuggeft, that this, too, was either to be atchicved by me, or to remain, as it had done for thefe lad two thoufand years, a defiance to all travellers, and an opprobrium to geography.

Fortune feemed to enter into this fcheme. At the very inftant, Mr Afpinwall, very cruelly and ignominioufly treated by the Dey of Algiers., had refigned his confulfhip, and Mr Ford, a merchant, formerly the Dey's acquaintance, was na- med in his place. Mr Ford was appointed, and dying a few days after, the confullhip became vacant. Lord Halifax preffed me to accept of this, as containing all fort of conve- niencies for making the propoied expedition.

3. This

INTRODUCTION. tdi

Tins favourable event finally determined mc. I had alk my life applied unweariedly, perhaps with more love than talent, to drawing, the practice of mathematics, and efpe- pially that part neceilary to aftronomy. The tranftt of Ve- nus was at hand. It was certainly known that it would be vifible once at Algiers, and there was great reafon to expect it might be twice. I had furnifhed myfelf with a large ap- paratus of inftruments, the completed of their kind for the obfervation. In the choice of thefe I had been -amited by my friend Admiral Campbell, and Mr RufFel .fecretary to the Turkey Company; every other neceffary had been provided in proportion. Ir was a pleafure now to know that it was not from a rock or a wood, but from- my own houfe at Afr giers, I could deliberately take meafures to place myfelf in the lift of men of fcience of all nations, who were then pre- paring for the. fame fcientific purppfe, -

Thus prepared, I fet cut for Italy, through France ; an'd ' though it was in time of war, and fome ftrong .objections had been made to particular paiFports folicited by our go- vernment from the French fecretary of ftate, Monfieur de Choifeul mod obligingly waved all fuch exceptions with re- gard to me, and moft politely aftured me, in a letter ac- companying my paffport, that thofe difficulties did not in any mape regard me, but that I was perfectly at liberty to pafs through, or remain in France, with thofe that accom- panied me, without limiting their number, as fhort or as long a time as mould be agreeable tome,.

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

to-

viii INTRODUCTION.

to vifit Malta before he returned to England. It was faid, that the grand-mailer of that Order had behaved fo im- properly to Mr Hervey (afterwards Lord Briilol) in the be- ginning of the war, and fo partially and unjuilly between the two nations during the courfe of it, that an explanation on our part was become necefTary. The grand-mailer no fooner heard of my arrival at Naples, than gueffing the errand, he fent off Cavalier Mazzini to London, where he at once made his peace and his compliments to his Majefty upon his acceflion to the throne.

Nothing remained now but to take poffemon of my con- fulfliip. I returned without lofs 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 flaves, redeemed from the province of Conflantina, accounts of magnificent ruins they had feen while traverfing that country in the camp with their mailer the Bey. I faw the abfolute neceffity there was for affiilance, without which it was impoilible for any one man, however diligent and qualified, to do any thing but bewilder himfelr. All my endeavours, however, had hitherto been uni'uccefsful to perfuade any Italian to put himfelf wilfully into the hands of a people conilantly look- ed upon by them in no better light than pirates.

While I was providing myfelf with inilruments at Lon- don, I thought of one, which, though in a very fmall form and imperfect ilate, had been of great entertainment and ufe to me in former travels ; this is called a Camera Ub- fcura, the idea of which I had firft taken from the Spectacle

3 de

INTRODUCTION. ix

<ie la Nature of the Abbe Vertot. But the prefent one was condructed upon my own principles ; 1 intruded the execu- tion of the glades toMeiTrs Nairne and Blunt, Mathematical indrument-makers oppofite to the Exchange, whom I had ufually employed upon fuch occafions, and with whofe ca- pacity and fidelity I had, after frequent trials, the greateft reafon to be fatisfied.

This, when finifhcd, became a large and expenfive indru- ment; but being feparated into twopieces, the top and bottom, and folding compactly with hinges, was neither heavy, cum- berfome, nor inconvenient, and the charge incurred by the ad- ditions and alterations was confiderably more than compen- fated by the advantages which accrued from them. Its body was an hexagon of fix-feet diameter, with a conical top ; in this, as in a fummer-houfe, the draughtsman fat unfeen, and performed his drawing. There is now, I fee, one carried as a mow about the llreets, 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 indrument, a perfon of but a moderate {kill in drawing, but habituated to the effect of it, could do more work, and in a better tade, whiht executing views of ruined architecture, in one hour, than the readied draughtf- man, fo unaflifted, could do in feven ; for, with proper care, patience, and attention, not only the elevation, and every part of it, is taken with the utmod truih and juded propor- tion, but the light and made, the actual breaches as they ftand, vignettes, or little ornamental fnrubs, which generally hang fr >m and adorn the projections and edges of the feveral members, are finely exprefled, and beautiful leffons given,

Vol. I. b how

X INTRODUCTION.

how to tran fport them with effect to any part where they appear to be wanting.

Anot her greater and ineftimable advantage is, that all land- fcapes, and views of the country, which conftitute the back- ground of the picture, are real, and in the reality fhew, very ftrikingly indeed, in fuch a country as Africa, abounding in picturefque fcenes, how much nature is fuperior to the crea- tion of the warmeft genius or imagination. Momentary mafTes of clouds, efpecially the heavier ones, of flormy Ikies, will be fixed by two or three unftudied flrokes of a pencil ; and figures and dreis, in the moll agreeable attitudes and folds, leave traces that a very ordinary hand might fpeedily make his own/or, what is Hill better, enable him with thefe elements to ufe the afliftance of the bell artift he can find in every line of painting, and, by the help of thefe, give to each the utmoft poflible perfection ; a practice which I have constantly preferred and followed with fuccefs.

It is true, this inftrument has a fundamental defect in the laws of optics ; but this is obvious, and known una- voidably to exift ; and he muft be a very ordinary genius indeed, and very lame, both in theory and practice, that can- not apply the necefTary correction, with little trouble, and in a very fhort time.

I was fo well pleafed with the flrft trial of this inftrument at Julia Caifarea, now Sherfhell, about 60 miles from Al- giers, that I commifTioned a fmaller 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

INTRODUCTION. xi

perfect one, in my unfortunate fhipwreck at Bengazi *, the ancient Berenice, on the fhore of Cyrenaicum ; and this was of infinite fervice to me in my journey to Palmyra.

Thus far a great part of my wants were well fupplied, at leaflfuch ascould be forefeen, but Iflilllabouredunderrnany. Befides that lingle province of ruined architecture, there remained feveral others of equal importance to the public. The natural hiftory of the country, the manners and lan- guages of the inhabitants, the hiftory of the heavens, by a conftant obfervation of, and attention to which, a ufeful and intelligible map of the country could be obtained, weiv objects of the utmofl confequence.

Packing and repacking, mounting and rectifying thefe inflruments alone, befides the attention and time necefTary in ufing them, required what would have occupied one man, if they had been continual, which they luckily were not, and he fufficiently inftructed. I therefore endeavoured to procure fuch a number of afliitants, that mould each bear his fliare in thefe feveral departments ; not one only, but three or four if poflible. I was now engaged, and part of my pride was to iliew, how eafy a thing it was to difappoint the idle prophecies of the ignorant, that this expedition would be fpent in pleafure, without any profit to the public. I wrote to feveral correfpondents,MrLumifden,Mr Strange,Mr Byers, and others in different parts of Italy, acquainting them of my fituation, and begging their affiftance. Thefe gentlemen kindly ufed their utmofl endeavours, but in vain.

b 2 It

This will be explained afterwards.

xii INTRODUCTION.

It is true, Mr Chalgrin, a young French ftudentin archil* tecture, accepted thepropofal, andfentaneat fpecimen of rec- tilineal architecture. Even this gentleman might have been of fome ufe, but his heart failed him ; he would have wifhed the credit of the undertaking, without the fatigues of the journey. At lad Mr Lumifden, by accident, heard of a young man who was then ftudying architecture at Rome, a native of Bologna, whofe name was Luigi Balugani. I can appeal to Mr Lumifden, now in England, as to the extent of this perfon's practice and knowledge, and that he knew very little when firil fent to me. In the twenty months which he ftaid with me at Algiers, by affiduous application to proper fubjects under my inftruction, he became a very confiderable help to me, and was the only one that ever I made ufe of, or that attended me for a moment, or ever touched one-reprefentation of architecture in any part of my journey. He contracted an incurable diilemper in Palestine,, and died after a long (icknefs, foon after I entered Ethiopia, after having fuffered conftanr. ill-health from the time he left Sidon.

While travelling in Spain, it was a thought which fre- quently fuggefled itfelf to me, how little informed the world yet was in the hiftory of that kingdom and mo- narchy. The Moorifli part in particular, when it was moll celebrated for riches and for feience, was fcarccly known but from fome romances or novels. It feemed an under- taking worthy of a man of letters to refcue this period, from the oblivion or neglect under which it laboured. Materials were not wanting for this, as a confiderable num- ber of books remained in a neglected and almoll unknown language, the Arabic. I endeavoured to find accefs to fome

of

INTRODUCTION. xiu

of thofe Arabian manufcripts, an immcnfc collection of which were every day perifhing in the dull of the efcurial, , and was indulged with feveral convcrfations of Mr Wall, then minuter, every one of which convinced me, that the objections to what I wifhed were founded fo flrongly in prejudice, that it was not even in his power to remove them.

All my fuccefs in 'Europe terminated in the acquisition of thofe few printed Arabic books that I had found in Hol- land, and thefe were rather biographers than general hifto- rians, and contained little in point of general information. The fhidy of thefe, 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 manufcripts, an opportunity which 1 did not neglect.

ArTER a year fpent at Algiers, conflant converfation with the natives whilft abroad, and with my manufcripts within doors, had qualified me to appear in any part of the conti- nent without the help of an interpreter. Ludolf* had af- fured his readers, that the knowledge of any oriental lan- guage would foon enable them to acquire the Ethiopic, and I needed only the fame number of book;s to have made my knowledge of that language go hand in hand with my at- tainments in the Arabic. My immediate profpeet of fetting out on my journey to the inland parts of Africa, had made me double my diligence ; night and day there was no re- laxation from thefe Studies, although the acquiring any

fingle

* Ludolf, lib. i. cup. 15.

■sif INTRODUCTION.

fingle language had never been with me either an object of time or difficulty.

At this inflant, inftead of obtaining the liberty I had fo- liated to depart, orders arrived from the king to expect his further commands at Algiers, and not to think of ftirring from thence, till a difpute about pafTports was fettled, in which I certainly had no concern, further than as it regard- ed me as his Majefly's actual fervant, for it had originated entirely from the neglect of the former conful's letters di- rected to the fecretary of flate at home, before my coming to Algiers.

The ifland 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 thefe 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 wifhed to embroil us with the Barbary Hates, it being then the time of war with France. They were fold to Spaniards, Neapolitans, and other ene- mies of the Barbary regencies. The check* (the only proof that thefe pirates have of the veffels being a friend) agreed perfectly with the paffport filled up by the French gover- nor, but the captor feeing that the crew of thefe veffels were dark-coloured, wore muflachoes, and fpoke no Englifh, carried the veflel to Algiers, where the Britifli conful detect- ed

* This is a running figure cut through the middle like the check of a bank note.

INTRODUCTION. XV

ed the fraud, and was under the difagrceable neccffity of furrendering fo many Chriftians into flavery in the hands of their enemies.

One or two fuccefsful difcoveries of this kind made the hungry pirates believe that the paflport of every veflel they met with, even thofe of Gibraltar, were falfe imthemfelves, and iflued to protect their enemies.. Violent commotions were excited amongft the foldiery, abetted under hand by feveral of the neutral confuls there. By every occa- fion I had wrote home, but in vain, and the Dcy could ne- ver be perfuaded of this, as no anfwer arrived. Govern- ment 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 laft a temporary remedy was found, whether it originated from home, or whether it was in- vented by the governor of Mahon and Gibraltar, was ne- ver communicated to me, but a furer 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 circumftances of that officer required. Thefe were figned by his fignature, counterfigned by that of his fe- cretary,and contained nothing more than a bare and fimple declaration, that the veflel, the bearer of it, wasBritifh proper- ty. Thefe papers were called Pafavants. The cruifer, uninftruc- ted in this when he boarded a veflel, afked for his Mediter- ranean pafs. The mailer anfwered, He had none, he had only a paffavant, and fliewed the paper, which having no 4 check,

xvi INTRODUCTION.

check, the cruifer brought him and his veiTel 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 perfonal regard the Turks always fhewed me, I mould not have efcaped the infults of the foldiery in my way to the palace. The Dey afked me, up- on my word as a Chriflian and an Englifhman, whether thefe 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 ufelefs. I anfwered, That thefe pafTes 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 meafure ne- ceffity 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 bufinefs of fettling the general peace gave the Britifh miniftry time to breathe. Upon this the Dey, holding {qnzt2\ pajfavants in his hand, anfwered, with great emotion, in thefe memorable terms, " The Britifh government know that we can neither read nor write, no not even our own language ; we are igno- rant 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 thefe different wri-ings and feals are Governor Moftyn's, or Go- vernor Johnfton's, and not the Duke of Medina Sidonia's, or Barcelot's, captain of the king of Spain's cruifers ?" It was impoffible to anlwer a queilion fo fimple and fo direct. I I ached then the intrant of being cut to pieces by the fol- diery, or of having the whole Britifh Mediterranean trade carried into the Barbary ports. The candid and open man- ner in which I had fpoken, the regard and efteem the Dey i always

INTRODUCTION. xvii

always had (hewed me, and fome other common methods •with the members of the regency, ftaved off the dangerous moment, and were the means of procuring time. Admi- ralty partes at lad came out, and the matter was happily ad- juiled ; but it was an affair the lean pleafing and the leafl profitable, and one of the moll dangerous in which I was ever engaged.

All this difagreeable interval I had given to fludy, and making myfelf familiar with every thing that could be ne- cellary to me in my intended journey. The king's furgeon at Algiers, Mr Ball, a man of confiderable merit in his pro- feffion, and who lived in my family, had obtained leave to return home. Before I was deprived of this affiftance, I had made a point of drawing from it all the advantages pof- fible for my future travels. Mr Ball did not grudge his time or pains in the inftruction he gave me. I had made myfelf mauer of the art of bleeding, which I found confid- ed only in a little attention, and in overcoming that diffi- dence which the ignorance how the parts lie occafions. Mr Ball had fliewn me the manner of applying feveral forts of bandages, and gave me an idea of drefling fome kinds of fores and wounds, frequent and very ufeful leflbns, which I alfo received from my friend Doctor RuiTel at Aleppo, contributed greatly to improve me afterwards in the know- ledge of phyfic and furgery. I had afmall cheft of the mofl efficacious medicines, a difpenfary to teach me to com- pound others that were needful, and fome fhort treatifes up- on the acute difeafes of feveral countries within the tro- pics. Thus inftructed, I flatter myfelf, no offence I hope, I did not occafion a greater mortality among the Maho- metans and Pagans abroad, than may be attributed to Vol. I. c fome

JKvHi INTRODUCTION.

ibme of my brother phyficians among their fellow- Chriilk ans at home. .

The rev. -Mr Tonyn, the king's chaplain at Algiers, was ab'fent upon leave before I arrived in that regency. The Proteftant fhipmafters who came into the port, and had need of fpirifual afliftance, found here a blank that was not eafily filled up; I mould therefore have been obliged to take upon myfelf% 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 afliftance.

There was a Greek prieft, a native of Cyprus, a very ve- nerable man, part leventy years of age, who had attached himfelf 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 houfe. as- my chaplain, read Greek with him daily, and fpoke it at times when I could receive his correction and inftmclion. It was not that I, at this time of day, needed to learn Greek,. I had long un- derflood that language perfectly ; what I wanted was the pronunciation, and reading by accent, of which the gener- ality of Itnglifh fcholars are perfectly ignorant, and to which it is owing that they apprehend the Greek fpoken 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 con- veaience during^my paflage through the Archipelago

which

INTRODUCTION. *&

which I intended to vifit, without any defign of continuing or ftudying there : But the reader will afterwards fee of what very material fervice this acquaintance was to me, fo very elTential, indeed, that it contributed more to the fuccefs of my views in Abyilinia than any other help that I obtain- ed throughout the whole of it. This man's name was Pa- dre Chriftophoro, or Father Chriftophcr. At my leaving Al- giers, finding himfelf lefs conveniently fituated, he went to Egypt, to Cairo, where he was promoted to be fecond in rank under Mark, patriarch of Alexandria, where I after- wards found him.

Business of a private nature had at this time obliged -me to prefent myfelf at Mahon, a gentleman having promifed to meet me there ; I therefore failed from Algiers, having taken leave oftheDey, who furnifhed me with every letter that I afked, with ftrong and peremptory orders to all the officers of his own dominions, preffing recommendatory ones to the Bey of Tunis and Tripoli, ftates indepen- dent, indeed, of the Dey of Algiers, but over which the circumftances of the times had given him a confiderable in- fluence.

The violent difputes about the paffports had rather raif- ed 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 difappointed in the meeting I looked for at Mahon, I remained three days in Quarantine Ifland, though General Townfend, then deputy- governor, by every civility and attention in his power, ftrove to induce

c 2 me

xx INTRODUCTION.

me to come on {hore, that he might have an opportunity of (hewing me dill more attention and politenefs.

My mind being now full of more agreeable ideas than what had for fome time pad occupied it, I failed in a fmall veflel from Port Mahon, and, having a fair wind, in a fhort time made the coaft of Africa, at a cape, or headland, called Ras el Hamra *, and landed at Bona, a confiderable town, the ancient Aphrodifmm f, built from the ruins of Hippo Re- gius J, from which it is only two miles diftant. It Hands on a large plain, part of which feems to have been once over- flowed by the fea. Its trade confifts now in the exporta- tion of wheat, when, in plentiful years, that trade is per- mitted by the government of Algiers. I had a delightful voyage clofe down the coaft, and palled the fmall 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 fifhery, and along the coaft are immenfe forefts of large beautiful oaks, more than fufRcient to fupply the ne- cefnties of all the maritime powers in the Levant, if the qua- lity of the wood be but equal to the fize and beauty of the tree.

From Tabarca I failed and anchored at Biferta, the Hippo- zaritus || of antiquity, and thence went to pay a vifit to Utica, out of refpecl: to the memory of Cato, without having fanguine expectations of meeting any thing remarkable

there,

* 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..

INTRODUCTION. xxi

there, and accordingly I found nothing memorable but the name. It may be faid nothing remains of Utica but a heap of rubbifh and of fmall Hones ; without the city the trenches and approaches of the ancient befiegers are ftill very perfect.

After doubling Cape Carthage I anchored before the fortrefs of the Goletta, a place now of no flrength, notwith- ftanding the figure it made at the time of the expedition of Charles V. Rowing along the bay, between the Cape and this anchorage, I faw feveral buildings and columns ftill Handing under water, by which it appeared that old Car- thage had owed part of its dcflruction to the fea, and hence likewife may be inferred the abfurdity of any attempt to reprefent the fite of ancient Carthage upon paper. It has been, befides, at leaft ten times deftroyed, fo that the ftations, where its firft citizens fell fighting for their liberty, are covered deep in rubbifh, far from being trodden upon by thofe unworthy flaves who now are its mailers.

Tunis * is twelve miles diftant from this : It is a large and. flourifliing city. The people are more civilized than in Algiers, and the government milder, but the climate is very far from being fo good. Tunis is low, hot, and damp, and deftitute of good water, with which Algiers is fupplied from, a thoufand fprings.

I delivered my letters from the Bey, and obtained per- miflion to vifit the country in whatever direction I mould

pleafe.

LLv. Epit. xxx. 1. 9.

xxii INTRODUCTION.

plcafe. I took with me a French renegado, of the name of Ofman, recommended to me by Moniicur Bartheleny de Saizieux, conful of France to that ftate ; a gentleman whole converfation and frjendfliip furnifh .me ilill with feme of the moll agreeable reflections that refu.lt from my travels. With Ofman I took ten fpahi, or horfe- foldiers, well armed with firelocks ,and piftols, excellent horiemen, and, as far as Icould ever difcern upon the few occakons that prefented, as eminent for cowardice, at leaft, as they were for horfemanfhip. This -was not the cafe with Ofman, who was very brave, but he needed a fharp look-out, that he did not often embroil us where there was accefs to women or to wine.

-One of the moft agreeable favours I received was from a lady of the Bey, who furnimed me with a two-wheeled covered cart, exactly like thofe of the bakers in England. In this I fecured my quadrant and telefcope from the wea- ther, and at .times put likewife fome,of the feebleft of my attendants. Befides thefe I had ten fervants, two of whom were Irim, who having deferted from the Spanifh regi- ments in Oran, and being Britilh born, though flaves, as being Spanifh foldiers, were given to me at parting by the Dey of Algiers.

The coaft along which I had failed was part of Numidia and Africa Proper, and there I met with no ruins. I refol- ved now to difcribute my inland journey through the king- dom of Algiers and Tunis. In order to comprehend the whole.,, I firft fet out along the river Majerda, through a country perfectly cultivated and inhabited by people under 2 the

INTRODUCTION. x^H

the controul of government, this river was the ancient Bag* rada*.

AFTERpaffing a 'triumphal arch of bad tafte at BafU-bab, I came the next day to Thuggaf, perhaps more properly called Tucca, and by the inhabitants Dugga. The reader in this part mould have Doctor Shaw's Work before him, my map of the journey not being yet published ; and, indeed, after Shaw's, it is fcarcely necefTary to thofe who need only an itinerary, as, befides his ownobfervations, he had for ba» lis thofe of Sanfon.

I found at Dugga a large fcene of ruins, among which one building was eafily diftinguifhable. It was a large temple of the Corinthian order, all of Parian marble, the co- lumns fluted, the cornice highly ornamented in the very belt ftyle of fculpture. In the tympanum is an eagle flying to heaven, with a •human figure upon his back,, which, by the many inferiptions that are Hill remaining,- feems to be intended for that of Trajan, and the apotheoils of that em- peror to be the fubjecT:, the temple having been erected by Adrian to that prince, his benefactor and predeceflbr, I fpent fifteen days upon the architecture of this temple with- out feeling the fmalleft difguft, or forming a wifh to finim it; it is,with all its parts, flill unpublished in my collection, Thefe beautiful and magnificent remains of ancient tafte and greatnefs, fo eafily reached in perfect fafety, by a ride along the Bagrada,full as pleafant and as fafe as along the Thames

between

* Strabo lib xvii. p. 1 189. It fignifies the tiver of Cows, or Kine. P. Mela lib. ;. cap, .7. Sft. It. lib, vi. 1, 140, -f Pro!. Geog, lib* iy, Procop, lib. vi. c:p. 5. de MdiS.

xxiv INTRODUQTION.

between London and Oxford, were at Tunis totally urv known. Doctor Shaw has given the ihuation of the place, without faying one word about any thing curious it con- tains.

From Dugga I continued the upper road to KefF*, for- merly called Sicca Venerea, or Venerea ad Siccam, through the pleafant plains inhabited by the Welled Yagoube. I then proceeded to Hydra, the Thunodrunum f of the an- cients. This is a frontier place between the two kingdoms of Algiers and Tunis, as KefFis alfo. It is inhabited by a tribe of Arabs, whofe chief is a marabout, or faint ; they are called Welled Sidi Boogannim, the " fons of the father of flocks."

These Arabs are immenfely rich, paying no tribute ei- ther to Tunis or Algiers. The pretence for this exemption is a very fingular one. By the inftitution of their founder, they are obliged to live upon lions flefh for their daily food, as far as they can procure it ; with this they flrictly comply, and, in confideration of the utility pf this their vow, they are not taxed, like the other Arabs, with payments to the (late. The confequence of this life is, that they are ex- cellent and well-armed horfemen, exceedingly bold and undaunted hunters. It is generally imagined, indeed, that thefe confiderations, and that of their fituation on the fron- tier, have as much influence in procuring them exemption from taxes, as the utility of their vow.

2 There

* Val. Max. lib. ii. cap. 6. § ij. f Pto1- Geog. lib. iv.

INTRODUCTION. xxv

There is at Thunodrunum a triumphal arch, which Di Shaw thinks is more remarkable for its fize than for its taile or execution ; but the fize is not extraordinary ; on the other hand, both taile and execution are admirable. It is, with all its parts, in the King's collection, and, taking the whole together, is one of the moil beautiful landfcapes in black and white now exiiling. The diflance, as well as the fore-ground, are both from nature, and exceedingly well calculated for fuch reprefentation.

Before Dr Shaw's travels firft acquired the celebrity they have maintained ever fince, there was a circumitance that very nearly ruined their credit. He had ventured to fay in converfation, that thefe Welled Sidi Boogannim were eaters of lions, and this was confidered at Oxford, the univerfity where he had fludicd, as a traveller's licenfe on the part of the Doctor. They took it as a fubverfion of the natural or- der of things, that a man mould eat a lion, when it had long patted as almoil the peculiar province of the lion to cat man. The Doctor flinched under the fagacity and fe- verity of this criticifm ; he could not deny that the Welled Sidi Boogannim did eat lions, as he had repeatedly faid ; but he had not yet publifhed his travels, and therefore left it out of his narrative, and only hinted at it after in his ap- pendix.

With all fubmiffion to that learned univerfity, I will not difpute the lion's title to eating men ; but, fince it is not founded upon patent, no confideration will make me ilifle fae merit of Welled. Sidi Boogannim, who have turned the chace upon the enemy. It is an hiilorical fact ; and I will not fuffer the public to be milled by a mifreprefentation

Vol. I. d of

*xvi INTRODUCTION.

of it ; on the contrary, I do aver, in the face of thefe fantaf- tic prejudices, that I have ate the flefh of lions, that is, part of three lions, in the tents of Welled Sidi Boogannim. The firfl was a he-lion, lean, tough, fmelling violently of raufk, and had the tafte which, I imagine, old horfe-flefh would have. The fecond was a lionefs, which they faid had that year been barren. She had a conliderable quantity of fat within her ; and, had it not been for the mufky fmell that the flefh had, though in a lefTer degree than the former, and for our foolifh prejudices againfl it, the meat, when broiled, would not have been very bad. The third was a a lion's whelp, fix or feven months old ; it tailed, upon the whole, the worfl of the three. I confefs I have no defire of being again ferved with fuch a morfel ; but the Arabss a brutifh and ignorant folk, will, I fear, notwithftanding the difbelief of the univerfity of Oxford, continue to eat lions as long as they exift..

From Hydra I pafled to the ancient Tipafa*, another Roman colony, going by the fame name to this day. Here is a mofl extenfive fcene of ruins. There is a large tem- ple, and a four-faced triumphal arch of the Corinthian or- der, in the very befl tafle ; both of which are now in the collection of the King. .

I here crofTed the river Myfkianah, which falls into the Bagrada, and continuing through one of the mofl beautiful and befl-cultivated countries in the world, I entered the «aflern province of Algiers, now called Conflantina, ancient-

Pjol. Geog. Ilk. iv. p. 1 06.

INTRODUCTION. xxvii

ly the Mauritania Csefarienfis, whofc capital, Conflantina, is the ancient metropolis of Syphax. It was called Cirta *j and, after Julius Cafar's conqueft, Cirta Sittianorum, from Caius Sittius who mil took it. It is fituated upon a high, gloomy, tremendous precipice. Part only of its aqueduct remains : the water, which once was carried into the town, now fpills itfelf from the top of the cliff into a chafm, or narrow valley, above four hundred feet below. The view of it is in the King's collection ; a band of robbers, the figures which adorn it, is a compofition from imagination ; all the reft is perfectly real.

The Bey was at this time in his camp, as he was making war with the Hanneifhah, the mofl powerful tribe of Arabs in that province. After having refreflied myfelf in the Bey's palace I fet out to Seteef, the Sitifif of antiquity, the capital of Mauritania Sitifenfis, at fome diftance from which I joined the Bey's army, confifting of about 1 2,000 men, with four pieces of cannon. After flaying a few days with the Bey, and obtaining his letters of recommendation, I proceed- ed to Taggou-zainah, anciently Diana VeteranorumJ, as we learn by an infeription on a triumphal arch of the Corin- thian order which I found there.

Trom Taggou-zainah I continued my journey neaiiy flraight S. E. and arrived at Medrafhem, a fuperb pile of building, the fepulchre of Syphax, and the other kings of •Numidia, and where, as the Arabs believe, were alio depo-

d 2 fited

* Ptol. Geog. lib. iy. p. 1 1 i. f Ptol. Geog. lib. i7. p. ioS-

4 Vide Itin. Anton.

xxviri INTRODUCTION,

fited the tr'eafures of thofe kings. A drawing of this monu- ment is Hill unpubliflied in my collection. Advancing ilill to the S. E. through broken ground and fome very barren valleys, which produced nothing but game, 1 came to Jib* bel Aurez, the Aurafius Mons of the middle age. This is not one mountain, but an ailemblage of many of the moil craggy flceps in Africa.

Here I met, to my great aftonifhment, a tribe, who, if I cannot fay they were fair like Englifh, were of a made lighter than that of the inhabitants of any country to the fouthward of Britain. Their hair alfo was red, and their eyes blue. They are a favage and independent people ; it required addrefs to approach them with fafety, which, how- ever, I accompliihed, (the particulars would take too much room for this place), was well received, and at perfect li- berty to do whatever I pleafed. This tribe is called Neardie; Each of the tribe, in the middle between their eyes, has a Greek crofs marked with antimony. They are Kabyles. Though living in tribes, they have among the mountains huts, built with mud and flraw, which they call Dafhkrasy, whereas the Arabs live in tents on the plains. I imagine thefe to be a remnant of Vandals, Procopius* mentions a defeat of an army of this nation here, after a defperatc re- fiftance, a remnant of which may be luppofed to have main- tained themfelves in thefe mountains. They with great pleafurc confefled their anceflors had been Chriflians, and feemed to rejoice much more in that relation than in any connection with the Moors, with whom they live in perpe- tual

* Pi-iiccg. Bell. Vanii. lib. ii. cap. 13.

INTRODUCTION. xxix

tual war : they pay no taxes to the Bey, but live in conflant defiance of him.

As this is the Mons Audus of Ptolemy, here too muft be fixed his Lambefa* or Lambefentium Colonia, which, by a hundred Latin inferiptions remaining on the fpot, it is atteft- ed to have been. It is now called Tezzoute : the ruins of the city are very extenfive. There are feven of the gates Hill Handing, and great pieces of the walls folidly built with fquare mafonry without lime. The buildings remain- ing are of very different ages, from Adrian to Aurelian, nay even to Maximin. One building only, fupported by columns of the Corinthian order, was in good taite; what its ufe was I know not. The drawing of this is in the King's collec- tion. It was certainly defigned for fome military purpofe, by the fize of the gates ; I mould fufpect a liable, for ele- phants, or a repofitory for catapulta, or other large military machines, though there are no traces left upon the walls in- dicating either. Upon the key-ftone of the arch of the principal gate there is a baflb-relievo of the Standard of a legion, and upon it an infeription, Legio tertia Augufta, which legion, we know from hiflory, was quartered here. Dr Shawf fays, that there is here a neat, round, Corinthian temple, called Cubb el Arroufah, the Cupola or Dome of the Bride or Spoufe. Suoh a building does exift, but it is by no means of a good taile, nor of the Corinthian order ; but of a long difproportioned Doric, of the time of Aurelian, and does not merit the attention of any arehitccl. Dr Shaw

never

1 Ptol Gicg. lib. iv. p. 1 1 1. | Shaw's Travel?, chap. viii. p. 57.

xxx INTRODUCTION.

■never was. fo far fouth. as Jibbel Aurez, {o could only fay this from report.

From Jibbel Aurcz nothing occurred in the flyle of ar- chitecture that was material. Hydra remained on the left hand. I came to Caflareen, the ancient Colonia Scillitana% where I fuffercd fome thing both from hunger and from fear. The country was more rugged and broken than any we had yet feen, and withal lei's fruitful and inhabited. The Moors of thefe parts are a rebellious tribe, called Nemem- mah, who had fled from their ordinary obligation of attend- ing the Bey, and had declared themfelves on the part of the rebel-moors, the Hcnncifhah.

'My intentions now were to reach Feriana, the Thalaf of the ancients, where I expected confiderable fubjects for iludy ; but in this I was difappointed, and being on the frontier, and in dangerous times, when feveral armies were in the field, I thought it better to fleer my courfe eaft- ward, and avoid the theatre of war.

"Journeying eaft, I came to Spaitla J, and again got into ■the kingdom of Tunis. Spaitla is a corruption of SufTetula ||, which was probably its ancient name before it became a Roman colony; fo called from SufTetes, a magiftrature in all the countries dependent upon Carthage. Spaitla has ma- ny inicriptions, and very extenfive and elegant remains. There are three temples, two of them Corinthian, and one of

the

'* Shaw's Travels, cap. v. p. 119* t Sal. Eel. Jug. § 94. L. Fior. lib. iii. cap. 1. % Shaft's Travels, chap. v. p. 118.

f| Inn. Anton. p< 3*

introduction: Xxxi

the Com pofite order; a great part of them is entire. A beautiful and perfect, capital of the Compofite order, the only perfect one that now exiits, is defigned, in all its parts, in a very large fize ; and, with the detail of the reft of the ruin, is a precious monument of what that order was, now in the col- lection of the King.

Doctor Shaw, ftruck with the magnificence of Spaitla, lias attempted fomething like the three temples, in a ftile* much like what one would expect from an ordinary carpen- ter, or mafon. I hope I have done them more juilice, and I recommend the ftudy of the Compofite capital, as of the Corinthian capital at Dugga, to thofe who really wifh to know the tafte with which thefe two orders were executed in the time of the Antonines. -

The Welled Omran, a lawlefs, plundering tribe, inquieted me much in the eight days I ftaid at Spaitla.. It was a fair match between coward and coward. With my company, I was inclofed in a fquare in which the three temples flood, where there yet remained aprecindt of high walls. Thefe plunderers would have come in to me , but were afraid of my fire-arms ; and I would have run away from them, had I not been afraid of meeting their horfe in the plain. I was almoft flarved to death, when I was relieved by the arrival of Welled Harlan, and a friendly tribe of Dreeda, that came to my affiftance, and brought me, at once, both fafety and provifion. .

From Spaitla I went to Gilma, or Oppidum Chilma- nenfe. There is here a large extent of rubbifh and Hones, but no diftinct trace of any building whatever.

4 FrO?4 :.

xxxii INTRODUCTION.

From Gilma I palled to Muchtar, corruptly now fo call" ed. Its ancient name is Tucca Terebinthina *. Dr Shaw f fays its modern name is Sbeeba, but no fuch name is known here. I might have pafTed more directly from Spaitla fouth- ward, but a large chain of mountains, to whofe inhabitants I had no recommendation, made me prefer the fafer and plainer road by Gilma. At Tucca Terebinthina are two tri- umphal arches, the largeft of which I fuppofe equal in tafte, execution, and mafs, to anything now exifting in the world. The leflcr is more fimple, but very elegant. They are both, with all the particulars of their parts, not yet engraved, but Hill in my collection.

From Muchtar, or Tucca Terebinthina, we came to KifTer$, which Dr Shaw conjectures to have been the Colonia Afiuras of the ancients, by this it fhould feem he had not been there ; for there is an inscription upon a triumphal arch of very good tafte, now ftanding, and many others to be met with up and down, which confirms beyond doubt his conjecture to be a juft one. There is, befides this, a iroall fquare temple, upon which are carved feveral inllruments of facrifice, which are very curious, but the execution of thefe is much inferior to the delign. It ftands on the de- clivity of a hill, above a large fertile plain, (till called the Plain of Surfe, which is probably a corruption of its ancient name Afiuras,

From Kiffer I came to Mufti, where there is a trium- phal arch of very good ^tafte, but perfectly in ruins ; the j merit

* Itin. Anton, p. 3. t Shaw's Travels, cap. v. p. 115.

X CeJ. Gsog. Antique, lib. iy. cap. 4. and cap. 5. p. 11S.

INTRODUCTION. xxxiii

merit of its fcveral parts only could be collcvftcd from the fragments which lie flrewed upon the ground.

From Mufli * I proceeded north- ea-ft ward to Tuberfokc, thence again to Dugga, and down the Bagrada to Tu- nis.

My third, or, which may be called my middle journey through Tunis, was by Zowan, a high mountain, where is a large aqueducl: which formerly carried its water to Car- thage. Thence I came to Jelloula, a village lying below high mountains on the weft ; thefe are the Montes VafFaleti of Ptolemy $, as the town itfelf is the Oppidum Ufalitanum of Pliny. I fell here again into the ancient road at Gilma ; and, not fatisfied with what 1 had feen of the beauties of Spaitla, I pafled there five days more, correcting and revi- fing what I had already committed to paper. Independent of the treafure I found in the elegance of its buildings, the town itfelf is fituated in the mofl beautiful fpot in Barbary, furrounded thick with juniper-trees, and watered by a plea- fan t dream that finks there under the earth, and appears no more.

Here I left my former road at CafTareen, and proceeding directly S. h. came to i eriana, the road that 1 had abandon- ed before from prudential motives, b eriana, as has been before obferved, is the ancient 1 hala, taken and deilroyed by Metellus in his purfuit of Jugurtha. I had formed, I know not from what rcafon, fanguine expectations of ele- Vol. I. e gant

* Itin. Anton, p. 2. .t Ptol. Geog. lib. iy. p. in

XXxiv INTRODUCTION.

gant remains here, but in this I was difappointed ; I found' nothing remarkable but the baths of very warm water * without the town ; in thefe there was a number of fifli,. above four inches in length, not unlike gudgeons. Upon trying the heat by the thermometer, I remember to have been much furprifed that they could have exifled, or even not been boiled, by continuing long in the heat of this medium. As I marked the degrees with a pencil while I was myielf naked in the water, the leaf was wetted accidentally, fo that I mined the precife degree I meant to have recorded, and do not pretend to fupply it from memory. The bath is at the head of the fountain, and the dream runs off to a confider- able diftance. I think there were about five or fix dozen of thefe fifli in the pool. I was told likewife, that they went down into the dream to a certain diitance in the day, and returned to the pooL or warmed and deeped water, at. night.

From Feriana I proceeded S. EAo Gafsa, the ancient Capfaf, and thence to Tozer, formerly Tifurus ||. I then turned nearly N. E. and entered a large lake of water called the Lake of Marks, becaufe in the paflage of it there is a row of large trunks of palm-trees let up to guide travellers in the road which erodes it. Docftor Shaw has fettled very diitinctly the geography of this place, and thofe about it. It is the Palus Tritonidis £ as he jultly obferves ; this was the mod barren and unpleafant part of my journey

in

* This fountain is called El Tarmid. Nub. Geog. p. 86. * Sal. Bell. § 94. It Itin. Anton, p. 4. t Shaw'3 Travels, cap. v. p. 12&

INTRODUCTION. xxxv

in Africa ; barren not only from the nature of its foil, but by its having no remains of antiquity in the whole courfe of it.

From this I came to Gabs, or Tacape * after paffing El Hammah, the baths which were the Aquas Tacapitanas of antiquity, where the fmall river Triton, by, the moifture which it furniflies, moil agreeably and fuddenly changes the defert fcene, and covers the adjacent fields with all kinds of flowers and verdure.

I was now arrived upon the leiTer Syrtis, and continued along the fea-coafl northward to Infhilla, without having made any addition to my obfervations. I turned again to the N. W. and came to El Gemme $, where there is a very large and fpacious amphitheatre, perfect as to the defola- tion of time, had not Mahomet Bey blown up four arches of it from the foundation, that it might not ferve as a for- trefs to the rebel Arabs. The fections, elevations, and plans, with the whole detail of its parts, are in the King's collec- tion.

I have ftill remaining, but not finiflied, the lower or fub- terraneous plan of the building, an entrance to which I forced open in my journey along the coaft to Tripoli. This was made fo as to be fdled with water by means of a fluke and aqueduct, which are ftill entire. The water rofe up in the arena, through a large fquare-hole faced with hewn- ftone in the middle, when there was occafion for water- games or naumachia. Doctor Shaw f imagines this was

e 2 intended

* Itin. Anton, p. 4. J Id. Ibid. f Shaw's Travels, p. 117. cap. 5.

xxxvi INTRODUCTION.

intended to contain the pillar that fupported the velum, which covered the fpe&ators from the influence of the fun. It might have ferved for both purpofes, but it feems to be too large for the latter, though I confefs the more I have confidered the fize and conitruftion of thefe amphitheatres, the lefs I have been able to form an idea concerning this velum, or the manner in which it ferved the people, how it wasfecured, and how it was removed. This was the lafc ancient building I vifited in the kingdom of Tunis, and I believe I may confidently fay, there is not, either in the ter- ritories of Algiers or Tunis, a fragment of good tafte of which I have not brought a drawing to Britain.

I continued along the coaft to Sufa, through a fine coun- try planted with olive trees, and came again to Tunis, not only without difagreeable accident, but without any inter- ruption from ficknefs or other caufe. I then took leave of the Bey, and, with the acknowledgments ufual on fuch occafions, again fet out from Tunis, on a very ferious journey indeed, over the defert to Tripoli, the firft part of which to Gabs was the fame road by which I had fo lately returned. From Gabs 1 proceeded to the ifland of Geiba, the Meninx * Infula, or Ifland of the Lotophagi.

Doctor Shaw fays, the fruit he calls the Lotus is very frequent all over that coaft. I wifh he had faid what was this Lotus. To fay it is the fruit the moft common on that coaft is no defcription, for there is there no fort of fruit

whatever ;

* Boch. Chan. lib. i. cap. 2 J. Shaw's Travels, cap. iv. p. 115.

INTRODUCTION. xxxvu

whatever; no bufh, no tree, nor verdure of any kind, ex- cepting the fliort grafs that borders thefe countries before you enter the moving fands of the defert. Doftor Shaw never was at Gerba, and has taken this particular from fome unfaithful ftory-teller. The Wargumma and Nolle,, two great tribes of Arabs, are mailers of thefe defcrts. Sid! Ifmain, whofe grandfather, the Bey of Tunis, had been de- throned and ftrangled by the Algerines, and who was him- felf then prifoner at Algiers, in great repute for valour, and in great intimacy with me, did often ule to fay, that he ac- counted his having pafled that defert on horfeback as the hardieit of all his undertakings.

About four days journey from Tripoli I met the Emir Hadje conduding the caravan of pilgrims from Fez and Sus in Morocco, all acrofs Africa to Mecca, that is, from the Weftern Ocean, to the wefcern banks of the Red Sea in the kingdom of Sennaar. He was a middle-aged man, uncle to the prefent emperor, of a very uncomely, rtupid kind of countenance. His caravan confifted of about 3000 men, and, as his people faid, from 12,000 to 14,000 camels, part loaded with merchandife, part with fkins of water, flour, and other kinds of food, for the maintenance of the hadjees ; they were a fcurvy, diforderly, unarmed pack, and when my horfemen, tho' but fifteen in number, came up with them in the grey of the morning, they mewed great figns of tre- pidation, and were already flying in confufion. When informed who they were, their fears ceafcd, and, after the ufual manner of cowards, they became extremely info- lent.

At

rxxviii INTRODUCTION.

At Tripoli I met the Hon. Mr Frazer of Lovat, his Majefty's oonfu'l in that ftation, from whom I received every fort of kindnefs, comfort, and affiftance, which I very much need- ed after fo rude a journey, made with fuch diligence that two of my horfes died fome days after.

I had hopes of finding fomething at Lebeda, formerly Leptis Magna *, three days journey from Tripoli, where are indeed a great number of buildings, many of which are covered by the fands ; but they are of a bad tafle, moflly ill-proportioned Dorics of the time of Aurelian. Seven large columns of granite were ihipped from this for France, in the reign of Louis XIV. deflined for one of the palaces he was then building. The eighth was broken on the way, and lies now upon the fhore. Though I was difappointed at Lebeda, ample amends were made me at Tripoli on my return.

From Tripoli I fent. an Englifh fervant to Smyrna with my books, drawings, and fupernumerary inftruments, re- taining only extracts from fuch authors as might be necef- fary for me in the Pentapolis, or other parts of the Cyrenai- cum. I then croffed the Gulf of Sidra, formerly known by the name of the Syrtis Major, and arrived at Bengazi, the ancient Berenice §, built by Ptolemy Philadelphus.

The brother of the Bey of Tripoli commanded here, a

young man, as weak in undcrflanding as he was in health.

2 All

* Itin.. Anton, p. 104. § Ptol. Geog. p. 4.

INTRODUCTION. >

All the province was in extreme confufion. Two tribe Arabs, occupying the territory to the weft of the town, who in ordinary years, and in time of peace, were the fources of its wealth and plenty, had, by the mifmanagement of the Bey, entered into deadly quarrel. The tribe that lived moil ro the wcihvard, and which was reputed the weakeit, had beat the moll numerous that was nearefc the town, called Welled Abid, and driven them within its walls. The in- habitants of Bengazi had for a year before been la- bouring under a fevere famine, and by this accident a- bout four thoufand perfons, of all ages and fexes, were forced in upon them, when perfectly deftitute of eve- ry neceffary. Ten or twelve people were found dead every night in the ltreets, and life was faid in many to be fupported by food that human nature fliudders at the thoughts of. Impatient to fly from thefe Thyeftean feafts, I prevailed upon the Bey to fend me out fome diftance to the fouthward, among, the Arabs where famine had been, lefs felt.

I encompassed a great part of the Pentapolis, vifited the ruins of Arfinoe, and.though I was much more feebly recom- mended than ufual, I happily received neither infult nor in- jury. Finding nothing at Arfinoe nor Barca, I continued my journey to Ras Sem, the petrified city, concerning which fo many monftrous lies were told by the Tripoline ambanador, Caffem Aga, at the beginning of this century, and all believed in England, though they carried falfehood upon the very face of them*. It was not then the age of"

incredulity

* Show's Travels, feft. TJ.p. ij<5.

xl INTRODUCTION.

incredulity, We were faft advancing to the celebrated epoch of the man in the pint-bottle, and from that time to be as .abfurdly incredulous as we were then the revcrfe, and with the fame degree of reafon.

Ras Sem is five long days journey fouth from Bengazi; it has no water, except a fpring very difagreeable to the tafle, that appears to be impregnated with alum, and this has given it the name it bears of Ras Sem, or the Fountain of Poifon, from its bitternefs. The whole remains here con- fift in the ruins of a tower or fortification, that feems to be a work full as late as the time of the Vandals. How or what ufe they made of this water I cannot pofiibly guefs ; they had no other at the diftance of two days journey. I was not fortunate enough to difcover the petrified men and horfes, the women at the churn, the little children, the cats, the dogs, and the mice, which his Barbarian excellency af- fured Sir Hans Sloane exifted there : Yet, in vindication of his Excellency, I muft fay, that though he propagated, yet he did not invent this falfehood ; the Arabs who conducted me maintained the fame ftories to be true, till I was within two hours of the place, where I found them to be falfe. I faw indeed mice *, as they are called, of a very extraordi- nary kind, having nothing of petrifaction about them, but agile and active, fo to partake as much of the bird as the beaft.

Approaching now the fea-coaft I came to Ptolometa, the ancient Ptolemais J, the work of Ptolemy Philadelphus, the

walls

* Jerboa, fee a figure of it in the Appendix. J Itin. Anion, p. 4.

INTRODUCTION, xli

walls and gates of which city arc ftill entire. There is a prodigious number of Greek inferiptions, but there remain only a few columns of the portico, and an Ionic temple, in the firft manner of executing that order ; and therefore, flight as the remains are, they are trcafures in the hiftory of architecture which are worthy to be preferved. Thefc are in the King's collection, with all the parts that could be recovered.

Here I met a fmall Greek junk belonging to Lampedo- fa, a little ifland near Crete, which had been unloading corn, and was now ready to fail. At the fame time the Arabs of Ptolometa told me, that the Welled Ali, a powerful tribe that occupy the whole country between that place and Alexandria, were at war among themfelves, and had plundered the caravan of Morocco, of which I have already fpoken, and that the pilgrims compofing it had moftly pe- rifhed, having been Scattered in the defert without water ; that a great famine had been at Derna, the neighbouring town, to which I intended to go ; that a plague had follow- ed, and the town, which is divided into upper and lower, was engaged in a civil war. This torrent of ill news was irrefiftiblc, and was of a kind I did not propofc to wreftle with ; befides, there was nothing, as far as I knew, that me- rited the rifk. I refolved, therefore, to fly from this inhof- pitable coafl, and fave to the public, at leaft, that knowledge and entertainment I had acquired for them.

I embarked on board the Greek vefTel, very ill accoutred, as we afterwards found, and, though it had plenty of fail, it had not an ounce of ballad. A number of people, men, women, and children, flying from the calamities which at-

VOL. I. * tCIld

xlii INTRODUCTION.

tend famine, crowded in unknown to me ; but the paflage was fhort, the vefTel light, and the mailer, as we fuppofed, well accuftomed to thefe feas. The contrary of this, how- ever, was the truth, as we learned afterwards, when too late, for he was an abfolute landfman ; proprietor indeed of the vefTel, but this had been his firft voyage. We failed at dawn of day in as favourable and pleafant weather as ever I faw at fea. It was the beginning of September, and a light and deady breeze, though not properly fair, promifed a fhort and agreeable voyage ; but it was not long before it turned frefh and cold ; we then had a violent mower of hail, and the clouds were gathering as if for thunder. I obferved that we gained no offing, and hoped, if the wea- ther turned bad, to perfuade the Captain to put into Benga- zi, for one inconvenience he prefently difcovered, that they had not provi'fion on board for one day.

HowrvER, the wind became contrary, and blew a violent ftorm, feeming to menace both thunder and rain. The vef- fel being in her trim with large latine fails, fell violently to leeward, and they fcarce would have' weathered the Cape that makes the entrance into the harbour of Eengazi. which is a very bad one, when all at once it (truck upon a funken rock, and feemed to be fet down upon it. The wind at that inftant feemed providentially to calm ; but I no fooner ob- ferved the fhip had ftruck than I began to think of my own fituation. We were not far from fhore, but there was an exceeding great fwell at fea. Two boats were Mill towed aftern of them, and had not been hoifted in. Roger M'Cor- mack, my Irifli fervant, had been a failor on board the Mo- narch before he deferted to the Spanifh fervice. He and the ether, who had likewiie been a failor, prefently untam- ed

INTRODUCTION. xliii

ed the largeft boat, and all three got down into her, follow- ed by a multitude of people whom we could not hinder, and there was, indeed, fomething that bordered on cruelty, in preventing poor people from uiing the fame means that we had done for preferving their lives ; yet, unlefs we had killed them, the prevention was impofiible, and, had we been inclined to that meafure, we dared not, as we were upon a Mooriih coaft. The moft that could be done was, to get loofe from the fhip as foon as poilible, and two oars were prepared to row the boat afliorc. I had ftript myfelf to a fhort under- waiftcoat and linen drawers ; a filk fafh, or girdle, was wrapt round me ; a pencil, fmall pocket-book, and watch, were in the breafl-pocket of my waiftcoat; two Moorifh and two Englifli fervants followed me ; the reft, more wife, remained on board.

We were not twice the length of the boat from the vef- fel before a wave very nearly filled the boat. A howl of defpair from thofe that were in her mewed their helplefs flate, and that they were confeious of a danger they could not fhun. I lav/ the fate of all was to be decided by the very next wave that was rolling in ; and apprehenfive that £bme woman, child, or helplefs man would lay hold of me, and entangle my arms or legs and weigh me down, I cried to my fervants, both in Arabic and hngliGi, We are all loft; if you can fwim, follow me ; I then let myfelf down in the face of the wave. Whether that, or the next, filled the boat, I know not, as I went to leeward to make my dillance as great as poilible. I was a good, ftrong, and praclifed fwim- mer, in the flower cf life, full of health, trained to excrcife and fatigue of every kind, All this, however, which might

F 2 have

5tliv INTRODUCTION,

have availed much in deep water, was not fufficient when I came to the furf. I received a violent blow upon my bread from the eddy wave and reflux, which feemed as given me by a large branch of a tree, thick cord, or fome elaftic weapon. It threw me upon my back, made me fwal- low a confiderable quantity of water, and had then almoft fuffbcated me.

I avoided the next wave, by dipping my head and letting it pafs over, but found myfelf breathlefs, exceedingly weary and exhaufled. The land, however, was before me, and clofe at hand. A large wave floated me up. I had the profpect of efcape flill nearer, and endeavoured to prevent myfelf from going back into the furf. My heart was flrong, but ftrength was apparently failing, by being involuntarily twilled about, and ftruck on the face and breafl by the vio- lence of the ebbing wave : it now feemed as if nothing re- mained but to give up the ftruggle, and refign to my def- tiny. Before I did this I funk to found if I could touch the ground, and found that I reached the fand with my feet, though the water was flill rather deeper than my mouth. The fuccefs of this experiment infufedinto me the ftrength of ten men, and I ftrove manfully, taking advantage of floating only with the influx of the wave, and preserving my ftrength for the ftruggle againft the ebb, which, by finking and touching the ground, I now made more eafy. At laft, finding my hands and knees upon the fands, I fixed my nails into it, and obftinately refilled being carried back at all, crawling a few feet when the fea had retired. I had perfectly loft my recollection and underftanding, and after creeping fo far as to be out of the reach of the fea, I fup-

goifi

INTRODUCTION. xlv

pofe I fainted, for from that time I was totally infenftble of any thing that palTed around me.

In the mean time the Arabs, who live two fliort miles from the more, came down in crowds to plunder the veflel. One of the boats was thrown afliore, and they had belonging to them fome others ; there was one yet with the wreck which fcarcely appeared with its gunnel above water. All the people were now taken on more, and thofe only loft who perimed in the boat. What firft wakened me from this femblance of death was a blow with the butt-end of a lance, mod with iron, upon the juncture of the neck with the back- bone. This produced a violent fenfation of pain ; but it was a mere accident the blow was not with the point, for the fmall, fhort waiftcoat, which had been made at Al- giers, the fafli and drawers, all in the Turkifh fafhion, made the Arabs believe that I was a Turk ; and after many blows, kicks, and curfes, they ftript me of the little cloathing I had, and left me naked. They ufed the reft in the fame manner, .. then went to their boats to look for the bodies of thofe that were drowned.

After the difcipline I had received, I had walked, or crawled up among fome white, fandy hillocks, where I fat down and concealed myfelf as much as poffible. The wea- ther was then warm, but the evening promifed to be cooler^ and it was fail drawing on; there was great danger to be ap- prehended if I approached the tents where the women were while I was naked, for in this cafe it was very probable I would receive another baftinado fomething worfe than the firft. Still I was fo confufed that I had not recollected I could fpeak to them in their own language, and it now on- ly

ivlx INTRODUCTION.

ly came into my mind, that by the gibbcrifh, in imi- tation of Turkifh, which the Arab had uttered to me while he was beating and {tripping me, he took me for a Turk, and to this in. all probability the ill-ufage was owing.

An old man and a number of young Arabs came up to me where I was fitting. I gave them the falute Salam Jfi- cum ! which was only returned by one young man, in a tone as if he wondered at my impudence. The old man then afked me, Whether I was a Turk, and what I had to do there? I replied, I was no Turk, but a poor Chriftian phy- fician, a Dervifh that went about the world feeking to do good for God's fake, was then flying from famine, and going to Greece to get bread. He then afked me if I was a Cre- tan ? I laid, I had never been in Crete, but came from Tu- nis, and was returning to that town, having loft every thing I had in the fhipwreck of that veflcl. I faid this in fo del- pairing a tone, that there was no doubt left with the Arab that the fad was true. A ragged, dirty baracan was imme- diately thrown over me, and I was ordered up to a tent, in the end of which flood a long fpear thrufl through it, a mark of fovereignty.

I there faw the Shekh of the tribe, who being in peace with the Bey of Bengazi, and alfo with the bhekh of Ptolo- meta, alter many queflions ordered me a plentiful fupper, of which all my fervants partook, none of them having pe- rif! ed. \ multitude of consultations followed on their com- }• tints, of which I freed myfelf in the beft manner I could, aii dging the lofs of all my medicines, in order to induce iomeof them to fcek for the fcxtant at leaft, but all to no i purpofe,

INTRODUCTION. xlvii

purpofe, fo that, after flaying two days among them, the Shekh reitored to us all that had been taken from us, and mounting us upon camels, and giving us a conductor, he forwarded us to Bengazi, where we arrived the fecond day in the evening. Thence I fent a compliment to the Shekh, and with it a man from the Bey, intreating that he would ufe all pofiible means to fiih up fome of my cafes, for which I allured him he mould not mifs a handfome re- ward. Promifes and thanks were returned, but I never heard further of my inftruments ; all I recovered was a filver watch of Mlicot, the work of which had been taken out and broken,fome pencils, and a fmall port- folio, in which were fketches of Ptolemeta; my pocket-book too was found, but my pencil was loft, being in a common fiiyer cafe, and' with them all the aftronomical observations which I had made in Barbary. I there loft a fextant, a parallactic in- flrument, a time- piece, a reflecting telefcope, an achromatic one, with many drawings, a copy of M. de la Caille's ephe- merides down to the year 1775, much to be regretted, as be- ing full of manufcript marginal notes ; a fmall camera ob- fcura, fome guns, piftols, a blunderbuf*, and feveral other articles.

I found at Bengazi a fmall French floop, the matter of which had been often at Algiers when I was conful there. I had even, as the rnafter remembered, done him fome lit- tle fervice, for which, contrary to the cullom of that fort of people, he was very grateful. He had come there laden with corn, and was going 110 the Archipelago, or towards the Morea, for more. The cargo he had brought was but a mite compared to the neceffities of the place ; it only re- lieved

xlviii INTRODUCTION.

lievcd the foldiers for a time, and many people of all ages and fexes were Hill dying every day.

The harbour of Bengazi is full of nfh, and my company caught a great quantity with a fmall net ; we likewife pro- cured a multitude with the line, enough to have maintain- ed a larger number of perfons than the family confifled of; we got vinegar, pepper, and fome {lore of onions ; we had little bread it is true, but Hill our induftry kept us very far from ftarving. We endeavoured to inftrucl thefe wratches, gave them pack-thread, and fome coarfc hooks, by which they might have fubfifted with the fmalleft attention and trouble ; but they would rather flarve in multitudes, flriving to pick up fmgle grains of corn, that were fcattered upon the beach by the burfling of the facks, or the inattention of the mariners, than take the pains to watch one hour at the flow- ing of the tide for excellent fifli, where, after taking one, they were fure of being mailers of multitudes till it was high water.

The Captain of the fmall vefTel loll no time. He had done his bufmefs well, and though he was returning for another cargo, yet he offered me what part of his funds I mould need with great franknefs. We now failed with a fair wind, and in four or live days cafv weather landed at Canea, a confiderable fortified place at the well end of the iiland of Crete. Here I was taken dangeroufly ill, occafion- ed by the bathing and extraordinary exertions in the fea of Prolometa, nor was I in the leall the better from the beat- ing I had received, figns of which I bore very long after- wards.

4

From

INTRODUCTION. xlk

From Canea I failed for Rhodes, and there met my books ■; I then proceeded to CaftelroiFo, on the coaft of Caramania, and was there credibly informed that there were very mag- nificent remains of ancient buildings a fliort way from the more, on the oppofite continent. Caramania is a part of Afia Minor yet unexplored. But my illnefs increasing, it was impoflible to execute, or take any meafures to fecure protection, or do the bufinefs fafely, and I was forced to relinquilh this difcovery to fome more fortunate traveller.

Mr Peyssonel, French conful at Smyrna, a man not more diftinguifhed for his amiable manners than for his polite tafle in literature, of which he has given feveral elegant fpecimens, furniihed me with letters for that part of Cara- mania, or Alia Minor, and there is no doubt but they would have been very efficacious. What increafed the obligation for this kind attention fhewn, was, that I had never feen Mr PeyfTonel ; and I am truly mortified, that, fince my arri- val in England, 1 have had no opportunity to return my grateful thanks for this kindnefs, which I therefore beg that he will now accept, together with a copy of thefe tra- vels, which I have ordered my French bookfeller to forward to him.

From CaftelrofTo I continued, without any thing remark- able, till I came to Cyprus ; 1 ftaid there but half a day, and arrived at Sidon, where I was moft kindly received by Mr €lerambaut, brother-in-law to Mr Peyilbnel, and French conful at this place ; a man in politenefs, humanity, and every focial quality of the mind, inferior to none I have ever known. With him, and a very flouriming, well-informed, and induftrious nation, I continued for fome time, then

Vol. L g in

1 INTRODUCTION.

in a weak ftate of health, but ftill making partial excur- fions from time to time into the continent of Syria, through Libanus, and Anti Libanus ; but as I made thefe without inftruments, and pafled pretty much in the way of the tra- vellers who have defcribed thefe countries before, I leave the hiftory to thofe gentlemen, without fwelling, by entering into particular narratives, this Introduction, already too long.

While at Canea I wrote by way of France, and again while at Rhodes by way of Smyrna, to particular friends both in London and trance, informing them of my difaftrous fituation, and defiring them to fend me a moveable qua- drant or fextant, as near as pofnble to two feet radius, more or lefs, a time-keeper, Hop- watch, a reflecting tele fcope, and one of Dolland's achromatic ones, as near as pofhble to three-feet reflectors, with feveral other articles which I then, wanted.

I received from Paris and London much about the fame time, and as if it had been dictated by the fame perfon, nearly the fame anfwer, which was this, That everybody was employed in making inftruments for Danilh, Swedifh, and other foreign aftronomers ; that all thofe which were completed had been bought up, and without waiting a confiderable, indefinite time, nothing could be had that could be depended upon. At the fame time I was told, to my great mortification, that no accounts of me had arriveditom Africa, unlefs from feveral idle letters, which had been in- duflrioufly wrote by a gentleman whofe name 1 abftain from mentioning, firft, becaufe he is dead, and next, out o£ Eefpect to his truly great and worthy relations,

3 lN

INTRODUCTION. \i

In thefe letters it was announced, that I was gone with a Ruffian caravan through the Curdiflan, where I was to obferve the tranfit of Venus in a place where it was not vi- fible, and that I was to proceed to China, and return by the way of the Eaft Indies : — a ftory which fome of his correfpon- dents, as profligate as himfelf, induflrioufly circulated at the time, and which others, perhaps weaker than wicked, though wicked enough, have affedled to believe to this day.

I conceived a violent indignation at this, and finding myfelf fo treated in return for fo complete a journey as I had then actually terminated, thought it below me to fa- crifice the belt years of my life to daily pain and danger, when the impreilion it made in the breafts of my country- men feemed to be fo weak, fo infinitely unworthy of them or me. One thing only detained me from returning home • it was my defire of fulfilling my promife to my Sovereign, and of adding the ruins of Palmyra to thofe of Africa, al- ready fecured and out of danger.

In my anger I renounced all thoughts of the attempt to difcover the i'ources of the Nile, and I repeated my orders no more for either quadrant, telefcope, or time-keeper. I had pencils and paper ; and luckily my large camera obfcu- ra, which had efcaped the cataflrophe of Ptolometa, was ar- rived from Smyrna, and then Handing before me. I there- fore began to caft about, with my ufual care and anxiety, for the means of obtaining feafible and fafe methods of re- pc iting the famous journey to Palmyra. I found it was necefiary to advance nearer the fcene of aclion. Mr Abbot, Britiih conful for Tripoli in Syria, kindly invited me, and'

G 2 after

lii INTRODUCTION.

after him Mr Vernon, his fucceffor, a very excellent man, to take up my refidence there From Tripoli there is a trade in kelp carried on to the fait marfhes near Palmyra. The .shekh of Canateen, a town juft upon the edge of the defert, had a contract with the bafha of Tripoli for a quan- tity of this herb for the ufe of the foap- works. I loll no time in making a friendfhip with this man, but his return amounted to no more than to endeavour to lead me rafhly into real danger, where he knew he had not confequence enough to give me a moment's protection.

There are two tribes almofl equally powerful who inha- bit the deferts round Palmyra ; the one is the Annecy, re- markable for the fineft breed of horfes in the world ; the other is the Mowalli, much better foldiers, but fewer in number, and very little inferior in the excellence of their horfes. The Annecy pofTefs the country towards the S. W. at the back of Libanus, about Bozra down the Hawran, and fouthward towards the borders of Arabia Petrea and Mount Horeb. The Mowalli inhabit the plains eaft of Damafcus to the Euphrates, and north to near Aleppo.

These two tribes were not at war, nor were they at peace ; they were upon what is called ill-terms with each other, which is the moll dangerous time for Grangers to have any dealings with either. I learned this as a certainty from a friend at Hailia, where a Shekh lives, to whom I was re- commended by a letter, as a friend of the bafha of Damaf- cus. This man maintains his influence, not by a number of forces, but by conltantly marrying a relation of one or both of thele tribes of Arabs, who for that reaibn aflift him in maintaining the fecurity of his road, and he has the care

3 °f

INTRODUCTION. liii

of that part of it by which, the couriers pafs from Conftan- tinople into Egypt, belonging to both thefe tribes, who were then at a diilance from each other, and roved in flying fquadrons all round Palmyra, by way of maintaining their right of pafture in places that neither of them chofe at that time to occupy. Thefe, I fuppofe, are what the Englifli writers call Wild Arabs, for orherwife, though they are all wild enough, 1 do not know one wilder than another. This is very certain, thefe young men, compofing the flying par- ties I fpeak of, are truly wild while at a diftance from their campand government; andtheftranger that falls in unawares with them, and efcapes with his life, may fet himfelf down as a fortunate traveller.

Returning from Haflia I would have gone fouthward to Baalbec, but it was then belieged by hmir Youfef prince of the Drufes, a Pagan nation, living upon mount Libanus. Upon that I returned to Tripoli, in Syria, and after fome time fet out for Aleppo, travelling northward along the plain of Jeune betwixt mount Lebanon and the fea.

I visited the ancient Byblus, and bathed with pleafure in the river Adonis. All here is claflic ground. I faw feve- ral confiderable ruins of Grecian architecture all very much defaced. Thefe are already publifhed by Mr Drummond, and therefore I left them, being never defirous of interfer- ing with the works of others.

I passed Latikea, formerly Laodicea ad Mare, and then came to Antioch, and afterwards to Aleppo. The fever and ague, which I had firfl caught in my cold bath at Bengazi, had returned upon me with great violence, after pafling

one

liv INTRODUCTION.

one night encamped in the mulberry gardens behind Si- don. It had returned in very flight paroxyfms feveral times, but laid hold of me with more than ordinary violence on my arrival at Aleppo, where I came juft in time to the houfe of Mr Belville, a French merchant, to wnom I was addreffed for my credit. Never was a more lucky addrefs, never was there a foul fo congenial to my own as was that of Mr Belville : to fay more after this would be praifmg my- felf. To him was immediately added Doctor Patrick Ruffe], phyfician to the Britifh factory there. Without the atten- tion and friendfliip of the one, and the fkill and anxiety of the other of thefe gentlemen, it is probable my travels would have ended at Aleppo. I recovered flowly. By the report of thefe two gentlemen, though I had yet feen no- body, I became a public care, nor did I everpafs more agree- able hours than with Mr Thomas the French conful, his fa- mily, and the merchants eftablifhed there. From Doclor Ruf- fel I was fupplied with what I wanted, fome books, and much inftruetion. Noboby knew the difeafes of the Eaft fo well ; and perhaps my efcaping the fever at Aleppo was not the only time in which I owed him my life.

Being now reftored to health, my firfl object was the journey to Palmyra. The Mowalli were encamped at no great diftancefrom Aleppo. It was without difficulty I found a fure way to explain my wiffies, and to fecure the afliftance of Mahomet Kerfan, the Shekh, but from him I learned, in a manner that I could not doubt, that the way I intended to go down to Palmyra from the north was tedious, trouble- fome, uncertain, and expenfive, and that he did not wifh me to undertake it at that time. It is quite fuperfluous in thefe

cafes

INTRODUCTI ON. iv

cafes toprefs for particular information; an Arab conductor., who proceeds with caution, furely means you well. He told me that he would leave a friend in the houfe of a cer- tain Arab at Hamath * about half-way to Palmyra, and if in fomething more than a month 1 came there, and found that Arab, I might rely upon him without fear, and he would conduct me in fafety to Palmyra.

I returned to Tripoli, and at the time appointed fet out for Hamath, found my conductor, and proceeded to HaiTia. Coming from Aleppo, I had not palled the lower way again, by Antioch. The river which panes through the plains where they cultivate their beft tobacco, is the Orontes ; it was fo fwollen with rain, which had fallen in the mountains,, that the ford was no longer viable. Stopping at two mifer- able huts inhabited by a bafe fet called Turcomans, I alked the mafter of one of them to fhew me the ford, which he very readily undertook to do, and I went, for the length of fome yards, on rough, but very hard and folid ground. The current before me was, however, fo violent, that 1 had more than once a defire to turn back, but, not fufpecting any thing, I continued, when on a fudden man and horfe fell, out of their depth into the river.

I had a rifled gun flung acrofs my moulder, with a buff belt and fwivel. As long as that held, it fo embarraffed ray hands and legs that I could not fwim, and muft have funk ; but luckily the fwivel gave way, the gun fell to the bottom of the river, and was pickt up in dry weather by order of

the

The north boundary of the Holy Land.

Ivi INTRODUCTION.

the bafha, at the defire of the French merchants, who kept it for a relict. I and my horfe fwam feparately afhore ; at a fmall diftance from thence was a caphar*, or turnpike, to which, when I came to dry myfelf, the man told me, that the place where I had crofled was the remains of a Hone bridge now entirely carried away ; where I had firft enter- ed was one of the wings of the bridge, from which I had fallen into the fpace the firft arch occupied, one of the deepeft parts of the river ; that the people who had mif- guided me were an infamous fet of banditti, and that I might be thankful on many accounts that I had made fuch an efcape from them, and was now on the oppofite fide. I then prevailed on the caphar-man to fhew my fervants the right ford.

From HafTia we proceeded with our conductor to Caria- teen, where there is an immenfe fpring of fine water, which overflows into a large pool. Here, to our great furprife, we found about two thoufand of the Annecy encamped, who were quarrelling with Haffan our old friend, the kelp-mer- chant. This was nothing to us ; the quarrel between the Mowalli and Annecy had it feems been made up ; for an old man from each tribe on horfeback accompanied us to Palmyra : the tribes gave us camels for more commodious travelling, and we paffed the deiert between Cariateen and Palmyra in a day and two nights, going conilantly without fleeping.

Just

* It is a poll where a party of men are kept to receive a contribution, for maintaining the fecurity of the roads, from all paffengers.

INTRODUCTION. Ivu

Just before we came in fight of the ruins, we afcended a hill of white gritty ftone, in a very narrow- winding road, fuch as we call a pafs, and, when arrived at the top, there opened before us the raoft aftonifhing, flupendous fight that perhaps ever appeared to mortal eyes. The whole plain below, which was very extenfive, was covered fo thick with magnificent buildings as that the one feemed to touch the other, all of fine proportions, all of agreeable forms, all com- pofed of white ftones, which at that diitance appeared like marble. At the end of it flood the palace of the fun, a building worthy to clofe fo magnificent a fcene.

It was impofhble for two perfons to think of dcfigning ornaments, or taking meafures, and there feemed the lefs occafion for this as Mr Wood had done this part already. I had no intention to publiih any thing concerning Palmyra ; belides, it would have been a violation of my firit principle not to interfere with the labours of others ; and if this was a rule I inviolably obferved as to ftrangers, every fentiment of reafon and gratitude obliged me to pay the fame refpect to the labours of Mr Wood my friend.

I divided Palmyra into fix angular views, always bring- ing forward to the firft ground an edifice, or principal group of columns, that deferved it. The flate of the buildings are particularly favourable for this purpofe. The columns are all uncovered to the very bafes, the foil upon which the town is built being hard and fixed ground. Thefe views are all upon large paper ; the columns in fome of them are a root long ; the figures in the fore-ground of the temple of the fu 1 are fome of them near four inches.

Vol. I. « Before

Iviii INTRODUCTION.

Before our departure from Palmyra I obferved its lati- tude with a Hadley's quadrant from reflection. The in- ftrument had probably warped in carriage, as the index went unpleafantly, and as it were by ftarts, fo that I will not pretend to give this for an exacl: obfervation ; yet, after all the care I could take, I only apprehended that 33° 58' for the latitude of Palmyra, would be nearer the truth than any other. Again, that the diftance from the coaft in a ftraight line being 1 60 miles, and that remarkable mountainous cape on the coaft of Syria, between Byblus and Tripoli, known by the name of Theoprofopon, being nearly due weft, or under the fame parallel with Palmyra, I conceive the longitude of that city to be nearly 370 9' from the obfervatory of Green- wich.

From Palmyra I proceeded to Baalbec, diftant about 130 miles, and arrived the fame day that Emir Youfef had reduced the town and fettled the government, and was de- camping from it on his return home. This was the luckieft moment poffible for me, as I was the Emir's friend, and I obtained liberty to do there what I pleafed, and to this indulgence was added the great convenience of the Emir's ab fence, fo that I was not troubled by the obfervance of any court- ceremony or attendance, or teazed with im- pertinent queftions.

Baalbec is plcafantly fituated in a plain on the weft of And Libanus, is finely watered, and abounds in gar- dens. It is about fifty miles from HaiTia, and about thirty from the neareft fea-coaft, which is the fituation of the an- cient Byblus. The interior of the great temple of Baalbec, fuppofed to be that of the fun, furpafles any thing at Pal-

myrafc

INTRODUCTION. lis

myra, indeed any fculpture I ever remember to have feen in ftone. All thefe views of Palmyra and Baalbec are now in the King's collection. They are the moil magnificent offering in their line that ever was made by one fubject to his fovereign.

Passing by Tyre, from curiofity only, I came to be a mournful witnefs of the truth of that prophecy, That Tyre, the queen of nations, mould be a rock for fifkers to dry their nets on*. Two wretched fifhermen, with miferable nets, having j uft given over their occupation with very little fuccefs, I engaged them, at the expence of their nets, to drag in thofe places where they faid ihell-fifli might be caught, in hopes to have brought out one of the famous purple-fiih, I did not fucceed, but in this I was, I believe, as lucky as the old feflaers had ever been. The purple fifh at Tyre feems to have been only a concealment of their know- ledge of cochineal, as, had they depended upon the fifh for their dye, if the whole city of Tyre applied to nothing elfe but fifhing, they would not have coloured twenty yards of cloth in a year. Much fatigued, but fatisfied beyond mea- fu-re with what I had feen, I arrived in perfed health, and in the gayeft humour poiliblc, at the hofpitable manfion of M. Clerambaut at Sidon.

I found there letters from Europe, which were in a very different flyle from the laft. From London, my friend Mr Ruflel acquainted me, that he had fent me an excellent reflecting telefcope of two feet focal length, moved by

h 2 rack-

* Ezek. chap. xxvi. ver. 5.

lx INTRODUCTION.

rack- work, and the laft Mr Short ever made, which proved a very excellent inftrument ; alfo an achromatic telefcope by Dolland, nearly equal to a three-feet reflector, with a foot, or itand, very artificially compofed of rulers fixed to- gether by fcrews. I think this inftrument might be im- proved byfhortening the three principal legs of it. If the legs of its ftand were about fix inches fhorter, this, without inconvenience, would take away the little make it has when ufed in the outer air. Perhaps this defect is not in all te- lefcopes of this conftruction. It is a pleafant inftrument, and for its fize takes very little packing, and is very ma- nageable.

I have brought home both thefe inftrumems after per- forming the whole journey, and they are now (landing in my library, in the moft perfect order ; which is rather to be wondered at from the accounts in which moft travellers feem to agree, that metal fpeculums, within the tropics, fpot and ruft fo much as to be ufelefs after a few observations made at or near the zenith. The fear of this, and the fra- gility of glafs of achromatic telefcopes, were the occafion of a conftderable expence to me; but from experience I found,, that, if a little care be taken, one reflector would be Sufficient for a very long voyage*

From Paris I received a time-piece and a (top- watch made by M. Lepeaute, dearer than Ellicot's, and refembling his in nothing elfe but the price. The clock was a very neat, portable inftrument, made upon very ingenious, flmple prin- ciples, but fome of the parts were fo grofsly neglected in the execution, and fo unequally finifhed,. that it was not difficult for the meaneft novice in the trade to point out the

caufe

INTRODUCTION. ]xi

caufe of its irregularity. It remains with me in flam quo. It has been of very little ule to me, and never will be of much more to any perfon elfe. The price is, I am fure, ten times more than it ought to be in any light I can confider it.

All thefe letters dill left me in abfolute defpair about obtaining a quadrant, and consequently gave me very little fa refaction, but in fome meafure confirmed me in my refo- lution already taken, to go from Sidon to Egypt; as I had then fecn the greater! part of the good architecture in the world, in all its degrees of perfection down to its decline, I wilhed now only to fee it in its origin, and for this it was necefTaiy to go to Egypt.

Norden, Pococke, and many others, had given very in- genious accounrs of Egyptian architecture in general, of the difpofition and fize of their temples, magnificence of their materials, their hieroglyphics, and the various kinds of them, of their gilding, of their painting, and their prefent ftateof prefervation. I thought Something more might be learnt as to the firft proportions of their columns, and the conftruction of their plans. Dendera, the ancient Tentyra, feemed by their accounts to offer a fair field for this.

I had already collected together a great many obfervations on the progrefs of Greek and Roman architecture in differ- ent ages, drawn not from books or connected with fyftem, but from the models themfelves, which I myfelf had mea- fured, I had been long of the opinion, in which I am full further confirmed, that tafle for ancient architecture, found- ed

Ixii INTRODUCTION.

cd upon the examples that Italy alone can furnifh, was net giving ancient architects fair play. AVhat was to be learned from the firft proportions of their plans and eleva- tions feemed to have remained untouched in Egypt ; after having confidered thefe, I propofed to live in retirement on my native patrimony, with a fair Hock of unexceptionable materials upon this fubject, to ferve for a pleafant and ufe- ful amufement in my old age. I hope ftill thefe will not be loft to the public, unlefs the encouragement be in propor- tion to what my labours have already had.

■%■

I now received, however, a letter very unexpectedly by

way of Alexandria, which, if it did not overturn, at leaft

fhook thefe refolutions. The Comte de Buffon, Monf. Guys

of Marfeilles, and feveral others well known in the literary

world, had ventured to ftate to the minifter, and through

him to the king of France, Louis XV. how very much it was

to be lamented, that after a man had been found who was

likely to fucceed in removing that opprobrium of travellers

and geographers, by discovering the fources of the Nile, one

moil unlucky accident, at a moil unlucky time, mould fruf-

trate the moft promifing endeavours. That prince, diftin-

guifhed for every good quality of the heart, for benevolence,

beneficence, and a defire of promoting and protecting

learning, ordered a moveable quadrant of his own military

academy at Marfeilles, as the neareft and moft convenient

port of embarkation, to be taken down and fen? to me at

Alexandria.

With this I received a letter from Mr Ruffel, which in- formed me that cuironcmcrs had begun to cOol in the {'an- guine expectations of difcevcring the precife quantity of

the

INTRODUCTION. kiii

the fun's parallax by obfervation of the tranfit of Venus, from fome apprehenlion that errors of the obfervers would probably be more than the quantity of the equation fought, and that they now ardently wifhed for a journey into A- byflinia, rather than an attempt to fettle a nicety for which the learned had now begun to think the accuracy of our inftruments was not fufficient. A letter from my correfpon- dent at Alexandria alfo acquainted me, that the quadrant, and all other inftruments, were in that city.

What followed is the voyage itfelf, the fubjecl: of the prefent publication. I am happy, by communicating every previous circumftance that occurred to me, to have done all in my power to remove the greateft part of the reafonable doubts and difficulties which might have perplexed the rea- der's mind, or biafted his judgment in the perufal of the narrative of the journey, and in this I hope I have fucceed- ed..

I have now one remaining part of my promife to fulfil, to account for the delay in the publication. It will not be thought furprifmg to any that mall reflect on the diftant, dreary, and defert ways by which all letters were necefla- rily to pafs, or the civil wars then raging in Abyflinia, the robberies and violences infeparable from a total difiblution of government, fuch as happened in my time, that no ac- counts for many years, one excepted, ever arrived in Eu- rope. One letter, accompanied by a bill for a fum borrow- ed from a Greek at Gondar, found its way to Cairo ; all the reft had mii'earried : my friends at home gave me up for dead ; and, as my death muft have happened in circum- fiances difficult to have been proved, my property became

as

Ixiv INTRODUCTION.

as it were an hereditas jacens, without an owner, abandoned in common to thofe whofe original title extended no fur- ther than temporary pofTeflion.

A number of law-fuits were the inevitable confequence of this upon my return. Une carried on with a very expen- iive obftinacy for the fpace of ten years, by a very opulent and active company, was determined finally in the Houfe of Peers, in the compafs of a very few hours, by the weiL> known fagacity and penetration of a noble Lord, who, hap- pily for the fubjecls of both countries, holds the firlt office in the law; and lb judicious was the fentence, that har- mony, mutual confidence, and good neighbourhood has ever fince been the confequence of that determination,

Other fuits ftill remained, which unfortunately were not arrived to the degree of maturity to be fo cut off; they are yet depending ; patience and attention, it is hoped, may bring them to an ifiue at fome future rime No impu- tarion of rafhnefs can potlibly fall upon the decree, fince the action has depended above thirty years.

To thefe diftgreeable avocarions, which took up much time, were added others ftill more unformnate. The re- leivlefs ague caught at Bengazi maintained its groiinc- at times for a ipace of more than fixteen years, though every remedy had been ufed, but in vain; and, what was wuiii of all, a lingering difteinper had ferioufly threatened the life of a nioft near relation, which, after nine years conftant alarm, where every duty bound me to attention and atcend- i ance.3

INTRODUCTION. Ixr

ance, concluded her at laft, in very early life, to her grave *.

The love of folitude is the conflant follower of affliction ; this again naturally turns an inftrueted mind to ftudy. My friends unanimoufly afTailed me in the part mofl acceffible when the fpirits are weak, which is vanity. They repre- fented to me how ignoble it was, after all my dangers and difficulties were over, to be conquered by a misfortune inci- dent to all men, the indulging of which was unreafonable in itfelf, fruitlefs in its confequences,and fo unlike the ex- pectation I had given my country, by the firmnefs and in- trepidity of my former character and behaviour. Among thefe, the principal and moil urgent was a gentleman well known to the literary world, in which he holds a rank near- ly as diftinguiflied as that to which his virtues entitle him in civil life ; this v/as the H on. Daines Barrington, whofe friendfhip, valuable on every account, had this additional merit, that it had exifted uninterrupted fince the days we were at fchool. It is to this gentleman's perfuafions, affifl- ance, protection, and friendfhip, that the world owes this publication, if indeed there is any merit in it ; at leaft, they are certainly indebted to him for the opportunity of judging whether there is any merit in it or not.

No great time has paned fince the work was in hand.

The materials collected upon the fpot were very full, and

feldom deferred to be fet down beyond the day wherein

the events defcribed happened, but oftner, when fpeeches

Vol. I. i and

* Mrs Bruce died in 1784.

Ixvi INTRODUCTION.

and arguments were to be mentioned, they were noted the inftant afterwards ; for, contrary I believe to what is often the cafe, I can allure the reader thefe ipeeches and conver- fations are abfolutely real, and not the fabrication of after- hours.

It will perhaps be faid, this work hath faults; nay, per- haps, great ones too, and this I readily confefs. But I mud likewife beg leave to fay, that I know no books of the kind that have not nearly as many, and as great, though perhaps not of the fame kind with mine. To fee diltinctly and ac- curately, to defcribe plainly, difpaffionarely and truly, is all that ought to be expected from one in my fituation, con- ilantly furrounded with every fort of difficulty and dan- ger.

It may be faid, too, there are faults in the language %. more pains mould have been taken. Perhaps it may be fo ; yet there has not been wanting a confiderable de- gree of attention even to this. 1 have not indeed confined myfeif to a painful and ilaviui nicety that would have pro- duced nothing but a difageeable Uiilnefs in the narrative. It will be remembered likewife, that one of the motives of my writing is my own amufement, and I would much ra- ther renounce the fubjecl altogether than walk in fetters of my own forging. The language is, like the fubject, rude and manly.. My paths have not been flowery ones, nor would it have added any credit to the work, or entertain- ment to the reader, to employ in it a fiile proper only to works of imagination and pleafure. Thefe trifling faults I willingly leave as food to the malice of critics, who per-

hapsj.

INTRODUCTION. lKVii

feaps, were it not for thefe blemifhes, would find no other en- joyment in the perufal or" the work.

It has been faid that parties have been formed againfl this work. Whether this is really the cafe 1 cannot fay, nor have I ever been very anxious in the inquiry. They have been harmlefs adverfaries at leaft, for no bad effects, as far as I know, have ever as yet been the consequences ; neither is it a difquifition that I ihall ever enter into, whether this is owing to the want of will or of power. I rather believe it is to the former, the want of will, for no one is fo perfectly inconfiderable, as to want the power of doing mifchief.

Having now fulfilled my promife to the reader, in giv- ing him the motive and order of my travels, and the reafon why the publication has been delayed, I fhall proceed to the laft article promifed, the giving fnme account of the work itfelf. The book is a large one, and expenfive by the num- ber of engravings ; this was not at firil intended, but the journey has proved a long one, and matter has inc.reafed as it were inienfibly under my hands. It is now come to fill a great chafm in the hiftory of the univerfe. It is not intend- ed to referable the generility of modern travels, the agree- able and rational amufement of one vacant day, it is calcu- lated to employ a greater fpace of time.

Those that are the beft acquainted with Diodorus, Hero- dotus, and fome other Greek hiftorians, wtii find f me very confiderable difficulties removed ; and they thai are unac- quainted with thefe authors, and receive from this work the firfl. information of the geography, climate, and manners of thefe countries, which are little altered, will have no great

1 2 occafion

Ixviii INTRODUCTION.

occafion to regret they have not fearched for information irr more ancient fources.

The work begins with my voyage from Sidon to Alex- andria, and up the Nile to the firft cataract. The reader will not expect that I fhould dwell long upon the particular hiftory of Egypt ; every other year has furnilhed us with fome account of it, good or bad ; and the two laft publica- tions of M. Savary and Volney feem to have left the fub- ject thread-bare. This, however, is not the only reafon.

After Mr Wood and Mr Dawkins had published their Ruins of Palmyra, the late king of Denmark, at his own ex- pence, fent out a number of men, eminent in their feveral profeflions, to make difcoveries in the eaft, of every kind, with thefe very flattering inft ructions, that though they might, and ought, to vifit both Baalbec and Palmyra for their own ftudies and improvement, yet he prohibited them to fo far interfere with what the Englifh travellers had done, as to form any plan of another work fimilar to theirs. This compliment was gratefully received; and, as I was directly to follow this million, Mr Wood defiredme to return it, and to abflain as much as poffible from writing on the fame fubjeits chofen by M. Niebuhr, at leaft to abflain either from criticifing or differing from him on fuch fubjeits. I have therefore palled flightly over Egypt and Arabia ; per- haps, indeed, i have faid enough of both : if any fhall be of another opinion, they may have recourfe to M. Niebuhr's more copious work ; he was the only perfon of fix who lived to come home, the reft having died in different parts of Arabia, without having been able to enter Abyflinia,one of the objects of their miflion.

My

INTRODUCTION. Ixix

My leaving Egypt is followed by my furvey of the Ara- bian gulf as far as the Indian Ocean — Arrival at Mafuah — Some account of the firft peopling of Atbara and Abyflinia —Conjectures concerning language — Firft ages of the In- dian trade — Foundation of the Abyffinian monarchy, and various revolutions till the Jewifh ufurpation about the year 900. fhefe compofe the firft volume.

The fecond begins with the reftoration of the line of So- lomon, compiled from their own annals, now firft tranflated from the Ethiopic ; the original of which has been lod- ged in the Britifh Mufeum, to fatisfy the curiofity of the public.

The third comprehends my journey from Mafuah to Gondar, and the manners and cuftoms of the Abyffinians, alfo two attempts to arrive at the fountains of the Nile— Defcription of thefe fources, and of every thing relating to that river and its inundation.

The fourth contains my return from the fource of the Nile to Gondar — The campaign of Serbraxos, and revolution that followed — My return through Sennaar and Beja, or the Nubian defert, and my arrival at Marfeilles.

In overlooking the work I have found one circumftance, and 1 think no more, which is not fufficiently clear, and may create a momentary doubt in the reader's mind, al- though to thole who have been fufficiently attentive to the narrative, I can fcarce think it will do this. The diffi- culty is, How did you procure funds to fupport yourfelf,

and

Ixx INTRODUCTION.

and ten men, fo long, and fo eafily, as to enable you to un- dervalue the uieful character of a phyiician, and feek nei- ther to draw money nor protection from it ? And how came it, that, contrary to the ufage of other travellers, at Gondar you maintained a character of independence and equality, efpecially at court ; inftead of crouching, living out of fight as much as pofiible, in continual fear of prieft--, under the patronage, or rather as fervant to fome men of power.

To this fenfible and well-founded doubt F anfwer with great pleafure and readinefs, as I would d<£> to all o- thers of the fame kind, if I could poifibly di\ \j ) :— It

is not at all extraordinary that aftranger like me, and a parcel of vagabonds like thofe that were with me, mould get them- felves maintained, and find at Gondar a p<ecarious liveli- hood for a limited time. A mind ever fo little pulifheu and inftructed has infinite fuperiority over Barbarians, and it is in circumftances like thefe that a man fees the great ad- vantages of education. All the Greeks in Gondar were o- riginally criminals and vagabonds ; they neither had, nor pretended to any profeffion, except Petros the king's cham- berlain, who had been a fhoemaker at Rhodes, which pro- feffion at his arrival he carefully concealed. Yet thefe were not only maintained, but by degrees, and without pretending to be phyficians, obtained property, commands, and placer..

Hospitality is the virtue of Barbarians, who are hofpi-

table in the ratio that they arc barbarous, and for obvious

reafons this virtue fubfides among polifhed nations in the

fame proportion. If on my arrival in Abyfiinia I afiumed

2 a fpirit

INTRODUCTION. feari

a fpirit of independence, it was from policy and reflection. I had often thought that the misfortunes which had befallen other travellers in Abyflinia arofe from the bafe eftimation the people in general entertained of their rank, and the va- lue of their perfons. From this idea I refolved to adopt a contrary behaviour. I was going to a court where there was a khig of kings, whofe throne was furrounded by a num- ber of high-minded, proud, hereditary, punctilious nobili- ty. It was impoffible, therefore, too much lowlinefs and. humility could pleafe there.

Mr Murray, the ambaflador at Conftantinople, in the fir- man obtained from the grand fignior, had qualified me with the diftinftion of Bey-Adze, which means, not an Em hfli nobleman (a peer) but a noble Englifhman, and he had added hkewife, that I was a fervant of the king of Great Britain. All the letters of recommendation, very many and powerful, from Cairo and Jidda, had conftantly echoed this to every part to which they were addrefTed They announced that I was not a man, fuch as ordinarily came to them, to live upon their charity, but had ample means of my own, and each profefTed himfelf guarantee of that fact, and that they themfelves on all occafions were ready to provide for me, by anfwering my demands.

The only requefl of thefe letters was fafety and protection to my perfon. It was mentioned that I was a phyfician to introduce a conciliatory cirumftance, that I was above prac- tifing for gain. That all I did was from the fear of God from chanty and the love of mankind. I was a phyfician m the city, a folder in the field, a courtier every where demeaning myfelf, as confeious that I was not unworthy

of.'

lxxii INTRODUCTION.

of being a companion to the firft of their nobility, and the king's ftranger and gueft, which is there a character, as it was with eaftern nations of old, to which a certain fort of confideration is due. It was in vain to compare myfelf with them in any kind of learning, as they have none ; mufic they have as little ; in eating and drinking they were indeed infinitely my fuperiors ; but in one accomplifhment that came naturally into comparifon, which was horfeman- fhip, I ftudioufly eftablifhed my fuperiority.

My long refidence among the Arabs had given me more than ordinary facility in managing the horfe ; I had brought my own faddle and bridle with me, and, as the reader will find, bought my horfe of the Baharnagafh. in the firft days of my journey, fuch a one as was neceffary to carry me, and him I trained carefully, and ftudied from the begin- ning. The Abyffinians, as the reader will hereafter fee, are the worft horfemen in the world. Their horfes are bad, not equal to our Welfh or our Scotch galloways. Their furniture is worfe. They know not the ufe of fire-arms on horfeback ; they had never feen a double-barrelled gun, nor did they know that its effect was limited to two discharges, but that it might have been fired on to infinity. All this gave me an evident fuperiority.

To this I may add, that, being in the prime of life, of no ungracious figure, having an accidental knack, which is not a trifle, of putting on the drefs, and fpeaking the lan- guage eafily and gracefully, 1 cultivated with the utmoft affiduity the friendfhip of the fair fex, by the moft modeft, refpectful diftant attendance, and obiequioufnefs in public, 3 abating

INTRODUCTION. Jxxii

abating j ufl as much of that iri private as fuited their humour and inclinations. I foon acquired a great f up- port from theft at court ; jealoufy is not a paffion of the AbyfTmians, who are in the contrary extreme, even to in- difference.

Besides the money I had with me, I had a credit of L.400 upon Youfef Cabil, governor of Jidda. I had another upon a Turkifli merchant there. I had ftrong and general re- commendations, if I mould want fupplies, upon Metical A^a, firft miniller to the merriffe of Mecca. This, well managed, was enough; but when I met my countrymen, the captains of the Englifh mips from India, they added additional ftrength to my finances ; they would have poured gold upon me to facilitate a journey they fo much defired upon feveral accounts. Captain Thornhill of the Bengal Mer- chant, and Captain Thomas Price of the Lion, took the con- duct of my money-affairs under their direction. Their Sa- raf, or broker, had in his hands all the commerce that pro- duced the revenues of Abyffinia, together with great part of the correfpondence of the eaft ; and, by a lucky accident for me, Captain Price ftaid all winter with the Lion at Jid- da ; nay, fo kind and anxious was he as to fend over a fer- vant from Jidda on purpofe, upon a report having been raifed that I was flain by the ufurper Socinios, though it was only one of my fervants, and the fervant of Poetical Aga, who were murdered by that monfter, as is faid, with his own hand. Twice he fetit over filver to me when I had plenty of gold, and wanted that metal only to apply it in furniture and workmanfhip. I do not pretend to fay but fometimes thefe fupplies failed me, often by my negligence Vol. I. K in

ixxiv INTRODUCTION.

in not applying in proper time, fometimes by the abfenceof merchants, who were all Mahometans, conftantly engaged in bufinefs and in journies, and more efpecially on the king's retiring to Tigre, after the battle of Limjour, when I was abandoned during the ufurpation of the unworthy Socinios. It was then I had recourie to Petros and the Greeks, but more for their convenience than my own, and very feldom from necefiity. This opulence enabled me to treat upoa equal footing, to do favours as well as to receive them.

Every mountebank-trick was a great accomplishment there, fuch as making fqmbs, crackers, and rockets. There was no nation in the country to which by thefe accompani- ments I might not have pretended, had I been mad enough to have ever directed my thoughts that way ; a m cer-

tain, that in vain I might have folkited leave to return, had' not a melancholy defpondency, the amor patria, fe: zd me, and my health fo far declined as apparently to threaten death ; but I was not even then permitted to leave Abyilinia till under a very falemnoath 1 promifed to return.

This manner of conducting myfelf had likewife its dis- advantages. The reader will fee the times, without their being pointed out to him, in the courfe of the narrative. Is had very near occafioned me to be murdered at Mafuah-, but it was the means of preferving me at Gondar, by putting Bie above being in fulted or quettioned by priefts, the fatal rock upon which all other European travellers had fplit : It would have occafioned my death at Sennaar, had I not been fa prudent as to dilguife and lay afide the independent car- jt ria£e

INTRODUCTION. Ixxv

riage in time. Why Should I not now fpeak as I really think, or why be guilty of ingratitude which my heart dis- claims. 1 efcaped by the providence and protection of hea- ven ; and lb little Store do 1 let upon the advantage of my own experience, that I am Satisfied, were I to attempt the fame journey again, it would not avail me a Itraw, or hinder me from perifhing miferably, as others have done, though perhaps a different way.

I have only to add, that were it probable, as in my de- cayed ftate of health it is not, that I Ihould live to fee a fe- cond edition of this work, all well-founded, judicious re- marks Suggefted fhould be gratefully and carefully attend- ed to ; but I do Solemnly declare to the public in general, that I never will refute or anfwer any cavils, captious, or idle objections, Such as every new publication Seems unavoidably to give birth to, nor ever reply to thuSe witti- cifms and criticisms that appear in newSpapers and periodi- c I writings. What I have written I have written. My readers have before them, in the prefent volumes, all that I Shall ever fay, directly or indirectly, upon the Subject ; and I do, with- out one moment's anxiety, trull my defence to an impartial, well-iuformed, and judicious public.

S a CONTENTS.

rwrmww

CONTENTS

OF THE

FIRST VOLUME.

Dedication. Introduction,

Page i

BOOK I.

THE AUTHOR'S JOURNEY AND VOYAGE FROM SIDON TILL HIS

ARRIVAL AT MASUAH.

CHAP. I.

efHE Author fails from Sidon— Touches at Cyprus— Arrives at Alexandria— Sets out for Rofetto— Embarks on the Nile, and

arrives at Cairo. r>

' 1 age i

* CHAP

Kxviii CONTENTS,

CHAP. II.

Authors Reception at Cairo — Procures Letters from the Bey and the Greek Patriarch — Vifits the Pyramids — Observations on their Conjiruclioiiy P* ^

CHAP. III.

Leaves Cairo — Embarks on the Nile for Upper Egypt — Vi/itr Metra- henny and Mohannan — Reafons for fuppofmg this the Situation of Memphis ) 43

CHAP. IV.

leaves Metrahenny — Comes- to the Ifland Halouan — Falfe Pyra- mid— Tbcfe Buildings end — Sugar Canes — Ruins of Antinvpolis — Reception theret 6$

CHAP. V.

Forage to Upper Egypt continued— A/hmpunein, Ruins there — Gawe kibeer Ruins — Mr Nordcn miftaken-— Achmim — Convent of Ca- thodn — Delia era — Magnificent Ruins- -Adventure with a Saint tl'cre^ 9 *

CHAP.

CONTENTS. J*kus

.CHAP VI.

Arrives at Tur/hout — Adventure of Friar Chrtflopher — Vlfits Thebes — Luxor and Carnac — Large Ruins at Edfu and E/ue — Proceeds on his Voyage , P. 1 14

CHAP. VII.

Arrives at Syene — Goes to fee the Cataract— Remarkable Tombs — The Situation of Syene — The Aga propofes a vift to Delr and Ibrim — The Author returns to Kenney 1 r0

CHAP. VIIL

The Author fits out from Kenne — Croffes the Bcfirt of the Thcbaid — Vlfits the Marble Mountains — Arrives at Co/feir on the Red Sea — Traufacllons there, x(5q

CHAP. IX.

Voyage to Jlbbel Zumrud— Returns to CoJJUr— Sails from Coffelr

Ja fate en I/lands — Arrives at Tor, 20 »

CHAP. X.

Sails from Tor—Pafifes the Elanltlc Gulf— Sees Raddua— Arrives ct Tambo— Incidents there— Arrives at Jidda, 239

CHAP*

to CONTENTS,

CHAP. XI.

Occurrences at Jidda — Vifit of the Vizir — Alarm of the Factory — - Great Civility of the Fnglif) trading from India — Polygamy — Opinion of Dr Arbuthnot ill-founded — Contrary to Reafon and Experience — Leaves Jiddat P. .26$

CHAP. XII.

Sails from Jidda — Konfodah — Ras Heli, Boundary of Arabia Felix — Arrives at Loheia — Proceeds to the Straits of the Indian Ocean < — Arrives there — Returns by Azab to Lohciai 294

CHAP. XIII,

.Sails for Mafuab—Paffes a Volcano— Comes to \T>ahalac — Troubled •with a Gho/l — Arrives at Mafuah} 327

BOOK

CONTENTS. to;

BOOK II.

ACCOUNT OF THE FIRST AGES OF THE INDIAN AND AFRICAN

TRADE THE FIRST PEOPLING OF ABYSSINIA AND AT-

BARA — SOME CONJECTURES CONCERNING THE ORIGIN OF LANGUAGE THERE.

CHAP. I.

Of the Indian Trade in its earliejl Ages—Settlement of Ethiopia

Troglodytes— Building of thefrjl Cities, P. $6$

CHAP. II.

Saba and the South of Africa peopled — Shepherds, their particular Employment and Circumjlances—Abyffinia occupied by feven Strait- ger Nations — Specimens of their fever al Languages— Conjectures concerning them, -,gi

CHAP. III.

Origin ofCharaclers or Letters— Ethiopic the frfl Language— How and why the Hebrew Letter was formed. 41 1

VoL' r- l CHAP.

lxxxii CONTENTS.

CHAP. IV.

Some Account of the Trade-Winds and Monfoons— Application of Mr to the Voyage to Ophir and Tarfji/h, P. 427

CHAP. V.

Flucluating State of the India Trade — Hurt by military Expeditions of the Perftans — Revives under the Ptolemies — Falls to Decay under the Romans^ 447

CHAP. VL

tyeen of Saba vifits Jerufalem—Abyffmian Tradition concerning Her —Suppofed Founder 0} that Monarchy— Abyjinia embraces the Jcwijh Religion— Jewi/Jj Hierarchy flill retained by the Fal ilha —Some Conjeclures concerning their Copy of the Old Te/lament, 47 1

chap. vn.

Books in.ufe in Abyjinia— Enoch--Abjfinia not converted by the A- po/lles—Converfton from Judaifm to Chrifiianity by Frumcntius, 493

CHAR

CONTENTS. Ixxxiii

CHAP. VIII.

War of the Elephant — Firjl appearance of the Small-Pox — Jews perjecute the Chrijliansin Arabia — Defeated by the Abyjfinians— Mahomet pretends a Divine MiJJion — Opinion concerning the Ko- ran— Revolution under Judiih-^Re/loration of the Line of Solomon fromShoa, P- 5">

TRAVELS

TRAVELS

TO DI SCOVE R

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE,

BOOK I.

THE AUTHOR'S TRAVELS IN EGYPT VOYAGE IN THE RED SEAg

TILL HIS ARRIVAL AT MASUAH.

CHAP. I.

"*Tbe Author fails from Sidon- — Touches at Cyprus — Arrives at Alexan- dria— Sets out for Rofetto — Embarks an the Nile — and arrives al Cairo.

IT was on tSaturday the 15th of June, 1768, I failed in a French veffel from Sidon, once the richelt and moll power- ful city in the world, though now there is not remaining a fliadow of its ancient grandeur. We were bound for the ifland of Cyprus ; the weather clear and exceedingly hot, the wind favourable. Vol. I. A This

a TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

This ifland is not in our courfe for Alexandria, but lies to the northward of it ; nor had I, for my own part, any curi- ofity to fee it. My mind was intent upon more uncommon, more diftant, and more painful voyages. But the mailer of the veflel had bufmefs of his own which led him thither ; with this I the more readily complied, as we had not yet got certain advice that the plague had ceafed in Egypt, and it Hill wanted fome days to the Feflival of St John, which is fuppofed to put a period to that cruel diftemper *.

We obferved a number of thin, white clouds, moving with great rapidity from fouth to north, in direct oppofition to the courfe of the Etefian winds ; thefe were immenfely high. It was evident they came from the mountains of A- byilinia, where, having difcharged their weight of rain, and being prefled by the lower current of heavier air from the northward, they had mounted to poffefs the vacuum, and re- turned to reftore the equilibrium to the northward, whence they were to come back, loaded with vapour from Mount Taurus, to occafion the overflowing of the Nile, by breaking againft the high and rugged mountains of the fouth.

Nothing could be more agreeable to me than that fight, and the reafoning upon it. I already, with pleafure, antici- pated the time in which I mould be a fpectator firft, after- wards hiflorian, of this phenomenon, hitherto a myftery through all ages. I exulted in the meafures I had taken, which I flattered myfelf, from having been digefted with greater confideration than thofe adopted by others, would

fecure

* The nufla, or dew, that falls on St John's night, is fuppofed to have the virtue to flop the. plague. I have confidered this in the fequeL .

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 3

fecure me from the melancholy cataftrophes that had ter- minated thefe hitherto-unfuccefsful attempts.

„ On the 1 6th, at dawn of day, I faw a high hill, which,from its particular form, defcribed by Strabo * I took for Mount Olympus f. Soon after, the reft of the ifland, which feemcd low, appeared in view. We fcarce faw Lernica till we an- chored before it. It is built of white clay, of the fame co- lour as the ground, precifely as is the cafe with Damafcus, fo that you cannot, till clofe to it, diftinguiih the houfes from the earth they Hand upon.

It is very remarkable that Cyprus was fo long undifco- veredj; mips had been ufed in the Mediterranean 1700 years before Chrift ; yet, though only a day's failing from the con- tinent of Afia on the north and eaft, and little more from that of Africa on the fouth, it was not known at the building of Tyre, a little before the Trojan war, that is 500 years after mips had been paffing to and fro in the feas around it.

It was,at its difcoyery, thick covered with wood ; and what leads me to believe it was not well known, even fo late as the building of Solomon's Temple, is, that we do not find that Hiram king of Tyre, juft in its neighbourhood, ever had re- course to it for wood, though furely the carriage would have been eafier than to have brought it down from the top of Mount Libanus.

A 2 That

• Strabo, ft. xiv, p. 78* f 'It i s called Mamilhc, t Newton's Chronol. p. , Bj.

4 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

That there was great abundance in it, we know from Eratofthenes*, who tells us it was fo overgrown that it could not be tilled ; fo that they firft cut down the timber to be ufed in the furnaces for melting filver and copper ;. that af- ter this they built fleets with it, and when they could not even deftroy it this way, they gave liberty to all ftrangers to cut it down for whatever ufe they pleafed; and not only fo, but they gave them the property of the ground they cleared.

Things are fadly changed now. Wood is one of the wants of moil parts of the ifland, which' has not become more healthy by being cleared, as is ordinarily the cafe.

At f Cacamo (Acamas) on the weft fide of the ifland, the wood remains thick and impervious as at the firft difcovery. Large flags, and wild boars of a monftrous fizc, fhelter them- felves unmolefted in thefe their native woods ; and it de- pended only upon the portion of credulity that I was en- dowed with,, that I did not believe that an elephant had, not many years ago, been feen alive there. Several families of Greeks declared it to me upon oath ; nor were there wanting perfons of that nation at Alexandria, who laboured to con- firm the afTertion. Had fkeletons of that animal been there, I fhould have thought them antediluvian ones. I know none could have been at Cyprus, unlefs in the time of Dari- us Ochus, and I do not remember that there were elephants, even with him.

In,

Strabo, lib. xiv. p. 684, ■f Strabo, lib. .\iv. p. 780.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. s

Tn parting, I would fain have gone afhore to fee if there were any remains of the celebrated temple of Paphos ; but a voyage, fuch as I was then embarked on, flood in need of vows to Hercules rather than to Venus, and the mailer, fear- ing to lofe his paflage, determined to proceed.

Many medals (fcarce any of them good) are dug up in Cyprus; filvcr ones, of very excellent workmanfliip, are found near Paphos, of little value in the eyes of antiquarians, being chiefly of towns of the fize of thofe found at Crete and Rhodes, and all the iflands of the Archipelago. Intaglios there are fomc few, part in very excellent Greek ftyle, and gene- rally upon better ftones than ufual in the iflands. I have lcen fome heads of Jupiter, remarkable for bufhy hair and beard, that were of the moft exquifite workmanfhip, worthy of any price. All the inhabitants of the ifland are fubjecT: to fevers, but more efpecially thofe in the neighbourhood of Paphos.

We leftLernica the 17th of June, about four o'clock in the afternoon. The day had been very cloudy, with a wind at N. E. which frefhened as we got under weigh. Our mailer, a feaman of experience upon that coaft, ran before it to the weflward with all the fails he could fet. Trotting to a fign that he faw, which he called a. bank, refembling a dark cloud in the horizon, he guefled the wind was to be from that quarter the next day-

Accordingly, on the 18th, a little before twelve o'clock, a very frefh and favourable breeze came from the N. \V. and we pointed our prow directly, as we thought, upon, Alexandria.

i Thjj

-6 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

The coaft of Egypt is exceedingly low, and, if the wea- ther is not clear, you often are clofe in with the land before you difcover it.

A strong current fets conftantly to the eaftward; and the way the mailers of veffels pretend to know their approach to the coaft is by a black mud, which they find upon the plummet* at the end of their founding-line, about feven leagues diftant from land.

Our mafter pretended at midnight he had found that black fand, and therefore, although the wind was very fair, he chofe to lie to, till morning, as thinking himfelf near the coaft; although his reckoning, as he faid, did not agree with what he inferred from his foundings.

As I was exceedingly vexed at being fo difappointed of making the beft of our favourable wind, 1 rectified my qua- drant, and found by the paffages of two ftars over the meri- dian, that we were in lat. 320 i' 45", or feventeen leagues diftant from Alexandria, inftead of feven, and that by dif- ference of our latitude only.

From this I inferred that part of the affertion, that it is the mud of the Nile which is fuppofed to fhew feamen their approach to Egypt, is mere imagination ; feeing that the point where we then were was really part of the fea oppo- fite to the defert of Barca, and had no communication what- ever with the Nile.

a On

This is an old jrejuJice. See Herodotus, lib. ii. p. 90. fett. 5.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 7

On the contrary, the Etefian winds blowing all Summer \ipon that coaft, from the weflward of north, and a current fetting conftantly to the eaftward, it is impofliblc that any part of the mud of the Nile can go fo high to the windward of any of the mouths of that river.

It is well known, that the action of thefe winds, and the conftancy of that current, has thrown a great quantity of mud, gravel, and fand, into all the ports on the coaft of Syria.

All veftiges of old Tyre are defaced ; the ports of Sidon, *Berout, Tripoli, and fLatikea, are all filled up by the accre- tion of fand ; and, not many days before my leaving Sidon, Mr de Clerambaut, conful of France, fhewed me the pave- ments of the old city of Sidon, y\ feet lower than the ground upon which the prefent city Hands, and confiderably farther back in the gardens nearer to Mount Libanus.

This every one in the country knows is the effect of that eafterly current fetting upon the coaft, which, as it acts per- pendicularly to the courfe of the Nile when difcharging it- felf, at all or any of its mouths, into the Mediterranean, mult hurry what it is charged with on towards the coaft of Syria, and hinder it from fettling oppofite to, or making thofe additions to the land of Egypt, which J Herodotus has vain- ly fuppofed

The 20th of June, early in the morning, we had a diftant profpeet of Alexandria rifing from the fea. Was not the Hate

of

Berj tus. f Laodicea ad mare. £ Herod, lib. ii. p. 90.

8 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

of that city perfectly known, a traveller in fearch of anti- quities in architecture would think here was a field for long lludy and employment.

It is in this point of view the town appears moft to the advantage. The mixture of old monuments, fuch as the Column of Pompey, with the high moorifh towers and fleeples, raife our expectations of the confequence of the- ruins we are to find.

But the moment we are in the port the iliufion ends, and we diflinguifh the immenfe Herculean works of ancient times, now few in number, from the ill-imagined, ill-con- ftructed, and imperfect buildings, of the feveral barbarous matters of Alexandria in later ages.

There are two ports, the Old and the New. The entrance into the latter is both difficult and dangerous, having a bar before it ; it is the leaft of the two,. though, it is what is call- ed the Great Port, by *Strabo.

Here only the European mips can lie ; and, even when here, they are not in fafety; as numbers of veffels are con- stantly loft, though at anchor.

Above forty were call a-fhore and darned to pieces in March 1773, when I was on my return home, moftly belong- ing to Ragufa, and the fmall ports in Provence, while little harm was done to mips of any nation accuflomed to the ocean.

StrabOj lib. xvii. j> 922.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 9

It was curious to obfcrvc the different procedure of thefe different nations upon the fame accident. As foon as the fquall began to become violent, the mailers of the Ragufan veffels, and the French caravaneurs, or veffels trading in the Mediterranean, after having put out every anchor and cable they had, took to their boats and fled to the nearefl fhore, leaving the veffels to their chance in the florm. They knew the furniture of their fliips to be too fiimfy to trufl their lives to it.

Many of their cables being made of a kind of grafs call- ed Spartum, could not bear the flrefs of the veffels or agita- tion of the waves, but parted with the anchors, and the fliips perifhed.

On the other hand, the Britifh, Danifli, Swedifh, and Dutch navigators of the ocean, no fooner faw the florm beginning, than they left their houfes, took to their boats, and went all hands on board. Thefe knew the fumciency of their tackle, and provided they were prefent, to obviate unforefeen acci- dents, they had no apprehenfion from the weather. They knew that their cables were made of good hemp, that their anchors were heavy and flrong. Some pointed their yards to the wind, and others lowered them upon deck. After- wards they walked to and fro on their quarter-deck with perfect compofure, and bade defiance to the florm. Not one man of thefe flirred from the fhips, till calm weather, on the morrow, called upon them to affifl their feeble and more unfortunate brethren, whofe fhips were wrecked and lay fcattered on the fhore.

Vol. I. B The

*to TRAVELS TO DISCOVER..

Tire other port is the * Eunodus of the ancients, and is to the weiiward of the Pharos, It was called alfo the Port of Africa ; is much larger than the former, and lies immedi- ately under part of the town of Alexandria. It has much deeper water, though a multitude of mips have every day, for ages, been throwing a quantity of ballaft into it ; and there is no doubt, but in time it will be filled up, and join- ed to the continent by this means. And poflerity may, pro- bably, following the fyftem of Herodotus (if it mould be Itili fafhionable) call this as they have done the reil of Egypt, the Gift of the Nile.

Christian veiTels* are not fuffered to enter this port ; the only reafon is, lealt the Moori/b 'women mould be feen taking the air in the evening at open windows ; and this has been thought to be of weight enough for Chrillian powers to fubmit to it,, and to over-balance the conilant lofs of ihipsa property, and men,

f Alexander, returning to Egypt from the Libyan fide, was ftruck with the beauty and fituation of thefe two ports, % Dinochares, an architect who accompanied, him, traced- out the plan, and Ptolemy I. built the city, .

The healthy, though defolate and bare country round it, part of the Defert of Libya,. was another inducement to pre- fer this fituation to the unwholefome black mud of Egypt; but it had no water j this Ptolemy was obliged to bring far

above

* Strabo, lib. xvii. p. 922. f Strabo, lib. xvii. p. 920. CLCurt. lib. iv. cap. 8.

^PUn.lib. v. cap. 10. p. 273.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. n

above from the Nile, by a califh, or canal, vulgarly called the Canal of Cleopatra, though it was certainly coeval with the foundation of the city ; it has no other name at this day.

This circumftance, however, remedied in the beginning, was fatal to the city's magnificence ever after, and the caufe of its being in the Hate it is at this day.

The importance of its fituation to trade and commerce, made it a principal object of attention to each party in every war. It was eafily taken, becaufe it had no water ; and, as it coald not be kept, it was deflroyed by the con- queror, that the temporary poileilion of it might not turn to be a fource of advantage to an enemy.

We are not, however, to fuppofe, that the country all around it was as bare in the days of profperity as it is now. Population, we fee, produces a fwerd of grafs round ancient cities in the mod defert parts of Africa, which keeps the fand immoveable till the place is no longer inhabited.

I apprehend the numerous lakes in Egypt were all contrived as refervoirs to lay up a (lore of water for fup- piying gardens and plantations in the months of the Nile's decreife. The great effects of a very little water are feen along the califh, or canal, in a number of bufhes that it produces, and thick plantations of date-trees, all in a very 1 ; riant flate ; and this, no doubt, in the days of the Ptolemies, was extended further, more attended to, and bet- ter underftood.

v. i. B 2 Pompey's

S"2

TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

Pompey's pillar, the obelhks, and Subterraneous citterns, are all the antiquities we find now in Alexandria; thefe have been defcribed frequently, ably, and minutely.

,The foliage and capital of the pillar are what feem ge- nerally to difpleafe ; the fuft is thought to have merited more attention than has been bellowed upon the capital.

The whole of the pillar is granite, but the capital is of another flone; and I fhould fufpect thofe rudiments of leaves were only intended to fupport firmly leaves of me- tal* of better workmanfhip ; for the capital itfelf is near nine feet high, and the work, in proportionable leaves of flone, would be not only very large, but, after being finifh- ed, liable to injuries.

This magnificent monument appears, in tafle, to be the work of that period, between Hadrian and Severus ; but, though the former erefred feveral large buildings in the eafl, it is obferved of him he never put infcriptions upon them.

This has had a Greek inscription, and I think may very probably be attributed to the time of the latter, as a monu- ment of the gratitude of the city of Alexandria for the be- nefits he conferred on them, efpecially fince no ancient hiflory mentions its exiilence at an earlier period.

I apprehend it to have been brought in a block from the Thebais in Upper Egypt, by the Nile ; though fome have

imagined

*We fee many examples of fuch leaves both at Palmyra and Baalhec.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. i*

j

imagined it was an old obelifk, hewn to that round form. It is nine feet diameter ; and were it but 80 feet high, it would require a prodigious obelifk indeed, that could ad- mit to be hewn to this circumference for fuch a length, fo as perfectly to efface the hieroglyphics that muft have been very deeply cut in the four faces of it.

The tomb of Alexander has been talked of as one of the antiquities of this city. Marmol * fays he faw it in the year 1546. It was, according to him, a fmall houfe, in form of a chapel, in the middle of the city, near the church of St Mark, and was called Efcander.

The thing itfelf is not probable, for all thofe that made' themielves mailers of Alexandria, in the earlieft times, had! too much refpecft for Alexander, to have reduced his tomb to fo obfeure a Hate. It would have been fpared even by the Saracens ; for Mahomet fpeaks of Alexander with great refpect, both as a king and a prophet. The body was pre- fcrved in a glafs coffin, in f Strabo's time, having been rob- bed of the golden one in which it was firffc depofited.

The Greeks, for the moft part, are better initruelied in the hiftory of tfcefe places than the Cophts, Turks, or Chrifti- ans ; and, after the Greeks, the Jews.

As I was perfectly difguifed, having for many years worn> the drefs of the Arabs, I was under no conftraint, but walked. dirough the town in all directions, accompanied by any of

thofe

* Marmol, lib. xi. cap. 14. p. 276. torn. 3. f Strabo, lib. xvii. p. 922.

\

14 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

thofe diiferent nations I could induce to walk with me ; and, as I constantly fpoke Arabic, was taken for a * Bedowe by all forts of people ; "but, notwithstanding the advantage this freedom gave me, and of which I daily availed myfelf, I never could hear a word of this monument from either Greek, Jew, Moor, or Christian.

Alexandria has been often taken fince the time of Ca> far. It was at laSt destroyed by the Venetians and Cypriots, upon, or rather after the releafe of St Lewis, and we may fay of it as of Carthage, Pericre minis, its very ruins appear no longer.

The building of the prefent gates and walls, which fome have thought to be antique, does not feem earlier than the laft reftoration in the 1 3th century. Some parts of the gate and walls may be of older date ; (and probably were thole of the laft Caliphs before Salidan) but, except thefe, and the pieces of columns which lie horizontally in different parts of the wall, every thing elfe is apparently of very late times, and the work has been huddled together in great hafte.

It is in vain then to expect a plan of the city, or try to trace here the Macedonian mantle of Dinofhares ; the very veStiges of ancient ruins are covered, many yards deep, by rubbifh, the remnant of the devastations of later times. Cleopatra, were She to return to life again, would fcarcely know where her palace was Situated, in this her own ca- pital.

There

* A peafant Arab.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. ij

There is nothing beautiful or pleafant in the prcfent Alex- andria, but a handibme ftreet of modern houfes, where a very active and intelligent number of merchants live upon the miierable remnants of that trade, which made its glory in the firft times.

It is thinly inhabited, and there is a tradition among the natives, that, more than once, it has been in agitation to a- 6andon,it all together, and retire to Rofetto, or Cairo, but that they have been withheld by the opinion of divers faints- from Arabia, who have allured them, that Mecca beinr de- frayed, (as it mull be as they think by the Rullians) Alex- andria is then to become the holy place \ and that Mahomet's body is to be traniported thither; when that city is de- stroyed, the fan&ified reliques are to be traniported to Cai- rouan, in the kingdom of Tunis : laft!y,from Cairouan they are to come to Rofetto, and there to remain till the con- lamination of all things, which is not then to be at a great diftance.

Ptolemy. places his Alexandria in lat, 300 3 1 ' and m round ' numbers in his almageft, lat. 31 ° north*

Our Profeilbr/ 'Mr Greaves, one of whofe errands into Egypt was to afcertain the latitude of this place, feems yet, from fome caufe or other, to have failed in it, for though he had a brafs fextant of five feet radius, he makes the la- titude of Alexandria, from a mean of many obfervations, to be lat 3i° 4'N. whereas the French aftronomers from the Academy of Sciences have fettled it at 31° -1 i'2Q",fo between Mr Greaves and the French there is a difference of y' 20", which is too much. There is not any thing, in point of

fituation, .

16 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

iituation, that can account for this variance, as in the cafe of Ptolemy ; for the new town of Alexandria is built from eaft to weft ; and as all chriftian travellers neceffarily make their obfervations now on the fame line, .there cannot poffibly be any difference from iituation.

Mr Niebuhr, whether from one or more obfervations he does not fay, makes the latitude to be 310 12'. From a mean of thirty-three obfervations, taken by the three-feet quadrant I have fpoken of, I found it to be 31° 1 1 ' 16"; So that, taking a medium of thefe three refults, you will have the latitude of Alexandria 310 11' 32", or, in round num- ber, 310 ii' 30", nor do I think there poffibly can be 5" dif- ference.

By an eclipfe, moreover, of the iirft fatellite of Jupiter, obferved on the 23d day of June 1769, I found its longi- tude to be 300 ij' 30" ea.i\t from the meridian of Green- wich.

We arrived at Alexandria the 20th of June, and found that the plague had raged in that city and neighbourhood from the beginning of March, and that two days only be- fore our arrival people had begun to open their houfes and communicate with each other ; but it was no matter, St John's day was paf, the miraculous nucta, or dew, had fallen, and every body went about their ordinary buiinefs in iafety, and without fear.

With very great pleafure I had received my inftruments at Alexandria. I examined them, and, by the perfect ftate In which they arrived, knew the obligations I was under

to

THE SOURCE OF THK NILE. 17

to my correfpondents and friends. Prepared now for any enterprife, I left with eagernefs the thread-bare inquiries into the meagre remains, of this once-famous capital of Egypt.

The journey to Rofetto is always performed by land, as the mouth of the branch of the Nile leading to Rofetto, call- ed the Bogaz*, is very fhallow and dangerous to pafs, and often tedious ; befides, nobody wifhes to be a partner for any time in a voyage with Egyptian failors, if he can pof- libly avoid it.

The journey by land is alfo reputed dangerous, and people travel burdened with arms, which they are deter- mined never to ufe.

For my part, I placed my fafety, in my difguife, and my behaviour. We had all of us piftols at our girdles, againft an extremity ; but our lire-arms of a larger fort, of which we had great flore, were fent with our baggage, and other inftruments, by the Bogaz to Rofetto. I had a fmall lance, called a Jerid, in my hand, my fervants were without any vifible arms.

We left Alexandria in the afternoon, and about three miles before arriving at Aboukeer, we met a man, in ap- pearance of fome confequence, going to Alexandria.

Vol. I. C As

* Means a narrow cr (hallow entrance of a river from the ocean.

18 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

As we had no fear of him or his party, we neither court- ed nor avoided them. We palTed near enough, however, to give them the ufual falute, Salam Alkum; to which the leader of the troop gave no anfwcr, but faid to one of his fervants, as in contempt, Bcdowe! they are peafants, or coun- try Arabs. I was much better pleafed with this token that we had deceived them, than if they had returned the falute twenty times.

Some inconfiderable ruins are at Aboukcer, and fecm to denote, that it was the former lltuation of an ancient city. There is here alfo an inlet of the fea ; and the diftance, fome- thing lefs than four leagues from Alexandria, warrants us to fay that it is Canopus,. one of die moil ancient cities in the world ; its ruins, notwithftanding the neighbourhood of the branch of the Nile, which goes by that name, have not yet been covered by die increafe of the land of Egypt.

At Medea, which we fuppofe, by its diftance of near feven leagues, to be the ancient Heraclium, is the paflage or ferry which terminates the fear of dar.ger from the Arabs of Libya ; and it is here *fuppofed die Delta, or Egypt, be- gins.

Dr Shawj is obliged to confefs,. that between Alexandria and the Canopic branch of the Nile, few or no veftiges are feen of the increafe of the land by the inundation of the river ; indeed it would have been a wonder if there had.

Alexandria,

* Herod, p. 108. flaw's Travels p. 293.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 19

Alexandria, and its environs, are part of the defert of Barca, too high to have ever been overflowed by the Nile, front any part of its lower branches ; or elfe there would have been no necefiity for going fo high up as above Ro- ietto, to get level enough, to bring water down to Alexan- dria by the canal.

Dr Shaw adds, that the ground hereabout may have been an illand ; and fo it may, and fo may aimoil any other place in the world ; but there is no fort of indication that it was fo, nor viiible means by which it was formed.

We faw no vegetable from Alexandria to Medea, excepting fome fcattered roots of Abfmthium ; nor were thefe luxu- riant, or promifmg to thrive, but though they had not a very ftrong fmell, they were abundantly bitter; and their leaves feemed to have imbibed a quantity of faline particles, with which the foil of the whole defert of Barca is ftrongly •impregnated.

We faw two or three gazels, or antelopes, walking one by onc, at feveral times, in nothing differing from the fpecies of that animal, in the defert of Barca and Cyrenaicum ; and the * jerboa, another inhabitant of thefe deferts ; but from the multitude of holes in the ground, which we faw at the root of aimoil every plant of Abfinthium, we were very certain its companion, the f Ceraftes, or horned viper, was an inhabitant of that country alfo.

C 2 from

* See a figure of this animal in the Appendix. f See Appendix.

2o TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

From Medea, or the Paffage, our road lay through very dry fand ; to avoid which, and feek firmer footing, we were obliged to ride up to the bellies of our horfes in the fea. If the wind blows this quantity of dull or fand into the Me- diterranean, it is no wonder the mouths of the branches of the Nile are choked up.

All Egypt is like to this part of it, full of deep duft and fand, from the beginning of March till the firit of the in- undation. It is this fine powder and fand, railed and loofen- ed by the heat of the fun, and want of dew, and not being tied fait, as it were, by any root or vegetation, which the Nile carries off with it, and buries in the fea, and which many ignorantly fuppofe comes from AbylTmia, where every river runs in a bed of rock.

When you leave the fea, you flrike off nearly at right angles, and purfue your journey to the eaftward of north. Here heaps of flone and trunks of pillars, are fet up to guide you in your road, through moving lands, which Hand in hillocks in proper direit ions, and which conduct you fafely to Rofetto, 1 unrounded on one lide by thefe hills of fand, which feem ready to cover it.

Rosetto is upon that branch of the Nile which was call- ed the Bolbuttic Branch, and is about four miles from the fea. It probably obtained its prefent name from the Vene- tians, or Gcnoefe, who monopolized the trade of this coun- try, before the Cape of Good Hope was difcovered; for it is known to the natives by the name of Rafhid, by which is meant the Orthodox.

The

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 21

The reafon of this I have already explained, it is fome time or other to be a fubflitute to Mecca, and to be blcfled with all that holinefs, that the pollemon of the reliqucs, of their prophet can give it.

Dr Shaw* having always in his mind the flrengthening of Hcrodotus's hypothecs, that Egypt is created by the Nile, fays,. that perhaps this was once a Cape, becaufe Rafhid has that meaning. But as Dr Shaw underftood Arabic perfectly well, he mult therefore have known, that Rafhid has no fuch Signification in any of the Oriental Languages. Ras, indeed, is a head land, or cape ; but Raifit has no fuch fig- nification, and Rafhid a very different one, as I have al- ready mentioned.

Rashid then, or Rofetto, is a large, clean, neat town, or village, upon the eaftern fide of the Nile. It is about three miles long, much frequented by fbudious and religious Mahometans ; among thefe too are a confiderable number of merchants, it being the entrepot between Cairo and Alex- andria, and vice <ver[a; here too the merchants have their faclors, who fuperintend and watch over the merchandife which pafTes the Bogaz to and from Cairo.

There are many gardens, and much verdure, about Ro- fetto ; the ground is low, and retains long the moifture it imbibes from the overflowing of the Nile.. Here alfo are many curious plants and flowers, brought from different countries, by Fakirs, and merchants, Without this, Egypt,

fubject

'Shaw's Travels, p. 294.-

*2 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

fubjeft to fuch long inundation, however it may abound in neceffaries, could not boaft of many beautiful produc- tions of its own gardens, though flowers, trees, and plants, were very much in vogue in this neighbourhood, two hun- dred years ago, as we find by the obfervations of Profper ;Alpinus.

The ftudy and fearch after every thing ufeful or beau- tiful, which for fome time had been declining gradually, fell at laft into total contempt and oblivion, under the brutal reign of thefe laft Haves*, the moil infamous re- proach to the name of Sovereign.

Rosetto is a favourite halting-place of the Chriftian tra- vellers entering Egypt, and merchants eftablifhed there. There they draw their breaths, in an imaginary increafe of freedom, between the two great finks of tyranny, opprei- iion, and injuitice, Alexandria and Cairo.

Rosetto has this good reputation, that the people are milder, more tractable, and lefs avaricious, than thofe of the two laft-mentioned capitals ; but I mult fay, that, in my time, I could not difcern much difference.

The merchants, who trade at all hours of the day with Chriftians, are indeed more civilized, and lefs infolent, than the foldiery and the reft of the common people, which is the cafe every where, as it is for their own intereft ; but

their

* The Mr.maluke Bevs.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE, 23

their priefls, and moullahs, their foldiers, and people living in the country, are, in point of manners, juit as bad as the others.

Rosetto is in lat. 31* 24' 15" N. ; it is the place where we embark, for Cairo, which we accordingly did on June the 30th.

There is a wonderful deal of talk at Alexandria of the danger of palling over the defert to Rofetto. The fame conversation is held here. After you embark on the Nile in your way to Cairo, you hear of pilots, and mafters oT TefTcls, who land you among robbers to fhare your plunder, and twenty fuch like {lories, all of them of old dare, and which perhaps happened long ago, or never happened at all.

But provided the government of Cairo is fettlrd, and you do not land at villages in ftrife with each other, (in which circumftances no perfon of any nation is fafe) you mult be very unfortunate indeed, if any great accident befal you be- tween Alexandria and Cairo.

For, from the conflant intercourfe between thefe two ci- ties, and the valuable charge confided to thefe mafters of veflels, they are all as well known, and at the leail as much" under authority, as the boatmen on the river Thames ; and, -if they mould have either killed, or robbed any perfon, it mult be with a view to leave the country immediately ; elfe either at Cairo, Rofetto, Fue, or Alexandria, wherever they were firft caught, they would infallibly be hanged.

■v. i. c C H A P.

*4 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

gc;fi< ' sag

CHAP.n.

Author 's Reception at Cairo — Procures Letters from the Bey and the Greek Patriarch — Vifits the Pyramids — Obfervations on their ConJlruEtion*

IT was in the beginning of July we arrived at Cairo, re- commended to the very hofpitable houfe of Julian and Bertran, to whom I imparted my refolution of purfuing my journey into AbyHinia.

The wildnefs of the intention feemed to ftrike them great- ly, on which account they endeavoured all they could to perfuade me againft it, but, upon feeing me refolved, offer- ed kindly their moil effectual fervices..

As the government of Cairo hath always been jealous of this enterprife I had undertaken, and a regular prohibition had been often made by the Porte, among indifferent people, I pretended that my deftination was to India, and no one conceived any thing wrong in that.

This intention was not long kept fecret, (nothing can be concealed at Cairo:) All nations, Jews, Turks, Moors, Cophts, and Franks, are conftantly upon the inquiry, as much after things that concern other people's bufinefs as their own.

The plan I adopted was to appear in public as feldom as poffible, unlefs difguifed ; and I foon was confidered as a

Fakir.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. ?$

Takir, or Dervlcb, moderately nulled in magic, and who cared for nothing but ftudy and books.

This reputation opened me, privately, a channel for pur- chafing many Arabic manufcripts, which the knowledge of the language enabled me to chufe, free from the load of trafh that is generally impofed upon Chriflian purchafers.

The part of Cairo where the French are fettled is exceed- ingly commodious, and fit for retirement. It confiils of one long ftreet, where all the merchants of that nation live to- gether. It is fliut at one end, by large gates, where there is a guard, and thefe are kept conflantly clofe in the time of the plague.

At the other end is a large garden tolerably kept, in which there are feveral pleafant walks, and feats ; all the enjoy- ment that Chriftians can hope fof, among this vile people, reduces itfelf to peace, and quiet ; nobody feeks for more. There are, however, wicked emifTaries who are conflantly em- ployed, by threats, lies, and extravagant demands, to tor- ment them, and keep them from enjoying that repofe, which would content them inflead of freedom, and more folid happinefs, in their own country,

I have always confidered the French at Cairo, as a num- ber of honeft, polifhed, and induftrious men, by fome fa- tality condemned to the gallies ; and I muft own, never did a fet of people bear their continual vexations with more fortitude and manlinefs.

Vol. I. D Thei-r.

&6 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

Their own affairs they keep to themfelves, and, notwith- ftanding the bad profpeft always before them, they never fail to pnt on a chearfulface to a ftranger, and protect and help him to the utmoil of their power ; as if his little con- cerns, often ridiculous, always very troublefome ones, were the only charge they had in hand.

But a more brutal, unjuft, tyrannical, oppreflive, avari- cious fet of infernal mifcreants, there is not on earth, than are the members of the government of Cairo.

There is alfo at Cairo a Venetian conful, and a houfe of that nation called Pirn, all excellent people.

The government of Cairo is much praifed by fome. It may perhaps have merit when explained, but I never could underfland it, and therefore cannot explain it.

It is faid to confift of twenty-four Beys ; yet its admirers could never fix upon one year in which there was that number. There were but feven when I was at Cairo, and one who commanded the whole.

The Beys are underftood to be vefted with the fovereign power of' the country ; yet foraetimes a Kaya commands absolutely, and, though of an inferior rank, he makes his fervants, Beys or Sovereigns.

At a time of peace, when Beys are contented to be on an equality, and no ambitious one attempts to govern the whole, there is a number of inferior officers depending up- on .each of the Beys, fuch as Kayas, Schourbatchies, and

the

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 27

die like, who are but fubjeds in refpect to the Beys yet ex- ercife unlimited jurifdi&ion over the people in the city, and appoint others to do the fame over villages in the country.

There are perhaps four hundred inhabitants in Cairo, who have abfolute power, and adminifter what they call juftic'e, in their own way, and according to their own views.

Fortunately m my time this many-headed monfter was no more, there was but one Ali Bey, and there was neither inferior nor fuperior jurifdiction exercifed, but by his offi- cers only. This happy ftate did not lad long. In order to be a Bey, the perfon muft have been a Have, and bought for money, at a market. Every Bey has a great number of fer- vants, Haves to him, as he was to others before ; thefe are his guards, and thefe he promotes to places in his houfe- hold, according as they are qualified,

The .firft of thefe domeflic charges is that of hafnadar, or treasurer, who governs his whole hcufthold; and when- ever his mailer the Bey dies, whatever number of children he may have, they never fucceed him ; but this man mar- ries his wife, and inherits his dignity and fortune.

The Bey is old, the wife is young, fo is the hafnadar, upon whom fhe depends for every thing, and whom me muft look upon as the preemptive hufband ; and thofe people who conceal, or confine their women, and are jealous, up- on the moll remote occafion, never feel, any jealoufy for the probable confequences of this pafilon, from the exiiience of Inch , connection,

n 2 -fr-

28 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

It is very extraordinary, to find a race of men in power, all agree to leave their fucceffion to Grangers, in preference to their own children, for a number of ages ; and that no one mould ever have attempted to make his fon fucceedhim, either in dignity or eflate, in preference to a flave, whom he has bought for money like a beafl.

The Beys themfelvcs have feldom children, and thofe they have, feldom live. I have heard it as a common obfer- vation, that Cairo is very unwholefome for young children in general ; the proflitution of the Beys from early youth probably give their progeny a worfe chance than thofe of others.

The inflant that I arrived at Cairo was perhaps the only one in which I ever could have been allowed, fingle and un- protected as I was, to have made my intended journey,

Ali Bey, lately known in Europe by various narratives of the laft tranfaftions of his life, after having undergone many changes of fortune, and been banifhed by his rivals from his capital, at laft had enjoyed the fatisfadion of a re- turn, and of making himfelf abfolute in Cairo.

The Port had conflantly been adverfe to him, and he cherifhed the ftrongeft refentment in his heart. He wifhed nothing fo much as to contribute his part to rend the Ot- toman empire to pieces.

A favourable opportunity prefented itfelf in the Ruffian war, and Ali Bey was prepared to go all lengths in fup- port of that power. But never was there an expedition fo

fuccefsful

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 29

fucccfsful and fo diflant, where the officers were lefs in- flrucl:ed from the cabinet, more ignorant of the countries, more given to ufclefs parade, or more intoxicated with plea- sure, than the Ruffians on the Mediterranean then were.

After the defeat, and burning of the Turkifh fquadron, upon the coaft of Afia Minor, there was not a fail appeared that did not do them homage. They were prope ly and advantagcoufly fituated at Paros, or rather, I mean, a fqua- dron of fliips of one half their number, would have been properly placed there.

The number of Baflias and Governors in Caramania, very feldom in their allegiance to the Port, were then in ac- tual rebellion ; great part of Syria was in the fame fituation, down to Tripoli and Sidon ; and thence Shekh Daher, from Acre to the plains of Efdraelon, and to the very frontiers of Egypt.

With circumftances fo favourable, and a force fo tri- umphant, Egypt and Syria would probably have fallen difmembered from the Ottoman empire. But it was very plain, that die Ruffian commanders were not provided with inftructions, and had no idea how far their victory might have carried them, or how to manage thofe they had conquered.

They had no confidential correfpondence with Ali Bey, though they might have fafely trufled him as he would have trufled them ; but neither of them were provided with proper negotiators, nor did they ever underftand one ano- ther till it was too late, and till their enemies, taking ad- vantage

§6 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

vantage of their tardinefs, had rendered the firft and gre^ fcheme impofFiblc.

Carlo Rozetti, a Venetian merchant, a young man of capacity and intrigue, had for fome years governed the Bey abfolutely. Had fuch a man been on board the fleet with a commiflion, after receiving initruc'tions from Peter(burgha . the Ottoman empire in Egypt was at an end.'

The Bey, with all his good fenfe and understanding, was flill a mamaluke, and had the principles of a Have. . Three men of different religions pofTefTed his confidence and go- verned his councils all at a time. The one was a Greek, the other a Jew, and the third an Egyptian Copht, his fecre- tary. It would have required a great deal of difcernment and penetration to have determined which of thefe was the moil worthlefs, or rnoft likely to betray him,

The fecretary, whofe name was Rifk, had tiie addrefs to fupplant the other two at the time they thought themfelves at the pinnacle of their glory; over-awing every Turk, and robbing every Chri-ilian, the Greek was banifhed from Egypt, and the Jew baftinadoed to death. Such is the tenure of Egyptian miniflers.

Risk profeiTed aftrology, and the Bey, like all other Turks, . believed in it implicit ely,. and to this folly he facrificed his- own goodunderftanding ; and Rifk, probably in pay to Con- ftantinople, led him from one wild fcheme to another, till he undid him — by the fears.

Thb*

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 3l

The apparatus of inftruments that were opened at the cuftom-houfe of Alexandria, prepoflcffed Rifk in favour of my fuperior knowledge in aflrology.

The Jew, who was matter of the cuftom-houfe, was not only ordered to refrain from touching or taking them out of their places (a great mortification to a Turkiih cuftom- houfe, where every thing is handed about and fliewn) but an order from the Bey alfo arrived that they fhould be fent to me without duty or fees, becaufe they were not merchan- dife.

I was very thankful for that favour, not for the fake of faving the dues at the cuftom-houfe, but becaufe I was ex- cufed from having them taken out of their cafes by rough and violent hands, which certainly would have broken fome- thing.

Risk waited upon me next day, and let me know from whom the favour came ; on which we all thought this was a hint for a prefent ; and accordingly, as I had other bufi- nefs with the Bey, I had prepared a very handfome one.

But I was exceedingly aftonifhed when defiring to know the time when it was to be offered ; it not only was refufed, but fome few trifles were fent as a prefent from the fecre- tary with this menage : " That, when I had repofed, he " would vifit me, defire to fee me make ufe of thefe inftruv " ments ; and, in the mean time, that I might reft confident, " that nobody durft any way moleft me while in Cairo, for " I was under the immediate protection of the Bey."

He

32 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

He added alfo, " That if I wanted any thing I mould fend ** my Armenian fervant, Arab Keer, to him, without trou- " bling myfelf to communicate my neceffities to the French, " or trull my concerns to their Dragomen."

Although I had lived for many years in friendfhip and in conftant good undcrftanding with both Turks and Moors, there was fomething more polite and coniiderate in this than I could account for.

I had not feen the Bey, it was not therefore any particu- lar addrefs, or any prepoffeffion in my favour, with which thefe people are very apt to be taken at firfl fight, that could account for this ; I was an abfolute ftranger ; I therefore opened myfelf entirely to my landlord, Mr Bertram

I told him my apprehenlion of too much fair weather in the beginning, which, in thefe climates, generally leads to a ilorm in the end; on which account, I fufpected fome defign ; Mr Bertran kindly promifed to found Rifk for me.

At the fame time, he cautioned me equally againfl offend- ing him, or trailing myfelf in his hands, as being a man capable of the blacker! deiigns, and mercilefs in the execu- tion of them.

It was not long before Rifk's curiofity gave him a fair opportunity. He inquired of Bertran as to my knowledge of the ftars ; and my friend, who then faw perfectly the drift of all his conduct, fo prepofTeiTed him in favour of my fuperior fcience, that he communicated to him in the in- ftant the great expectations he had formed, to be enabled

by

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 33

fey me, to forefee the defliny of the Bey ; the fuccefs of the war; and, in particular, whether or not he fhould make himfelf mailer of Mecca ; to conquer which place, he was about to difpatch his Have and fon-in-law, Mahomet Bey A- bouDahab, at the head of an army conducting the pilgrims.

Bertran communicated this to me with great tokens of joy : for my own part, I did not greatly like the profeflion of fortune-telling, where baflinado or impaling might be the reward of being millaken.

But I was told I had moil credulous people to deal with, and that there was nothing for it but efcaping as long as poffible, before the ifiue of any of my prophecies arrived, and as foon as I had done my own bufinefs.

This was my own idea likewife; I never faw a place I liked worfe, or which afforded lefs pleafure or inftruction *han Cairo, or antiquities which lefs anfwered their dcfcrip- tions.

In a few days I received a letter from Rifle, defiring me to go out to the Convent of St George, about three miles from Cairo, where the Greek patriarch had ordered an apartment for me; that I mould pretend to the French mer- chants that it was for the fake of health, and that there I fhould receive the Bey's orders.

Providence feemed to teach me the way I was to go. I went accordingly to St George, a very folitary maniion, but large and quiet, very proper for nudy, and Hill more for

vol. I. E executing

54 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

executing a plan which I thought moll neceffary for my undertaking,

During my flay at Algiers, the Rev. Mr Tonyn, the king's chaplain to that factory, was abfent upon leave. The bigot- ted catholic priefts there neither marry, baptize, nor bury the dead of thofe that are Proteftants.

There was a Greek priefl, * Father Chriftopher, who con- ftantly had offered gratuitouily to perform thefe functions. The civility, humanity, and good character of the man, led me to take him to refide at my country houfe, where I lived the greateft part of the year ; befides that he was of a chear- ful difpofition, I had practifed much with him both in fpeaking and reading Greek with the accent, not in ufe in . our fchools, but without which that language, in the mouth i of a ftranger, is perfectly unintelligible all over the Archi-.- pelago.

Upon my leaving Algiers to go on my voyage to BaT~ bary, being tired of the place, he embarked on board a vef- fel, and landed at Alexandria, from which foon after he was called to Cairo by the Greek patriarch Mark, and made Archimandrites, which is the fecond dignity in the Greek church under the patriarch. He too was well acquainted in the houfe of Ali Bey, where all were Georgian and Greek flaves; and it was at his folicitation that Rifk had 'defired the patriarch to furnilh me with an apartment in the Con- vent of St George,

The

* Vid, Introdu&ioiu

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. $

The next day after my arrival I was furprifed by the vifit of my old friend Father Chriftopher ; and, not to detain the reader with ufelefs circumftances, the intelligence of many vifits, which I fhall comprehend in one, was, that there were many Greeks then in Abyffinia, all of them in great power, andfome of them in the firft places of the empire; that they correfponded with the patriarch when occafion offered, and, at all times, held him in fuch refpe<5t, that his will, when fignified to them, was of the greateft authority, and that obedience was paid to it as to holy writ.

Father Christopher took upon him, with the greateft readinefs, to manage the letters, and we digefted the plan of them ; three copies were made to fend feparate ways, and an admonitory letter to the whole of the Greeks then in Abyffinia, in form of a bull.

By this the patriarch enjoined them as a penance, upon which a kind of jubileewas to follow, that, laying afide their pride and vanity, great fins with which he knew them much infeEled, and, inftead of pretending to put themfelves on a foot- ing with me when I fhould arrive at the court of Abyffinia, they mould concur, heart and hand, in ferving me ; and that, before it could be fuppofed they had received inftruc- tions from ?ney they fhould make a declaration before the king, that they were not in condition equal to me, that I was a tree citizen of a. powerful nation, and fervant of a great king; that they were born flaves of the Turk, and, at befl, ranked hut as would my fervants; and that, in fact, one Of their countrymen was in that ftation then with me,

E 2 After

36 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

After having made that declaration publicly, and bona jrde, in prefence of their prieft,he thereupon declared to them,, that all their pall fins were forgiven,

All this the patriarch moft willingly and chearfully per- formed. I faw him frequently when I was in Cairo ; and we had already commenced a .great friendfhip and intimacy.

In the mean while, Rifk fent to me, one night about nine o'clock, to come to the Bey. I faw him then for the firft time. He was a much younger man than I conceived him to be; he was fitting upon a large fofa, covered with crim- fon-cloth of gold ; his turban, his girdle, and the head of his dagger, all thick covered with fine brilliants; one in hi3- turban, that ferved to fupport a fprig of brilliants alio, was among the largeft I had ever feen.

Hs entered abruptly into difcourfe upon the- war 'between. Ruflia and the Turk,. and alked me if I had calculated what would be the coniequenee of that war? I faid, the Turks would be beaten by lea and land wherever they prefented themfelves..

AGAiN,Whether Conllantinople would be burned or taken J — I ia:d, Neither ; but peace would be made, after much blocdfhed, with little advantage to either party.

He clapped his- hands together, and fwore an oath in Turkifh, then turned to Rilk, who ilood before him, and faid, That will be fad indeed ! but truth is truth, and God is merciful.

Hs.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 3?

He offered me coffee and fweatmeats, promifed me his protection, bade me fear nothing, but, if any body wronged me, to acquaint him by Riik.

Two or three nights afterwards the Bey fent for me again. It was near eleven o'clock before I got admittance to him.

I met the janiflary Aga going out from him, and a num- ber of foldiers at the door.. As I did not know him, I paf- fed him without ceremony, which is not ufual for any per- fcn to do. Whenever he mounts on horfeback, as he was then juft going to do, he has abfolute power of life and death, without appeal, all over Cairo and its neighbour- hood.

He ftopt me juft at the threfhold, and afked one of the Bey's people who I was ? and was anfwered, « It is Hakim Englefe," the Englifh philofopher, or phyfician.

He afked me in Turkiih, in a very polite manner, if I would come and fee him, for he was not well ? I anfwered him in Arabic, « Yes, whenever he pleafed, but could not then flay, as I had received a meffage that the Bey was wait- mg." He replied in Arabic, « No, no ; go, for God's fake go - any time will do for me."

The Bey was fitting, leaning forward, with a wax taper in one hand, and reading a final* flip of paper, which he held clofe to his face. He feemed to have little light or weak eyes ; nobody was near him : his people had been' all diimifled, or were following the janiflary Aga out.

Hjl

38 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

He did not feem to obferve me till I was clofe upon him, and ftarted when I faid, " Solay?!." I told him I came upon his meflage. He faid, I thank you, did I fend for you ? and without giving me leave to reply, went on, " O true, I did fo," and fell to reading his paper again.

After this was over, he complained that he had been ilL that he vomited immediately after dinner, though he eat moderately ; that his ftomach was not yet fettled, and was afraid fomething had been given him to do him mifchief.

I felt his pulfe, which was low, a d weak ; but very little feverifh. I defired he would order his people to look if his meat was drefled in copper properly tinned; I allured him he was in no danger, and infinuated that I thought he had been guilty of fome excefs before dinner; at which he fmiled, and faid to Rilk, who was Handing by, " Afrite ! Afrite" ! he is a devil ! he is a devil ! I faid, If your ftomach is really uneafy from what you may have ate, warm fome water, and, if you pleafe, put a little green tea into it, and drink it till it makes you vomit gently, and that will give you eafe ; after which you may take a difh of ftrong coffee, and go to bed, or a glafs of fpirits, if you have any that are good.

He looked furprifed at this propofal, and faid very calm- ly, " Spirits ! do you know I am a MuiTulman ?" But I, Sir, faid I, am none. I tell you what is good for your body, and have nothing to do with your religion, or your foul. He feemed vaftly diverted, and pleafed with my franknefs, and .only faid, " He fpeaks like a man." There was no word of .the war, nor of the Ruilians that night. I went home def-

perately

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE.

39

perately tired, and peevifli at being dragged out, on fo fooi- i£h an errand.

Next morning, his fecretary Rifk came to me to the con- vent. The Bey was not yet well ; and the idea ftill remain- ed that he had been poifoned. Rifk told me the Bey had great confidence in me. I afked him how the water had operated ? He faid he had not yet taken any of it, that he did not know how to make it, therefore he was come at the defire of the Bey, to fee how it was made.

I immediately fhewed him this, by infufing fome green tea in fome warm water. But this was not all, he modeft- Ij infimiated that I was to drink it, and fo vomit myfelf, in i order to mew him how to do with the Bey.

I excused myfelf from being patient and phyfician af the fame time, and told him, I would vomit bim, which would anfwer the fame purpofeof initruftion; neither was this propofal accepted.

The old Greek prieft, Father Chriflopher, coming.at the fame time, we both agreed to vomit the Father, wh6 would not confent, but produced a Caloyeros, or young monk, and : we -forced him to take the water whether he would or not.

As my favour with the Bey was now eftabliihed by my midnight interviews, I thought of leaving my folitary manfion at the convent.-- I defired Mr Rifk to procure me peremptory letters of recommendation to Shekh Haman, to the governor of Syene, Ibrim, and Deir, in Upper Egypt,' I procured alio the fame from the janiffaries, to thefe three

laili

4o TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

lafl places, as their garrifons are from that body at Cairo, which they call their Port. I had alfo letters from Ali Bey, to the Bey of Suez, to the SherriiTe of Mecca, to the Naybe (fo they call the Sovereign) of Maftiah, and to the king of Sennaar, and his miniiler for .the time being,

Having obtained all my letters and difpatches, as well from the patriarch as from the Bey, I fet about preparing fjr my journey.

Cairo is fuppofed to be the ancient Babylon*, at leaf! part of it. It is in lat. 30 ° 2' 30" north, and in long. 310 iG' eaft, from Greenwich. I cannot aflent to what is laid of it, that it is built in form of a crefcent. You ride round it, gar- dens and all, in «:hrpe hours and a quarter, upon an afs, at an ordinary pace, which will be above three miles an hour.

The Califh f, or Amnis Trajanus, pafTes through the length of it, and fills the lake called Birket el Hadje, the firlt fupply of water the pilgrims get in their tirefome jour- ney to Mecca.

On the other fide of the Nile, from Cairo, is Geeza, fo call- ed, as fome Arabian authors lay, from there having been a bridge there ; Geeza ilgnities the Paflage.

- About eleven miles beyond this are the Pyramids, call- ed the Pyramids of Geeza, the defcription of which is in

every

*Ptol. Geograph. lib. 4 Cap. C- t Shaw's travels p. 294.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. \t

every body's hands. Engravings of them had been publifh- ed in England, with plans of them upon a large fcale, two years before I came into Egypt, and were fhewn me by Mr Davidlbn conful of Nice, whofe drawings they were.

He it was too that difcovered the fmall chamber above the landing-place, after you afcend through the long gal- lery of the great Pyramid on your left hand, and he left the ladder by which he attended, for the fatisfadion Gf other travellers. But there is nothing in the chamber fur- ther worthy of notice, than its having efcaped difcovery fo many ages.

I think it more extraordinary flill, that, for fuch a time as thefe Pyramids have been known, travellers were con- tent rather to follow the report of the ancients, than to make ufe of their own eyes.

Yet it has been a conftant belief, that the ftones compo- ling thefe Pyramids have been brought from the * Libyan mountains, though any one who will take the pains to re- move the fand on the fouth fide, will find the folid rock there hewn into Heps.

And in the roof of the large chamber, where the Sar- cophagus Hands, as alfo in the top of the roof of the gallery, as you go up into that chamber, you fee large fragments

Vol. I. F 0f

* Herod, lib. 2. cap. 8„

*.'

42 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

of the rock, affording an unanfwerable proof, that thofe Pyramids were once huge rocks, Handing where they now are ; that fome of them, the moll proper from their form, were chofen for the body of the Pyramid, and the others hewn into fteps, to ferve for the fuperftructure, and the ex- terior parts of them.

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THE SOURCE OF THE NIL1. £$

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Leaves Cairo — Embarks on the Nile for Upper Egypt — Vifits Metrahenny andMohannan — Reafons for fuppofing this the filiation of Memphis.

HAVING now provided every thing neceffary, and taken a rather melancholy leave of our very indulgent friends, "who had great apprehenuons that we fhould never return ; and fearing that our Hay till the very exceffive heats were paft, might involve us in another difficulty, that of mif- fing the Etefian winds, we fecured a boat to carry us to Fur- ihout, therefidence ofHamam,the Shekh of Upper Egypt.

This fort of veffel is called a Canja, and is one of the moft commodious ufed on any river, being fafe, and expedi- tious at the fame time, though at firft fight it has a ftrong appearance of danger.

That on which we embarked was about ioo feet from ftern to ftem, with two mails, main and foremaft, and two monftrous Latine fails ; the main-fail yard being about 200 feet in length.

The ftructure of this veffel is eafily conceived, from the draught, plan, and lection. It is about 30 feet in the beam, and about 90 feet in keel.

The keel is not ftraight, but a portion of a parabola whofe curve is almoft infenfible to the eye. But it has this good

F 2 effect

fc TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

effed in failing, that whereas the bed of the Nile, when the- water grows low, is full of fand banks under water, the keel under the item, where the curve is greateft, firft ftrikes up- on thefe banks, and is faft, but the reft of the Ihip is afloat ; fo that by the help of oars, and affiftance of the ftream, furling the fails, you get eafily off; whereas, was the keel ftraight, and the veiTel going with the preflure of that im- menfe main-fail, you would be fo faft upon the bank as to lie there like a wreck for ever.

This yard and fail is never lowered. The failors climb and furl it as it Hands. When they fliift the fail,, they do it with a thick ftick like a quarter ftaff, which they call a npbeot, put between the laming of the yard and the fail ; they then twill this ftick round till the fail and yard turn over to the fide re- quired.

When I fay the yard and fail are never lowered, I mean while we are getting up the ftream, before the wind ; for, otherwife, when the vefTel returns, they take out the maft, lay down the yards, and put by their fails, fo that the boat defcends like a wreck broadlide forwards ; otherwife,. being fo heavy a-loft, were me to touch with her ftem gc+ ing down the ftream, fhe could not fail to carry away her malls, and perhaps be ftaved to pieces.

The cabin has a. very decent and agreeable dining-room* about twenty feet fquare, with windows that have clofe and latticed mutters, fo that you may open them at will in the day-time, and enjoy the freflmefs of the air ; but great care muft be taken to keep thefe flmt at night.

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THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 45

A certain kind of robber, peculiar to the Nile, is con- stantly on the watch to rob boats, in which they fuppofe the crew are off their guard. They generally approach the boat when it is calm, either fwimming under water, or when it is dark, upon goats fkins ; after which, they mount with the utmoft filence, and take away whatever they can lay their hands on.

They are not very fond, I am told, of meddling with vef- fels whereon they fee Franks, or Europeans, becaufe by them fome have been wounded with fire-arms.

The attempts are generally made when you are at anchor, or under weigh, at night, in very moderate weather ; but ofteneft when you are falling down the ftream without malls ; for it requires, Strength, vigour, and fkill, to get aboard a vefTel going before a brifk wind ; though indeed they are abundantly provided with all thefe requilites.

Behind the dining-room (that is, nearer the ftern,) you have a bed-chamber ten feet long, and a place for putting your books and arms. With the latter we were plentiful- ly fupplied, both with thofe of the ufcful kind, and thofe (fuch as large blunderbufles,) meant to ftrike terror. We had great abundance of ammunition, likewife, both for our de- fence and fport.

With books we were Iefs furnifhed, yet our library was chofen, and a very dear one ; for, finding how much my bag- gage was increafed by the acceffion of the large quadrant and its foot, and Dolland's large achromatic telefcope, I be- gan to think it folly to load myfelf more with tilings to be

carried

46 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

carried on mens fhoulders through a country full of moun- tains, which it was very doubtful whether I fhould get li- berty to enter, much more be able to induce favages to car- ry thefe incumbrances for me.

To reduce the bulk as much as poffible, after confider- ing in my mind what were likeliefl to be of fervice to me in the countries through which I was palling, and the feve- ral inquiries I was to make, I fell, with fome remorfe, upon garbling my library, tore out all the leaves which I had marked for my purpofe, deftroyed fome editions of very rare books, rolling up the needful, and tying them by them- felves. I thus reduced my library to a more compact form.

It was December 12th when I embarked on the Nile at Bulac, on board the Canja already mentioned, the remain- ing part of which needs no defcription, but will be under- ilood immediately upon infpection.

At firft we "had the precaution to apply to our friend Rifk concerning our captain Hagi Haffan Abou Cufli, and we ob- liged him to give his fon Mahomet in fecurity for his be- haviour towards us. Our hire to Furfhout was twenty-feven patakas, or about L. 6 : 15:0 Sterling.

There was nothing fo much we defired as to be at fome diitance from Cairo on our voyage. Bad affairs and extor- tions always overtake you in this deteilable country, at the very time when you are about to leave it. . The wind was contrary, fo we were obliged to advance againil the Itream, by having the boat drawn with a rope.

We

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 47

We were furprifed to fee the alacrity with which two young Moors beilirred themfelves in the boat, they fupplied the place of mailers, companions, pilots, and feamen to us..

Our Rais had not appeared, and I did not augur much good, from the alacrity of thefe Moors, fo willing to proceed without him.

However, as it was conformable to our own willies, we encouraged and cajoled them all we could. We advanced a few miles to two convents of Cophts, called Deircteen*.

Here we flopped to pafs the night, having had a fine view of the Pyramids of Geeza andSaccara, and being then in fight of a prodigious number of others built of white clay, and ftretching far into the defert to the fouth-weft.

Two of thefe feemed full as large as thofe that are call- ed the Pyramids of Geeza. One of them was of a very ex- traordinary form, it feemed as if it had been intended at firft to be a very large one, but that the builder's heart or. means had failed him,, and that he had brought it to a very mif-fhapen difproportioned head at laft

We were not a little difpleafed to findy that, in the firft promife of punctuality our Rais had made, he had difap- - pointed us by abfenting himfelf from the boat. The fear of a complaint, if we remained near the town, was the rea- fon why his fervants had hurried us away ; but being now

out*

*This has been thought to mean the Convent of Figs, but it only fignifies the TwoConvents

4§ TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

out of reach, as they thought, their behaviour was entirely- changed ; they fcarce deigned to fpeak to us, but fmoked their pipes, and kept up a converfation bordering upon ri- dicule and infolence.

On the fide of the Nile, oppofite to our boat, a little far- ther to the fouth, was a tribe of Arabs encamped.

These are fubjedt to Cairo, or were then at peace with its government. They are called Howadat, being a part of the Atouni, a large tribe that poflefTes the Ifthmus of Suez, and from that go up between the Red Sea and the mountains that bound the eaft part of the Valley of Egypt. They reach to the length of Coffeir, where they border upon another large tribe called Ababde, which extends from thence up into Nubia.

Both thefe are what were anciently called Shepherds, and are now conflantly at war with each other.

The Howadat are the fame that fell in with Mr Irvine* in thefe very mountains, and condu&ed him fo generoufly and fafely to Cairo. Though little acquainted with the man- ners, and totally ignorant of the language of his conduc- tors, he imagined them to be, and calls them by no other name, than "the Thieves"

One or two of thefe ilraggled down to my boat to feek tobacco and coffee, when I told them, if a few decent men

among

* See Mr Irvine's Letters,

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE.

49

among them would come on board, I fliould make them partakers of the coffee and tobacco I had. Two of them accepted the invitation, and we prefently became great friends.

I remembered, when in Barbary, living with the tribes of Noile and Wargumma (two numerous and powerful clans of Arabs in the kingdom of Tunis) that the Howadat, or Atouni, the Arabs of the Iflhmus of Suez, were of the fame family and race with one of them.

I even had marked this down in my memorandum-book, but it happened not to be at hand ; and I did not really re- member whether it was to the Noile or Wargumma they were friends, for thefe two are rivals, and enemies, fo in a miflake there was danger. I, however, call about a little to difcover this if poflible ; and foon, from difcourfe and circumflances that came into my mind, I found it was the Noile to whom thefe people belonged ; fo we foon were fa- miliar, and as our converfation tallied fo that we found we were true incn^ they got up and infilled on fetching one of their Shekhs.

I told them they might do fo if .they plcafed; but they were firfl bound to perform me a piece of fervice, to which they willingly and readily offered themfelves. I defired, that, early next morning, they would have a boy and horfe ready to carry a letter to Rilk, Ali Bey's fecretary, and I would give him a piafler upon bringing back the anfwer.

This they inflantly engaged to perform, but no fooner

were they gone a-lhore, than, after a fhort council held to-

Vol. I. G gether,

£o TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

gether, one of our laughing boat-companions flole off on foot, and, before day, I was awakened by the arrival of our Rais Abou Cuffi, and his fon Mahomet..

Abou Cuffi was drunk^ though a Sberriffe, a :Hugi, and half a Saint befides, who never tailed fermented liquor, as he told me when I hired him. — The fon was terrified out of his wits. He faid he mould have been impaled, had the meffenger arrived ; and, feeing that I fell upon means to keep open, a correfpondence with Cairo, he told me he would not run the rifk of being furety, and of going back to Cairo to an- fwer for his father's faults, leafl, one day or another, upon fome complaint of that kind, he might be taken out of his bed and baflinadoed to death, without knowing what his offence was.

An altercation enfued ; the father declined Haying upon pretty much the fame reafons, and I was very happy to find that Rifk had dealt roundly with them, and that I was ma- iler of the firing upon which I could touch their fears.

They then both agreed to go the voyage, for none of them thought it very fafe to flay ; and I was glad to get men of fome fubflance along with me, rather than trufl to hired vagabond fervants, which I efleemed-the two Moors to be.

As the Shekh of the Howadat and I had vowed friend- ship, he offered to carry me to Coffeir by land, without any expence, and in perfect fafety, thinking me diffident of my boatmen, from what had gaffed.

I THANKED

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. St

I thanked him for this friendly offer, which I am per- fuaded I might have accepted very fafely, but I contented myfelf with defiring, that one of the Moor fervants in the boat mould go to Cairo to fetch Mahomet Abou Cuffi's fon's cloaths, and agreed that I mould give live patakas additional hire for the boat, on condition that Mahomet mould go with us in place of the Moor fervant, and that Abou Cuffi, the father and faint (that never drank fermented liquors) mould be allowed to fleep himfelf fober, till his fervant the Moor returned from Cairo with his fon's cloaths.

In the mean time, I bargained with the Shekh of the. "Howadat to furnifh me with horfes to go to Metrahenny or Mohannan, where once he faid Mimf had Hood, a large city* the capital of all Egypt.

All this was executed with great fuccefs. Early in the morning the Shekh of the Howadat had paffed at Miniel, where there is a ferry, the Nile being very deep, and attend- ed me with five horfemen and a fpare horfe for myfelf, at Metrahenny, fouth of Miniel, where there is a great planta- tion of palm-trees.

The 13th, in the morning about eight o'clock, we let out our vaft fails, and paned a very confiderable village called Turra, on the eaft fide of the river, and Shekh Atman, a fmall village, confiding of about thirty houfes, on the well.

The mountains which run from the cafile to the eaft ward of fouth-eaft, till they are about five miles diftant from the Nile eaft and by north of this nation, approach again the banks of the river, running in a direeiion fouth and by

G 2 weft,

?2 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

weft, till they end clofe on the banks of the Nile about Turra.

The Nile here is about a quarter of a mile broad ; and there cannot be the fmalleft doubt, in any perfon diipofed to be convinced, that this is by very far * the narroweft part of Egypt yet feen. For it certainly wants of half-a-mile be- tween the foot of the mountain and the Libyan more, which cannot be faid of any ether part of Egypt we had yet corns to ; and it cannot be better defcribed than it is by f Hero- dotus ; and " again, oppo/ite to the Arabian fide, is another " ftony mountain of Egypt towards Libya, covered with " fand, where are the Pyramids."

As this, and many other circumftances to be repeated in the fequel, muil naturally awaken the attention of the traveller to -look for the ancient city of- Memphis here, Heft our boat at Shekh Atman, accompanied by the Arabs, point-- mg nearly fouth. We entered a large and thick wood of palm-trees, whofe greateft extenfion feemed to be fouth by eaft. We continued in this courfe till we came to one, and then to feveral large villages, all built among the plantation of date-trees, fo as fcarce to be feen from the more.

These villages are called Metrahenny, a word from the etymology of which I can derive no information, and leav- ing the river, we continued due weft to the plantation tha/t is called Mohannan, which, as far as I know, has no figni-

fication either.

All

* Herod, lib. ii. p. 99. f Herod, lib. ii. cap. 8.

THESOURCEOFTHENILE. 53

All to the fouth, in this defert, are vaft numbers of Py- ramids ; as far as I could difcern, all of clay, fome fo dif- tant as to appear juft in the horizon.

Having gained the weftern edge of the palm-trees at Mo- hannan, we have a fair view of the Pyramids at Geeza, which lie in a direction nearly S. W. As far as I can compute the diflance, I think about nine miles, and as near as it was poflible to judge by fight, Metrahenny, Geeza, and the cen- ter of the three Pyramids, made an Ifofceles triangle, or nearly fo.

I asked the Arab what he thought of the diftance ? whe- ther it was fartheft to Geeza, or the Pyramids ? He faid, they were fowab, fowab, juft alike, he believed; from Me- trahenny to the Pyramids perhaps might be fartheft, but he would much fooner go it, than along the coaft to Geeza, be- caufe he mould be interrupted by meeting with water.

All to the weft and fouth of Mohannan, we faw great mounds and heaps of rubbifh, and califhes that were not of any length, but were lined with ftone, covered and choked up in many places with earth.

We faw three large granite pillars S. \V. of Mohannan, and a piece of a broken cheft or ciftern of granite ; but no obelifks, or ftones with hieroglyphics, and we thought the greateft part of the ruins feemed to point that way, or more foutherly.

These, our conductor faid, were the ruins of Mimf, the an- cient feat of the Pharaohs kings of Egypt, that there was v ; o. another

^4 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

another Mimf, far down in the Delta, by which he meant Menouf, below Terrane and Batn el Baccara*.

Perceiving now that I could get no further intelligence,, I returned with my kind guide, whom I gratified for his pains, and we parted content with each other.

In the fands I faw a number of hares. He faid, if I would go with him to a place near Faioumc, I mould kill half a boat-load of them in a day, and antelopes likewife, for he knew where to get dogs ; mean- while he invited me to fhoot at them there, which I did not choofe ; for,, palling very quietly among the date- trees, I wifhed not to invite further curiofity.

All the people in the date villages feemed to be of a. yellower and more fick-like colour, than any I had ever feenr; befides, they had an inanimate, dejected, grave countenance, and feemed rather to avoid, than wifh any converfatiom

It was near four o'clock in the afternoon when we re- turned to our boatmen. By the way we met one of our Moors, who told us they had drawn up the boat oppofite to the northern point of the palm-trees of Metrahenny.

My Arab infifted to attend me thither, and, upon his arrival,, I made him fome trifling prefents, and then took my leave.

In the evening I received a prefentof dry dates, and fome fugar cane, which does not grow here, but had been brought

to

* See the Chart of the Nile.-

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 55

to the Shckh by fome of his friends, from fome of the vil- lages up the river.

The learned Dr Pococke, as far as I know, is the firft European traveller that ventured to go out of the beaten path, and look for Memphis, at Metrahenny andMohannam

Dr Shaw, who in judgment, learning, and candour, is equal to Dr Pococke, or any of thofe that have travelled into Egypt, contends warmly for placing it at Geeza.

Mr Niebuhr, the Danifh traveller, agrees with Dr Pococke I believe neither Shaw nor Niebuhr were ever at Metra- henny, which Dr Pococke and myfelf vifited ; though all of us have been often enough at Geeza, and I muft con- fefs, ftrongly as Dr Shaw has urged his arguments, I can- not confider any of the reafons for placing Memphis at Geeza as convincing, and very few of them that do not go to prove juft the contrary in favour of Metrahenny.

Bfeore I enter into the argument, I muft premife, that Ptolemy, if he is good for any thing, if he merits the hun- dredth part of the pains that have been taken with him by his commentators, muft furely be received as a competent authority in this cafe.

The inquiry is into the pofition of the old capital of E- gypt, not fourfcore miles from the place where he was writing, and immediately in dependence upon it. And therefore, in dubious cafes, I fhall have no doubt to refer to

him. as deferving the great? redit

Dr

56 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

Dr Pococke * fays, that the fituation of Memphis was at TNlohannan, or Metrahenny, becaufe Pliny fays the f- Pyra- mids were between Memphis and the Delta, as they certain- ly are, if Dr Pococke is right as to the fituation of Memphis.

Dr Shaw does not undertake to anfwer this direct evi- dence, but thinks to avoid its force by alledging a contrary fentiment of the fame Pliny, " that the Pyramids % lay be- tween Memphis and the Arfmoite nome, and confequently, as Dr Shaw thinks, they mult be to the weftward of Mem*, phis."

Memphis, if fituated at Metrahenny, was in the middle of the Pyramids, three of them to the N. W. and above three- fcore of them to the fouth.

When Pliny faid that the Pyramids were between Mem- phis and the Delta, he meant the three large Pyramids, com- monly called the Pyramids of Geeza.

But in the lad inftance, when he fpoke of the Pyramids of Saccara, or that great multitude of Pyramids fouthward, he laid they were between Memphis and the Arfmoite nome^ and lb they are, placing Memphis at Metrahenny.

For Ptolemy gives Memphis 290 50' in latitude, and the Arfmoite nome 290 30' and there is 8' of longitude betwixt them. There fore, the Arfmoite nome cannot be to the well, either of Geeza or Metrahenny ; the Memphitic nome ex- tends

* pococke, vol. I. c?.p. v. p. 39. j Pun. lib, 5, cap. 9, t pl»n- lib- 36' caP- I2<

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. "„

tends to the wefhvard, to that part of Libya called the Scy- thian Region ; and fouth of the Memphitic nome is the Ar- finoite nome, which is bounded on the wefhvard by the fame part of Libya.

To prove that the latter opinion of Pliny mould outweigh the former one, Dr Shaw cites *Diodorus Siculus, who fays Memphis was moil commodioufly fituated in the very key, or inlet of the country, where the river begins to divide itfelf into feveral branches, and forms the Delta.

I cannot conceive a greater proof of a man being blind- ed by attachment to his own opinion, than this quotation. For Memphis was in lat. 290 50', and the point of the Delta was in 300, and this being the latitude of Geeza, it cannot be that of Memphis. That city mufl be fought for ten or eleven miles farther fouth.

If, as Dr Shaw fuppofes, it was nineteen miles round, and that it was five or fix miles in breadth, its greateft breadth would probably be to the river. Then 10 and 6 make i5, which will be the latitude of Metrahenny, according to f Dr Shaw's method of computation.

But then it cannot be faid that Geeza is either in the key or inlet of the country ; all to the weflward of Geeza is plain, and defert, and no mountain nearer it on the other fide than the caftle of Cairo,

Vol. L H Dr

Diod..Sk.-p. 45. j 50. f.Suaw's T.avels, p. 2;6. in the latitude quoted.

5S TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

Dr Shaw* thinks that this is further confirmed by Pliny's faying that Memphis was within fifteen miles of the Delta. Now if this was really the cafe, he fuggefts a plain reafon, if he relies on ancient meafures, why Geeza, that is only ten miles, cannot be Memphis.

If a perfon, arguing from meafures, thinks he is intitled to throw away or add, the third part of the quantity that he is contending for, he will not be at a great ftrefs to place thcfe ancient cities in what fituation he pleafes.

Nor is it fair for Dr Shaw to fuppofe quantities that never did exiit ; for Metrahenny, inftead of f forty, is not quite twenty-feven miles from the Delta ; fuch liberties would confound any queflion.

The Doctor proceeds by faying, that heaps of ruins J alone are not proof of any particular place ; but the agreeing of the diftances between Memphis and the Delta, which is a fixed and Handing boundary, lying at a determinate diftance from Memphis, muft be a proof beyond all exception ||.

If I could have attempted to advife Dr Shaw, or have had an opportunity of doing it, I would have fuggefted to him, as one who has maintained that all Egypt is the gift of the Nile, not to fay that the point of the Delta is a Handing and deter- mined boundary that cannot alter. The inconfiftency is apparent, and I am of a very contrary opinion.

Babylon

Sliaw's Travels, cap. 4. p. 298. if Id. ilid. 299. 4. Id ibid. || Id. ibidc

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 59

Babylon, or Cairo, as it is now called, is fixed by the Ca~ Efh or Amnis Trajanus palling through it. Ptolemy * fays fo, and Dr Shaw fays that Geeza was oppollte to Cairo, or in? a line eait and welt from it, and is the ancient Memphis.

Now, if Babylon is lat. 300, and fo is Geeza, they may be oppofite to one another in a line of ealt and weft. But if the latitude of Memphis is 290 50', it cannot be at Geeza, which is oppofite to Babylon, but ten miles farther fouth, m which cafe it cannot be oppofite to Babylon or Cairo. Again, if the point of the Delta be in lat. 300, Babylon, or Cairo, 300, and Ceeza be 300, then the point of the Delta cannot be ten miles from Cairo or Babylon, or ten miles, from Geeza..

It is ten miles from Geeza, and ten miles fronxBabylon,. or Cairo, and therefore the diltances do not agree as Dr Shaw fays they do ; nor can the point of the Delta, as he fays, be a permanent boundary confidently with his own figures and thofe of Ptolemy, but it inufl have been wafhed away, or gone io' northward ; for Babylon, as he fays, is a certain boundary fixed by the Amnis Trajanus, and, fuppo- fmg the Delta had been a fixed boundary, and in lat. 300, then the diitance of fifteen miles would juit have made up the fpace that Pliny fays was between that point and Mem- phis, if we fuppofe that great city was at Mctrahenny.

I shall fay nothing as to his next argument in relation to the diitance of Geeza from the Pyramids ; becaufe, ma-

H 2 kin

or

o

: Ptol. Geogrnph. lib. iv. cap. c.

6o TRAVELS TO PIS COVER

king the fame fuppofitions, it is juft as much in favour of one as of the other.

His next argument is from * Herodotus, who fays, that Memphis lay under the fandy mountain of Libya, and that this mountain is a ftony mountain covered with fand, and is oppoiite to the Arabian mountain.

Now this furely cannot be called Geeza ; for Geeza is under no mountain, and the Arabian mountain fpoken of here is that which comes clofe to the more at Turra.

Piodorus fays, it was placed in the ftraits or narrow- ell part of Egypt ; and this Geeza cannot be fo placed, for, by Dr Shaw's own confellion, it is at leaft twelve miles from Geeza to the fandy mountain where the Pyramids Hand on the Libyan fide ; and, on the Arabian fide, there is no moun- tain but that on which the caftle of Cairo ftands, which chain begins there, and runs a confiderable way into the defert, afterwards pointing fouth-weft, till they come fo near to the eaflern fhore as to leave no room but for the river at Turra ; fo that, if the caufe is to be tried by this point only, I am very confident that Dr Shaw's candour and love of truth would have made him give up his opinion if he had vifited Turra.

The laft authority I mall examine as quoted by Dr Shaw, is to me fo decilive of the point in queftion, that, were I wri- ting to thofe only who are acquainted with Egypt, and the navigation of the Nile, I would not rely upon another.

Herodotus

"Herod, lib. ii. p. 141. Ibid.jp. 16S. Ibid. p. 105. Ibid. p. 103. Edit. Steph.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 61

Herodotus* fays, "At the time of the inundation, the x' Egyptians do not fail from Naucratis to Memphis by the " common channel of the river, that is Cercafora, and the " point of the Delta, but over the plain country, along the " very fide of the Pyramids."

1

Naucratis was on the weft fide of the Nile, about lat. 3o0 30'. let us fay about Terrane in my map. They then failed along the plain, out of the courfe of the river, upon the inundation, clofe by the Pyramids, whatever fide they pleafed, till they came to Metrahenny, the ancient Mem- phis.

The Etefian wind, fair as it could blow, forwarded their •courfe whilft in this line. They went directly before the wind, and, if we may fuppofe, accomplifhed the navigation in .a very few hours ; having been provided with thofe barks, or canjas, with their powerful fails, which I have already defcribed, and, by means of which, they fhortened their paflage greatly, as well as added pleafure to it.

But very different was the cafe if the canja was going to Geeza.

They had nothing to do with the Pyramids, nor to come within three leagues of the Pyramids; and nothing can be more contrary, both to fact, and experience, than that they would ihorten their voyage by failing along the fide of them ; for the wind being at north and north-weft as fair as poffible for Geeza, they had nothing to do but to keep

as

*Herod. lib. ii. § 97- p- 123

62 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

as direct upon it as they could lie. But if, as Dr Sliaw thinks,, they made the Pyramids iirll, I would with to know in what manner they conducted their navigation to come down up- on Geeza.

Their veffels go only before the wind, and they had a flrong Heady gale almoll directly in their teeth.

They had no current to help them ; for they were in ftiil water ; and if they did not take down their large yards and fails, they were fo top-heavy, the wind had fo muchpurchafe upon them above, that there was no alternative, but, either with fails or without, they muft make for Upper Egypt ; and there, entering into the firft practicable caliih that was- full, get into the main ftream.

But their dangers were not ftill over, for, going down with a violent current, and with their Handing rigging up, the moment they touched the banks, their malls and yards would go overboard, and, perhaps, the veffel Have to pieces.

Nothing would then remain, but for fafety's fake to flrike their mails and yards, as they always do when they go down the river ; they muft lie broadfide foremoft, the flrong wind blowing perpendicular on one fide of the veffel, and the vio- lent current pufhing it in a contrary direction on the other; while a man, with a long oar, balances the advantage the wind has of the ftream, by the hold it has of the cabin and upper works.

This would moll infallibly be the cafe of the voyage from Naucratis, unlefs in ftriving to fail by tacking, (a manoeuvre

of

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 6

j

of which their veffel is not capable) their canja mould over- fet, and then they mufl all perifh.

If Memphis was Metrahcnny, I believe moil people who had leifure would have tried the voyage from Naucratis by the plain. They would have been carried ftraight from north to fouth. But Dr Shaw is exceedingly miftaken, if he thinks there is any way fo expeditious as going up the current of the river. As far as I can guefs, from ten to four o'clock* we feldom went lefs than eight miles in the hour, againft a current that furely ran more than fix. This current kept our veffel ftiff, whilft the monftrous fail forced us through with a facility not to be imagined.

Dr Shaw, to put Geeza and Memphis perfectly upon a footing, fays*, that there were no traces of the city now to be found, from which he imagines it began to decay foon after the building of Alexandria, that the mounds and ram- parts which kept the river from it were in procefs of time neglected, and that Memphis, which he fuppofes was in the. old bed of the river about the time of the Ptolemies, was fo far abandoned, that the Nile at laft got in upon it, and overflowing its old ruins, great part of the bed of which had been carried firft to build the city of Alexandria, that the mud covered the reft, fo that no body knew what was its true fituation. This is the opinion of Dr Pococke, and 1'kewife of M. de Maillet.

The opinion of thefe two lafl-ftientionctl authors, that die ruins and fituation of Memphis arc now become obfeure,

is

Shaw's Travels, cap. 4.

6+ TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

is certainly true ; the foregoing difpute is a fufficient evi* dence of this.

But I will not fuffer it to be faid, that, foon after the building of Alexandria, or in the time of the Ptolemies, this was the cafe, becaufe Strabo * fays, that when he was in Egypt, Memphis, next to Alexandria,, was the molt magnifi* cent city in Egypt.

It was called the Capital f of Egypt, and there was entire a temple of Ofiris ; the Apis (or facred ox) was kept and worfhipped there. There was likewife an apartment for the mother of that ox Hill landing, a temple of Vulcan of great magnificence, a large $ circus, or fpace for fighting bulls ; and a great coloffus in the front of the city thrown down : there was alfo a temple of Venus, and a ferapium, in a very fandy place, where the wind heaps up hills of moving fand very dangerous to travellers, and a number of § fphinxes, (of fome only their heads being vifible) the others covered up to the middle of their body.

In the || front of the city were a number of palaces then

in ruins, and likewife lakes. Thefe buildings, he fays, flood

formerly upon an eminence ; they lay along the fide of the

hill, firetching down to the lakes and the groves, and forty

ftadia from the city ; there was a mountainous height, that

had many Pyramids Handing upon it, the fepulchres of the

kings, among which there are three remarkable, and two-

die wonders of the world.

This

* Strabo. lib. vii. . 914-. fid. ibid. t Id. ibid, § Strabo, ibid.

Id. ibid.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 6S

This is the account of an eye-witncfs, an hiflorian of the firft credit, who mentions Memphis, and this Hate of it, fo late as the reign of Nero ; and therefore I mall con- clude this argument with three obfervations, which, I am very forry to lay, could never have efcaped a man of Dr Shaw's learning and penetration.

ij, That by this defcription of Strabo, who was in it, it is plain that the city was not deferted in the time of the Ptolemies.

2^, That no time, between the building of Alexandria and the time of the Ptolemies, could it be fwallowed up by the river, or its fituation unknown.

3^/j', That great part of it having been built upon an eminence on the fide of a hill, efpecially the large and mag- nificent edifices I have fpoken of, it could not be fituated, as he fays, low in the bed of the river ; for, upon the giving way of the Memphitic rampart, it would be fwallowed up •by it.

If it was fwallowed up by the river, it was not Gceza ; and this accident mud have been fmcc Strabo's time, which DrShaw will not aver; and it is by much too loofe arguing to fay, firft, that the place was deflroyed by the violent over- flowing of the river, and then pretend its fituation to be Gecza, where a river never came.

The defcent of the hill to where the Pyramids were, and the number of Pyramids that were there around it, of which three are remarkable ; the very fandy fituation,. and the

v ol. L I quantity

66 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

quantity of loofe flying hillocks that were there (dangerous in windy weather to travellers) are very flrong pictures of the Saccara, the neighbourhood of Metrahenny and Mohan- nan, but they have not the fmallell or molt diltant refem- blance to any part in the neighbourhood of Geeza.

It will be afked, Where arc all thofe temples, the Serapi- um, the Temple of Vulcan, the Circus, and Temple of Venus? Are they found near Metrahenny ?

To this I anfwer, Are they found at Geeza? No, but had. they been at Geeza, they would have ftill been viiible, as they are at Thebes, Diofpolis, and Syene, becaufe they are fur- rounded with black earth not moveable by the wind. Vail quantities of thefe ruins, however, are in every ftreet of Cairo: every wail, every Bey's ftable, every cittern for horfes to drink at, preferve part of the magnificent remains that have been brought from Memphis or Metrahenny. — The reft arc covered with the moving fands of the Saccara ; as the fphinxes and buildings that had been defertcd were in. Strabo's time for want of grafs and roots, which always, fpread and keep the foil firm in populous inhabited places,, the fands of the deferts are let loofe upon them, and have ■ covered them probably for ever,

A man's heart fails him in looking to the fouth andfouth- weft of Metrahenny. He is loft in the immenfe expaafe of defert, which he fees full of Pyramids before him. Struck. with terror from the unufual fcenc of vaftnefs opened alt at once upon leaving the palm-trees, he becomes difpiritcd; from the effects of fultry climates.

From

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 67

From habits of idlcncfs contracted at Cairo, from the itories he has heard of the bad government and ferocity of the people, from want of language and want of plan, he fhrinks from the attempting any difcovcry in the moving fands of the Saccara, embraces in fafety and in quiet the reports of others, whom he thinks have been more inquifi- live and more adventurous than himfelf.

Thus, although he has created no new error of his own, he is acceffary to the having corroborated and confirmed the ancient errors of others; and, though people travel in the fame numbers as ever, phyfics and geography continue at a Hand.

In the morning of the 14th of December, after having made our peace with Abou Cuffi, and received a multitude of apologies and vows of amendment and fidelity for the future, we were drinking coffee preparatory to our leaving Metrahenny, and beginning our voyage in earner!, when an Arab arrived from my friend the Howadat, with a letter,, and a few dates, not amounting to a hundred.

Th6 Arab was one of his people that had been fick, and wanted to go to Kenne in Upper Egypt. The Shekh exprcl- fed his defire that I would take him with me this trifle of ahout two hundred and fifty miles, that I would give him medicines, cure his difeafe, and maintain him all the way.

On thefe occafions there is nothing like ready compli- ance. He had offered to carry me the lame journey with ■all my people and baggage without hire ; he conducted me with fafety and great politenefs to the Saccara ; I there-

I 2 fore

'•■

68 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

fore anfwered inftantly, " You fliall be very welcome,, upon my head be it." Upon this the miferable wretch, half naked, laid down a dirty clout containing about ten dates, and the Shekh's fervant that had attended him re- turned in triumph,

I mention this trifling circumftance, to fhew how efTen- tial to humane and civil intercourfe prefents are confidered to be in the eaft ; whether it be dates, or whether it be dia- monds, they are fo much a part of their manners, that, without them an inferior will never be at peace in his own. mind, or think that he has a hold of his fuperior for his favour or protection.

CHAP,

THE SOURCE OV THE NILE. 60

=s*$8g$fc

**=

CHAP. IV.

leave Metrahenny—Come to the JJland Halouan—Falft Pyramid— theft buildings end—Sugar Canes— Ruins of Antinopolis— Recep- tion there.

o

UR wind was fair and frefh, rather a little on our J beam ; when, in great fpirits, we hoifted our main and fore-fails, leaving the point of Metrahenny, where our rea- der may think we have too long detained him. We faw the Pyramids of Saccara ftill S. W. of us ; feveral villages on both fides of the river, but very poor and miferable ; part of the ground on the eaft fide had been overflowed, yet was not fown ; a proof of the oppreffion and diflrefs the hufbandman fuffers in the neighbourhood of Cairo, by the avarice and difagreement of the different officers of that motely incomprehenfible government.

After failing about two miles, we law three men fifh- ing in a very extraordinary manner and fituation. They were on a raft of palm branches, fupported on a float of clay jars, made fail together. The form was like an Ifofceles triangle, or face of a Pyramid; two men, each provided with* calling net, flood at the two corners, and threw their net into the flream together ; the third flood at the apex of the triangle, or third corner, which was foremofl, and rhrew his net the moment the other two drew theirs out

4. o£

7o TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

of the water. And this they repeated, in perfect time, and with furprifmg regularity. Our Rais thought we wanted to buy fifh ; and letting go his main-fail, ordered them on board with a great tone of fuperiority.

They were in a moment alongfide of us ; and one of them came on board, lafhing his mifcrablc raft to a rope at our Hern. In recompence for their trouble, we gave them fome large pieces of tobacco, and this tranfported them fo much, that they brought us a bafket, of feveral different kinds of fifh, all fmall ; excepting one laid on the top of the bafket, which was a clear falmon-coloured Mi, filvered upon its fides, with a made of blue upon its back*. It weighed about 10 lib. and was moil excellent, being per- fectly firm and white like a perch. There are fome of this kind 70 lib. weight. I examined their nets, they were ra- ther of a fmaller circumference than our calling nets in England ; the weight, as far as I could guefs, rather heavier in proportion than ours, the thread that compofed them be- ing fmaller. I could not fufhciently admire their fuccefs, in a violent ftream of deep water, fuch as the Nile ; for the river was at leaft twelve feet deep where they were iiihing, and the current very ftrong.

These fifhers offered willingly to take me upon the raft to teach me ; but I cannot fay my curiofity went fo far. They faid their fifhing was merely accidental, and in courfe of their trade, which was felling thefe potter earthen jars, which they got near Afhmounein ; and after having carried

the

* Named Bimy. Sec Appendix.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 7r

the raft with them to Cairo, they untie, fell them at the mar- ket, and carry the produce home in money, or in neceffaries upon their hack. A very poor (Economical trade, hut fuf- ficent, as they faid, from the carriage of crude materials, the moulding, making, and fending them to market, to Cairo and to different places in the Delta, to afford occupation to two thoufand men ; this is nearly four times the number of people employed in the largeit iron foundery in Eng- land. But the reader will not underftand, that I warrant this fact from any authority but what I have given him.

About two o'clock, in the afternoon, we came to the point of an iiland ; there were feveral villages with date trees on both fides of us ; the ground is overflowed by the Nile, and cultivated. The current is very flrong here. We paffed a village called Regnagie, and another named Zaragara, on the eaft fide of the Nile. We then came to Caphar el Hay.- at, or the Toll of the Tailor; a village with great plantations of dates, and the largeft we had yet feen.

We paffed the night on the S. W... point, of the ifland be- tween Caphar el Hayat, and Gizier Azali, the. wind failing as about four o'clock, This place is the beginning of. the Ker?.cleotic nome, and its fituation a fullicient evidence that Metrahenny was Memphis ; its name is Halouan,

This ifland is now divided into a number, of fmall ones, by calilhes being cut through and through it, and, under different Arabic names, they ftill reach very far up the ilream. f landed .to fee. if there werexemains of the olive tree which

Strabo

fi TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

Strabo* fays "grew here, but without fuccefs. We may im- agine, however, that there was fome fuch like thing ; be- caufe oppofite to one of the divifions into which this large ifland is broken, there is a village called Zeitoon, or the Olive Tree.

On the 15th of December, the weather being nearly calm, we left the north end of the ifland, or Heracleotic nome ; our courfe was due fouth, the line of the river ; and three miles farther we pafled Woodan, and a collection of vil- lages, all going by that name, upon the eaft : to the weft, or right, were fmall iflands, part of the ancient nome of which I have already fpoken.

The ground is all cultivated about this village, to the foot of the mountains, which is not above four miles ; but it is full eight on the weft, all overflowed and fown. The Nile is here but fhallow, and narrow, not exceeding a quarter of a mile broad, and three feet deep ; owing, I fuppofe, to the refiftance made by the ifland in the middle of the cur- rent, and by a bend it makes, thus intercepting the fand brought down by the ftream.

The mountains here come down till within two miles of Suf el Woodan, for fo the village is called. We were told there were fome ruins to the weft ward of this, but only rub- bifh, neither arch nor column {landing. I fuppofe it is the Aphroditopolis, or the city of Venus, which we are to look

for

* Strabo, lib. xvii. p- pj6.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE.

73

for here, and the nome of that name, all to the eafhvard of it.

The wind ftill frefhening, we palled by feveral villages on each fide, all furrounded with palm-trees, verdant and pleafant, but conveying an idea of famenefs and want of variety, fuch as every traveller mull have felt who has fail- ed in the placid, muddy, green-banked rivers in Holland.

The Nile, however, is here fully a mile broad, the water deep, and the current ftrong. The wind feemed to be exaf- perated by the refinance of the ftream, and blew freih and fteadily, as indeed it generally does where the current is violent.

"We palled Nizelet Embarak, which means the Blcfled Landing-place. Mr Norden * calls it Giefiret Barrakaed, which he fays is the -watering-place if the crofs. Was this even the proper name here given it, it mould be tranflated the BleiTed Bland; but, without underftanding the language, it is in vain -to keep a regifter of names.

The boatmen, living cither in the Delta, Cairo, or one of the great towns in Upper Egypt, and coming conftamly load- ed with merchandife, or ilrangers from thefe great places, make fwift paffages by the villages, either down the river with a rapid current, or up with a ftrong, fair, and flcacly wind : And, when -die feafon of the Nile's inundation is over, and the wind turns fouthward, they repair all to the Delta, Vol. I. K the

■Norderi's travels, vol. ii. p. 19,

74 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

the river being no longer navigable above, and there they* are employed till the next feafon.

They know little, therefore, and carelefs about the name?, or inhabitants of thefe villages, who have each of them barks of their own to carry on their own trade. There arc fome indeed employed by the Coptic andTurkiih. merchants, who are better verted in the names of villages than others ; but, if they are not, and find you do not underftand the language, they will never confefs ignorance ; they will tell vou the lirll name that comes uppermoft, fometimes very- ridiculous, often very indecent, which we fee afterwards pafs into books, and wonder that luch names were ever given to towns.

The reader will obferve this m comparing Mr Norden's voyage and mine, where he will feldom fee the fame vil- lage pafs by the fame name. My Rais, Abou Cuffi, when he did not know a village, fometimes tried this with mc> But when he law me going to write, he ufed then to tell me the truth, that he did not know the village ; but that fuch was the -cuibm of him, and his brethren, to people that did not underftand the language, efpecially if they were prielis, meaning Catholic Monks.

We paffed with great velocity Nizelet Embarak, Cubabac; Nizelet Omar, Racca Kibeer, then Racca Seguicr, and came in light of Atria, a large village at fome diitance from the Nile ; all the valley here is green, the palm-groves beautiful,, and the Nile deep.

Still

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE.

Stij.l it is not the profpccT: that pleafcs, for the whole ground that is fown to the fandy afcent of the mountains, is but a narrow flripe of three quarters of a mile broad, and the mountains them felvcs, which here begin to have a mo- derate degree of elevation, and which bound this narrow valley, are white, gritty, fandy, and uneven, and perfectly dcliitute of all manner of verdure.

At the fmall village of Racca Seguier there was tins remarkable, that it was thick, furrounded with trees of a different nature and figure from palms ; what they were I know not, I believe they were pomegranate-trees ; I thought, that with my glafs I difcerned fomc " rcddiih fruit upon them ; and we had paffed a village called Rhoda, a name they give in Egypt to pomegranates ; Saleah is on the op- polite, or eaft-fule of the river. The Nile divides above the village ; it fell very calm, and here we paffed the night of the fifteenth.

Our Rais Abou Ouffi begged leave to go to Comadreedy, a fmall village on the weft of the Nile, with a few palm- trees about it ; he laid that his wife was there. As I never heard any thing of this till now, I fancied he was going to divert himlelf in the manner he had done the night be- fore he left Cairo ; for he had put on his black furtout, or great coat, his icarlct turban, and a new fearlet ihaul, both of which he laid he had brought, to do me honour in my

vovagc.

I thanked him much for his conlidcration, but alked him why, as he was a Sherriffe, he did not wear xhegreen turban of Mahomet ? He anfwered, Poh ! that was a trick

K 2 put

M<5 A V EL'S TO DISCOVER

, Lt upon ftrangers ; there were many men who wore greens rurbaus, he laid, that were very grea-t rafcals ; but he was i Sti'nt, which was better tfrail a SherruTe, and was known as ftich all over the world, whatever colour of a turban he wore, or whether a turban at all, and he only dreffed for mv honour ; would be back early in the morning., and bring me a fair wind.

" Hassan, faid I, I fancy it is much more likely that- you " bring me fome aquavits, if you do not drink it all." He promifed that he would fee and procure fome, for mine was now at an end. He faid, the Prophet never forbade aquavits, only the drinking of wine ; and the prohibition could not be intended for Egypt, for there was no wine in it. ButBouza, fays he, Bouza I will drink, as long as I can walk from Item to item of a veiled, and away he went. I had indeed no doubt he would keep his refolution of drink- ing whether he returned or not.

We kept, as ufuah a very good watch all night, which palled without disturbance. Next day, the 17th/ was ex- ceedingly hazy *in the morning, though it cleared about ten o'clock. It: was, however, iufficient. to mew the falfity of the obfervation of the author, who fays that the Nile* emits no fogs, and in courfe of the voyage we often faw other examples. of the fallacy of this affertion.

In the afternoon, the people went afhore to fhoot pigeon*; they were very bad, and black, as it was not the feafon of

grain.

Hero.!, lib, ii. cap. 19.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 77

-rain. I remained arranging my journal, when, with fome i'urprize, ,1 faw the Howadat Arab- come in, and lit down cloie to* me; however, I was not afraid of any evil inten- tion, having a crooked knife at my girdle, and two piftok Lying by me.

What's this? How now, friend? faid I; Who lent for vou ? He v/ould have killed my hand, faying Fiarduc, I am under your protection; he then pulled out a rag from with- in his girdle, and laid he was going to Mecca, and had taken that with him ; that he was afraid my boatmen would rob hirn, and throw him into the Nile, or get fomebody to rob and murder him by the way; and that one of the Moors, Haffan's fervant, had been feeling for his money the nigh* before, when he .thought him afiecp.

I made him count his mm, which amounted to 7^ fequiirs, and a piece of filver, value about half-a-crown, which in Syria they call Abou Keib, Father Dog. It is the Dutch Lion rampant, which the Arabs, who never call a thing by its right name, term a dog. — in fhort, this trcaiure amounted to fomething more than three guineas ; and this he denred me to keep till we feparated. Do not yon tell them, faid lie, and I will throw off my cloaths and girdle, and leave them on board,, while I go to fwim, and when they find I have nothing upon me they will not hurt me\.

But what fecurky, faid I, have you that I do not rob 5 of this, and get you thrown into the Nile fome night ? No, no, fays he, that I know is impoffiblc, I have never been able to fleep till I fpoke to you ; do with me what you pleafe, and my money too, only keep me out of the hands

2.. '"■-

78 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

of thofe murderers. " Well, well, faid I, now you have got rid of your money, you are fafc, and you (hall be my fer- vant; lye before the door of my dining-room all night, they dare not hurt a hair of your head while I am alive."

The Pyramids, which had been on our right hand at dif- ferent diiiances fince we paffed the Saccara, terminated here in one of a very lingular construction. About two miles from the Nile, between Suf and Woodan, there is a Pyramid, which at firft fight appears all of a piece ; it is of unbaked bricks, and perfectly entire ; the inhabitants call it the * Falfe Pyramid, The lower part is a hill exactly ihaped like a Pyramid for a confiderable height. Upon this is continued the luperftructure in proportion till it ter- minates like a Pyramid above ; and, at a diltance, it would require a good eye to difcern the difference, for the face of the flone has a great refemblance to clay, of which the Pyramids of the Saccara are compofed.

Hassan Abou Cuffi was as good as his word in one re- fpecl ; he came in the night, and had not drunk much fer- mented liquors ; but he could find no fpirits, he faid, and that, to be lure, was one of the reafons of his return ; I had fat up a great part of the night waiting a feafon for obfer- vation, but it was very cloud}', as all the nights had been (ince wo left Cairo.

The f Stb, about eight o'clock in the morning, we pre- pared to get on our way ; the wind was calm, and fouth.

I afked

D gjour,

THE SOURCE OF THE NIL E.

79

I afkcd our Rais where his fair wind was which lie promi- sed to bring ? He laid, his wife had quarrelled with him all night, and would not give him time to pray; and therefore, fays he with a very droll face, you fhall fee me do all that a Saint can do for you on this occafion. I afked him what that was ? He made another droll face, "Why, it is to draw " the boat by the rope till the wind turns fair." I commend- ed very much this wife alternative, and immediately the veiled began to move, but very flowly, the wind being ftill unfavourable.

On looking into Mr Nordcn's voyage, I was ftruck at firft fight with this paragraph* : "We faw this day abundance of " camels, but they did not come near enough for us to fhoot " them." — I thought with myfelf, to Jhoot camels in Egypt would be very little better than to Jhoot men, and that it was very lucky for him the camels did not come near, if that was the only thing that prevented him. Upon looking at the note, I fee it is a fmall miftake of the tranflator +, who fays, " that in the original it is Chameaux d'eau, water- " came/s;bm whether they are a particular fpecies of camels, * or a different kind of animal, he does not know.

But

* Norden's Travels, vol. ii. p. 17.

fl cannot here omit to reftify another fmall miftake of the tranflator, which involves- him in a difference with this Author which he did not mean. —

Mr Norden, in the French, fays, that the mafter of his veflel being much frightened, " avoit perdu la tramontane •" the true meaning of which is, That he had Toft his judgment, not loll the north wind, as it is tranilated, which is really nonfenfe.

Month's Travel, vol. ii. r>. re.

go TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

But this is no fpecies of camel, it is a bird called a Peli- can, and the proper name in Arabic, is Jimmel el Bahar, the Camel of the River. The other bird like a partridge, which Mr Norden's people fhot, and did not know its name, and which was better than a pigeon, is called Gooto, very com- mon in all the defert parts of Africa. I have drawn them of many different colours. That of the Deferts of Tripoli, and Cyrenaicum, is very beautiful ; that of Egypt is fpotted white like the Guinea-fowl, but upon a brown ground, not a blue one, as that latter bird is. However, they are all very bad to cat, but they are not of the fame kind with the par- tridge. Its legs and feet are ail covered with feathers, and it has but two toes before. The. Arabs imagine it feeds on {tones, but its food is infects.

After Comadreedy, the Nile is again divided by another fragment of the ifland, and inclines a little to the welhvard. On the eaft is the village Sidi Ali el Courani. It has only two palm-trees belonging to it, and on that account hath a deferted appearance ; but the wheat upon the banks was five inches high, and more advanced than any we had feen. The mountains on the eaft-iide come down to the banks of the Nile, are bare, white, and fandyyand there is on this fide no appearance of villages.

The river here is abont a quarter of a mile broad, or fomething more. It mould feem it was the Angyrorimi Qj vitas of Ptolemy, but neither night nor day could I get an inflant for obfervation, on account of thin white clouds, which confuted (for they fcarce can be laid to" cover) the heavens continually.

We

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. Bi

We patted now a convent of cophts, with a fmall planta- tion of palms. It is a miferable building, with a dome like to a faint's or marabout's, and Hands quite alone.

About four miles from this is the village of Nizelet el Arab, confiiling of miferable huts. Here begin large planta- tions of fugar canes, the firft we had yet feen ; they were then loading boats with thel'e to carry them to Cairo. I procured from them as many as I defired. The canes are about an inch and a quarter in diameter, they are cut in round pieces about three inches long, and, after having been flit, they are fteeped in a wooden bowl of water. They give a very a- greeable tafte and flavour to it, and make it the moil re- frefhing drink in the world, whilft by imbibing the water, the canes become more juicy, and lofe a part of their heavy clammy fweetnefs, which would occalion third. I was fur- prized at finding this plant in fuch a Hate of perfection fo far to the northward. We were now fcarcely arrived in lat. 290, and nothing could be more beautiful and perfect than the canes were.

I apprehend they were originally a plant of the old con- tinent, and tranfported to the new, upon its firft difcovery, becaufe here in Egypt they grow from feed. I do not know if they do fo in Brazil, but they have been in all times the produce of Egypt. Whether they have been found eife- where, I have not had an opportunity of being informed, but it is time that fome fkilful perfon, verfed in the hiftory of plants, mould feparate fome of the capital productions of the old, and new continent, from the adventitious, before, from length of time, that which we now know of their hiftory be loft.

Vol. I. I- Sugar,

Si TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

Sugar, tobacco, red podded or Cayenne pepper, cotton, fomc fpecies of Solanum, Indigo, and a multitude of others, have not as yet their origin well afcertained.

Prince Henry of Portugal put his difcoveries to immedi- ate profit, and communicated what he found new in each part in Europe, Afia, Africa, and America,, to where it was wanting. It will be foon difficult to afcertain to each quar- ter of the world the articles that belong to it, and fix up- on tho-fe few that are common to all.

Even wheat, the early produce of Egypt, is not a native of it. It grows under the Line, within the Tropics, and as far north and fouth as we know. Severe northern win- ters ieem to be necefiary to it, and it vegetates vigoroufly in froft and fnow. But whence it came, and in what fliape, is yet left to conjecture.

Though the ftripe of green wheat was continued all along the Nile, it was interrupted for about half a mile on. each fide of the coptifh convent. Thefe poor wretches know, that though they may fow, yet, from the violence of the Arabs, they ihall never reap, and therefore leave the ground defolate.

On the fide oppofite toSment, the ftripe begins again, and continues from Sment to Mey-Moom,. about two miles, and from Mey-Moom to Shenuiah, one mile further. In this- final! ftripe, not above a quarter of a mile broad, befides wheat, clover is fown, which they call Berfine. I don't think it equals what I have feen in England, but it is fown and

cultivated in the fame manner,

Immediately

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 8j

Immediately behind this narrow ftripe, the white moun- tains appear again, fquare and flat on the top like tables. They feem to be laid upon the furface of the earth, not in- ferted into it, for the feveral ftrata that are divided lye as level as it is poflible to place them with a rule ; they are of no confiderable height.

We next paflcd Boufh, a village on the weft-fide of the Nile, two miles fouth of Shenuiah ; and, a little further, Beni Ali, where we fee for a minute the mountains on the right or weft-fide of the Nile, running in a line nearly fouth, and very high. About five miles from Boufh is the village of Maniareifh on the eafl-fide of the river, and here the mountains on that fide end.

Boush is about two miles and a quarter from the river. Eeni Ali is a large village, and its neighbour, Zeytoom, ftill larger, both on the weftem fhore. I fuppofe this lafl was part of the Heraclcotic nome, where * Strabo fays the olive-tree grew, and no where elfe in Egypt, but we faw no appear- ance of the great works once faid to have been in that nome. A little farther fouth is Baiad, where was an engagement between Huflein Bey, and Ali Bey then in exile, in which the former was defeated, and the latter reflored to the govern- ment of Cairo.

From Maniareifh to Beni Suef is two miles and a half, and oppofite to this the mountains appear again of confider- able height, about twelve miles diflant. Although Beni Suef

L 2 is

Strabo, lib. xvii. p. g$6.

84 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER.

is no better built than any other town or village that we Had panned, yet it intereib by its extent; it is the moil conuderable place we had yet feen fmce our leaving Cairo. It has a cacheff and a mofque, with three large iteeples, and is a market- town.

The country all around is well cultivated, and Teems to be of the utmoft fertility; the inhabitants are better cloathed, and feemingly lefs miferable, and oppreffed, than thole we» had left behind in the places nearer Cairo.

The Nile is very mallow at Beni Suef, and the current: ftrong. We touched feveral times in the middle of the; ftream, and came to an anchor at Baha, about a quarter of; a mile above Beni Suef, where we palled the night.

We were told to keep good watch here all night, that there were troops of robbers on the eaft-fide cf the water, who had lately plundered fome boats, and that the cacheff either dared not, or would not give them any affiftance. We did indeed keep ftri6t watch, but faw no robbers, and were, no other way molefted.

The i 8th we had fine weather and a fair wind. Still I thought the villages were beggarly, and the conftant groves, of palm-trees fo perfectly verdant, did not compenfate for the penury of fown land, the narrownefs of the valley, and barrennefs of the mountains.

We paffed Manmra,Gadami, Magaga, Malatiah, and other fmall villages, fome of them not coniifting of fifteen houfes, Then follow Gundiah and Kerm on the weft-fide of the

river,

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE.

s

river, with a large plantation of dates, and four miles fur- ther Sharuni. All the way from Boufh there appeared no mountains on the weft fide,, but large, plantations of dates, which extended from Gundiah four miles.

From this to Abou Azeeze, frequent plantations of fugar canes were, now cutting. All about Kafoor is fandy and barren on both fides of the river. Etfa is on the weft lidc of the Nile, which here again makes an ifland. All the houfes have now receptacles for pigeons on their tops, from which is derived a confiderable profit. They are made of earthen pots one above the other, occupying the upper ftory, and giving the walls of the turrets a lighter and. more orna- mented appearance.

We: arrived in the evening at Zohora, about a mile fouth of Etfa. It confifts of three plantations of dates, and is five miles, from Miniet, and there we pafted the night of the . 1 8th of December.

There was nothing remarkable till we came to Barkaras-, a village on the fide of a hill, planted with thick groves of. palm-trees.

The wind was fo high we fcarccly could carry our fails ; the current was ftrong at Shekh Temine, and the violence with which we went through the v/ater was terrible. My Rais told me we fliould have flackened our fails, if it had net been, that, feeing me curious about the conftruclion of the veflel and her parts, and as we were in no danger of link- ing, though the water was low, he wanted to fhew me what fiie could tio.

I THANKED

S6 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

I thanked him for his kindnefs. We had all along pre- ferred Uriel: friendfhip. Never fear the banks, laid I ; for 1 know if there is one in the way, you have nothing to do but to bid him begone, and he will hurry to one fide direct- ly. " I have had paffengers, fays he, who would believe " that, and more than that, when I told them ; but there is " no occalion I fee to wafte much time with you in fpeak- " ing of miracles."

" You are miftaken, Rais, I replied, very much miftaken; " I love to hear modern miracles vaftly, there is always fome " amufement in them." — " Aboard your Chriilian fhips, fays " he, you always have a prayer at twelve o'clock, and drink " a glafs of brandy ; fince you won't be a Turk like me, I " wifh at leail you would be a Chriilian." — Very fairly put, laid I, Haflan, let your veffel keep her wind if there is no danger, and I lliall take care to lay in a ftock for the whole voyage at the firlt town in which we can purchafe it.

We paffed by a number of villages on the weftern more, the eaftern fecming to be perfectly unpeopled : Firlt, Fefhne, a eonfiderable place ; then * Miniet, or the ancient Phyla?, a large town which had been fortified towards the water, at leaft there were fome guns there. A rebel Bey had taken poffeilion of it, and it was ufual to ftop here, the river being both narrow and rapid ; but the Rais was in great fpirits, and refolved to hold his wind, as I had defired him, and nobody made us any fignal from fhore.

We

Signifies the Narrow PafTage, and is meant what Plyl* is in Latin.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 87

We came to a village called Rhoda, whence we faw the magnificent ruins of the ancient city of Antinous, built by- Adrian. Unluckily I knew nothing of thefe ruins when I left Cairo, and had taken no pains to provide myfelf with letters of recommendation as I could eafily have done. Per- haps I might have found it difficult to avail myfelf of them, and it was, upon the whole, better as it was.

I asked the Rais what fort of people they were ? He faid that the town was compofed of very bad Turks, very bad Moors, and very bad Chriftians; thatfeveral devils had been feen among them lately, who had been difcovered by being better and quieter than any of the reft The Nubian geo- grapher informs us, that it was from this town Pharaoh brought his magicians, to compare their powers with thofe of Mofes ; an anecdote worthy that great hiftorian.

I told the Rais, that I mult, of neceffi ty, go afliore, and afked him, if the people of this place had no regard for faints ? that I imagined, if he would put on his red turban as he did at Comadreedy for my honour, it would then ap- pear that he was a faint, as he before faid he was known to be all the world over. He did not feem to be fond of the ex- pedition ; but hauling in his main-fail, and with his fore- fail full, ftood S. SL E. directly under the Ruins.. In a fhort time we arrived at the landing-place ; the banks are low, and we1 brought up in a kind of bight or fmail bay, where there was a ftake, fo our veJTel touched very little, or rather fwung clear.

Abou Cuffi's fon Mahomet, and the Arab, went on more,, under pretence of buying fome nroviiion, and to fee how

the

8-8 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

the land lay, but after the character we had of the inha"bl« tants, all our fire-arms were brought to the door of the ca- bin. In the mean time, partly with my naked eye and partly with my glafs, I obferved the ruins fo attentively as to be perfectly in love with them.

These columns of the angle of the portico were Handing fronting to the north, part of the tympanum, cornice, frize, and architrave, all entire, and very much ornamented; thick trees hid what was behind. The columns were of the largeft fize and fluted ; the capitals Corinthian, and in all appearance entire. They were of white Parian marble probably, but had loft the extreme whitenefs, or polifh, of the Antinous at Rome, and were changed to the colour of the fighting gladiator, or rather to a brighter yellow. I faw indiftinctly, alfo, a triumphal arch, or gate of the town, in the very fame ftyle ; and fome blocks of very white min- ing ftone, which feemed to be alabafter, but for what em- ployed I do not know.

No perfon had yet ftirred, when all on a fudden we heard the noife of Mahomet and the Moor in ftrong difpute. Up- on this the Rais ftripping off his coat, leaped afhore, and flipped off the rope from the flake, and another of the Moors ftuck a ftrong perch or pole into the river, and twill- ed the rope round it. We were in a bight, or calm place, fo that the ftream did not move the boat.

Mahomet and the Moor came prefently in fight ; the people had taken Mahomet's turban from him, and they were apparently on the very worft terms. Mahomet cried ±o us, that the whole town was coming, and getting near

2 the

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. S9

the boat, he and the Moor jumped in with great agility. A number of people was affembled, and three mots were fired at us, very quickly, the one after the other.

I cried out in Arabic, "Infidels, thieves, and robbers ! come :t on, or we mall prefently attack you :" upon which I im- mediately fired a fhip-blunderbufs with piflol fmall bullets, but with little elevation, among the bufhes, fo as not to touch them. The three or four men that were neareft fell fiat upon their faces, and Hid away among the bumes on their bellies, like eels, and we faw no more of them.

We now put our vefTel into the ftream, filled our fore* fail, and flood off, Mahomet crying, Be upon your guard, if you are men, we are the Sanjack's foldiers, and will come for the turban to-night. More we neither heard nor faw.

We were no fooner out of their reach, than our Rais, filling his pipe, and looking very grave, told me to thank God that I was in the vefTel with fuch a man as he was, as it was owing to that only I efcaped from being niurdered a-fhore. " Certainly, faid I, Haffan, under God, the way of ' efcaping from being murdered on land, is never to go " out of the boat, but don't you think that my blunderbufs ' was as effectual a mean as your holinefs ? Tell me,Mahc- £ met, What did they do to you ?" He faid,They had not fcen us come in, but had heard of us ever fince we were at Mctra- henny, and had waited to rob or murder us ; that upon now hearing we were come, they had all ran to their houfes for their arms, and were coming down, immediate- ly, to plunder the boat ; upon which he and the Moor ran off, and being met by thefe three people, and the bov, on Vol. I. M ' thc

9o TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

the road, who had nothing in their hands, one of them matched the turban off. He likewife added, that there were two parties in the town ; one in favour of Ah Bey, the other friends to a rebel Bey who had taken Miniet ; that they had fought, two or three days ago, among themfelves, and were going to fight again, each of them having called A- rabs to their afliftance. " Mahomet Bey, fays my Howadat " Arab, will come one of thefe days with the foldicrs, " and bring our Shekh and people with him, who will " burn their houfes, and deftroy their corn, that they will. M be allflarved to death next year."

Hassan and his fon Mahomet were violently exafperated, and nothing would ferve them but to go in again near the fhore, and lire all the guns and blunderbufles among the people. But, befides that I had no inclination of that kind, I was very loth to fruflrate the attempts of fome future traveller, who may add this to the great remains of archi- tecture we have preferved already.

It would be a fine outfet for fome engraver; the elegance and importance of the work are certain. From Cairo the diftance is but four dayspleafant and fafe navigation, and in quiet times, protection might, by proper means, be ealily enough obtained at little expence.

G HAP.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 91

=**#E3«^

CHAP. V.

Voyage to Upper Egypt continued — Afhmouncin ', Rnins there — Gaiva Jvi- becr Ruins — Mr Norden mtjlaken — Achmiin — Convent of Catholics — Dcndcra — Magnificent Ruins — Adventure "with a Saint there.

THE Rais's curiofity made him attempt to prevail with me to land at Reremont, three miles and a half off, juft a-head of us ; this I underftood was a Coptic Chriftian town, and many of Shekh Abade's people were Chriftians alfo. I thought them too near to have any thing to do with either of them. At Reremont there are a great number of Perfian wheels, to draw the Avater for the fugar canes, which be- long to Chriftians. The water thus brought up from the river runs down to the plantations, below or behind the town, after being emptied on the banks above ; a proof that here the defcent from the mountains is not an optic fallacy, as Dr Shaw fays.

We paired Afhmounein, probably the ancient Latopolis, a large town, which gives the name to the province, where there are magnificent ruins of Egyptian architecture ; and after that we came to Melawe, larger, better built, and bet- ter inhabited than Afhmounein, the reiidence of the Ca- chefT. Mahomet Aga was there at that time with troops' from Cairo, he had taken Miniet, and, by the friendihip

M 2 of

£g TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

of Shekh Hamara, the great Arab, governor of Upper Egypt,, he kept all the people on that fide of the river in their alle- giance to Ali Bey.

I had feen him at Cairo, and Rifk had fpoken to him to- do me fervice if he met with me, which he promifed. I called at Melawe to complain of our treatment at Shekh Abade, and fee if I could engage him, as he had nothing elfe to employ him, to pay a vifit to my friends at that inhofpiv table place. This I was told he would do upon the flight- eft intimation. He, unfortunately, however, happened, to be out upon fome party ; but I was lucky in getting an old Greek, a fcrvant of his, who knew I was a friend, both t3 the Bey and to Iris Patriarch.

He brought me about a gallon of brandy, and a jar of lc* mons and oranges, preferved in honey ; both very agreea^- blc. He brought likewife a lamb, and fome garden-fluffs. Among the fweetmeats was fome horfe - raddifh preferved like ginger, which certainly, though it might be whole- fome, was the very word fluff ever I tailed. I gave a good fquare piece of it, well wrapt in honey, to the Rais, who coughed and fpit half an hour after, crying he was poi- soned.

I saw he did not wifh me to flay at Melawe, as he was afraid of the Bey's troops, that they might engage him in their fervice to carry them down, fo went away with great good will, happy in the acquifition of the brandy, declaring he would carry fail as long as the wind held.

»

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE.

93

We palled Molle, a fmall village with a great number of acacia trees intermixed with the plantations of palms. Thefe occafion a pleafing variety, not only from the difference of the fhape of the tree, but alfo from the colour and diverfity of the green.

As the fycamore in Lower Egypt, fo this tree feems to be fhe only indigenous one in the Thebaid. It is the Acacia Vera, or the Spina Egyptiaca, with a round yellow flower. The male is called the Saiel ; from it proceeds the gum ara- bic, upon incifion with an ax. This gum chiefly comes from Arabia Petrea, where thefe trees are moll numerous. But it is the tree of all deferts, from the northmoft part of Arabia, to the extremity of Ethiopia, and its leaves the only food for camels travelling in thofe defert parts. This gum is called Sumach in the weft of Africa, and is a principal arti- cle of trade on the Senega among the Ialofes.

A large plantation of Dates reaches all along the weft fide,, and ends in a village called Mafara. Here the river, though broad, happened to be very fhallow ; and by the violence with which we went, we ftuck upon a fand bank £o faft, that it was after fun-fet before we could get off; we came to an anchor oppofite to Mafara the night of the 19th of December-

On the 20th, early in the morning, we again fet fail and paffed two villages, the firft called Welled Behi, the next Salem, about a mile and1 a half diftant from each other on the weft fide of the Nile. The mountains on the weft fide of the valley are about fixtecn miles off, in a high even ridge, running in a diredion fouth-caft ; while the moun- tains^,

94 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

tains on the eaft run in a parcllel direction with the river, and are not three miles diflant.

We patted Deiroi.it on the eaft fide, and another called Zo- hor,in the fame quarter, furrounded with palms; then Shade on the eaft fide alfo, where is a wood of the Acacia, which feems very luxuriant ; and, though it was now December, and the mornings efpecially very cold, the trees were in full flower. We palled Monfalout, a large town on the weftern more. It was once an old Egyptian town, and place of great trade ; it was ruined by the Romans, but re-cfta- bliihed by the Arabs.

An Arabian * author fays, that, digging under the foun- dation of an old Egyptian temple here, they found a croco- dile made of lead, with hieroglyphics upon it, which they imagine to be a talifman, to prevent crocodiles from palling further. Indeed, as yet, we had not feen any ; that animal delights in heat, and, as the mornings were very cold, he keeps himfelf to the fouthward. The valley of Egypt here is about eight miles from mountain to mountain.

We paffed Siout, another large town built with the re- mains of the ancient city fffi& It is fome miles in land, upon the fide of a large califh, over which there is an an- cient bridge. This was formerly the ftation of the caravan for Sennaar. They aflembled at Monfalout and Siout, un- der the protection of a Bey reiiding there. They then pafs- ed nearly fouth-weft, into the fandy defert of Libya, to El

Wah,

* Mcffoudi. t It"*' Anton, p. 14.

'THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 95

Wah, the Oafis Magna of antiquity, and fo into the great Defert of Selima.

Three miles beyond Siout, the wind turned directly fouth, fo we were obl:\. :i to May at Tima the reft of the 20th. I was wearied with continuing in the boat, and went on more at Tima. It is a fmall town, furrounded like the reft with groves of palm-trees. Below Tima is Eandini, three miles on the eaft fide, The Nile is here full of fandy iflands. Thofe that th . .nidation has firil left are all fown, thefe are chiefly pijj the eaft. The others on the weft were barren and uncultivated ; all of them moflly compofed of fand.

I walked into the defert behind the village, and fhot a confidcrable number of the bird called Gooto, and feveral hares likewife, fo that I lent one of my fervants loaded to the boat. I then walked down paft a fmall village called Nizelet el Himma, and returned by a itill fmaller one call- ed Shuka, about a quarter of a mile from Tima. I was ex- ceedingly fatigued with the heat by the fouth wind * blow- ing, and the deep fand on the fide of the mountain. I was then beginning my apprenticefhip, which I fully compleatcd.

The people in thefe villages were in appearance little lefs miferable than thofe of the villages we had paiTed. They fcemed fhy and furly at firft, but, upon converfation, became placid enough. I bought fome medals from them of no value, and my fervants telling them I was a phyfician, I- gave my advice to feveral of the fick. This reconciled

them

It is called Hamfeen, becaufe it is expected to blow all PenteccS. •

96 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

them perfectly, they brought me frefh water and fome fu- gar-canes, which they fplit and fleeped in it. If they were fatisfied, I was very much fo. They told me of a large fcene of ruins that was about four miles diftant, and offered to fend a perfon to conduct me, but I did not accept their of- fer, as I was to pafs there next day.

The 21ft, in the morning, we came to Gawa, where is the fecond fcene of ruins of Egyptian architecture, after leaving Cairo. I immediately went on lhore, and found a fmall temple of three columns in front, with the capitals entire, and the columns in feveral feparate pieces. They feemed by that, and their flight proportions, to be of the mofl modern of that fpeoies of building; but the whole were covered with hieroglyphics, the old ftory over again, the hawk and the ferpent, the man fitting with the dog's head, with the perch, or meafuring-rod ; in one hand, the he- rnifphere and globes with wings, and leaves of the banana- tree, as is fuppofed, in his other. The temple is filled with rubbifh and dung of cattle, which the Arabs bring in here to fhelter them from the heat,

Mr Norden fays, that thefe are the remains of the ancient Diofpolis Parva, but, though very loth to differ from him, and without the leaft defire of criticifmg, I cannot here be of his opinion. For Ptolemy, I think, makes Diofpolis Parva about lat. 260 40', and Gawa is 270 20', which is by much too great a difference. Beiides, Diofpolis and its nome were far to the fouthward of Panopolis ; but we fliall fhew, by undoubted evidence, that Gawa is to the northward.

There

the Source of the nile. 97

There are two villages of this name oppofite to each other ; the one Gawa Shergieh, which means the Eaitern Gawa, and this is by much the largeft ; the other Gawa Garbieh. Several authors, not knowing the meaning of thefe terms, call it Gawa Gebery ; a word that has no fignifica- tion whatever, but Garbieh means the Weftern.

I was very well pleafed to fee here, for the firft time, two ihepherd dogs lapping up the water from the ftream, then lying down in it with great feeming leifure and fatisfac- tion. It refuted the old fable, that the dogs living on the banks of the Nile run as they drink, for fear of the croco- dile.

All around the villages of Gawa Garbieh, and the plan- tations belonging to them, Meflita and Raany, with theirs alfo joining them (that is, all the weft fide of the river) are cultivated and fown from the very foot of the mountains to the water's edge, the grain being thrown upon the mud as foon as ever the water has left it. The wheat was at this time about four inches in length.

We pafled three villages, Shaftour, Commawhaia, and Zinedi; we anchored off Shaftour, and within fight of Taahta. Taahta is a large village, and in it are feveral mofques. On the call is a mountain called Jibbel Heredy, from a Turkifh faint, who was turned into a fnake, has lived feveral hun- dred years, and is to live for ever. As Chriftians, Moors, and Turks, all faithfully believe in this, the confcquence is, that abundance of nonfenfe is daily writ and told concern- ing it. Mr Norden difcuffes it at large, and afterwards gravely tells us, he does not believe it ; in which I certainly Vol. I. N mull

9S TRAVELS TO DISCOVER,

muft heartily join him, and recommend to my readers to do i the fame, without reading any thing about it,

On the 2 2d, at night, we arrived at Achmim. I landed my quadrant and inftruments, with a view of obferving an eclipie of the moon; but, immediately after her rifing,. clouds and milt fo effectually covered the whole heavens, that it was not even poilible to catch a liar of any fize paf- fmg the meridian.

Achmim is a very confiderable place. It belonged once to an Arab prince of that name, who poffefled it by a grant from the Grand Signior, for a certain revenue to be paid yearly. That family is now extinct ; and another Arab prince, Hamam Shck.h of Furfhout, now rents it for his life-time, from the Grand Signior, with all the country (except Girge) ■ from Siout to Luxor.

The. inhabitants of Achmim are of a very yellow, un- healthy appearance, probably owinp; to the bad air, occafion- ed by a very dirty caliili that panes through the town, There are, likewile, a great many trees, bullies, and gar- dens, about the ftagnated water, all which increafe the bad quality of the air.

There is here what is called a Hofpice, or Convent of re- ligious Francifcans, for the entertainment of the converts,, or perfecuted Chriftians in Nubia, when they can find them.., This inftitution I fpeak of at large in the fequel. One of the laft princes of the lioufe of Medicis, all patrons of learn- ing, propofed to furnifh them with a compleat obfervatory,, with the mofl perf eel: and expenlive inftruments ; but they

refufed

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 99

refufcd them, from a fcruple leaft it would give umbrage to the natives. The fear that it mould expofe their own ig- norance and idlenefs, I mull think, entered a little into the confideration.

They received us civilly, and that was juft all. I think I never knew a number of priefts met together, who differ- ed fo little in capacity and knowledge, having barely a ro- tine of fcholaftic difputation, on every other fubject in- conceivably ignorant. But I underftood afterwards, that they were low men, all Italians ; fome of them had been barbers, and fome of them tailors at Milan ; they affected to be all Anti-Copernicans, upon fcripture principles, for they knew no other aflronomy.

These priefts lived in great eafe and fafety, were much, protected and favoured by this Arab prince Hamam ; and their acting as phyficians reconciled them to the people. They told me there were about eight hundred catholics in the town, but I believe the fifth part of that number would never have been found, even fuch catholics as they are. The reft of them were Cophts, and Moors, but a very few of the latter, fo that the miiuonaries live perfectly unmo- :]efted.

There was a manufactory of coarfe cotton cloth in the town, to confiderable extent; and great quantity of poultry, efteemed the bell in Egypt, was bred here, and fent down to Cairo. The reafon is plain, the great export from Achmim is wheat ; all the country about it is fown with that grain, and the crops arc fuperior to any in Egypt. Thirty-two grains pulled from the ear was equal to forty-nine of the beft Barbary wheat

N 2 gathered

roo TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

gathered in the fame feafon ; a prodigious difproportion, if it holds throughout. The wheat, however, was not much more forward in Upper Egypt, than that lower down the country, or farther northward. It was little more than four inches high, and fown down to the very edge of the water,.

The people here wifely purfuing agriculture, fo as to pro- duce wheat in the greatefl quantity, have dates only about their houfes, and a few plantations of fugar cane near their gardens. As foon as they have reaped their wheat, they fow for another crop, before the fun has drained the moiflure from the ground. Great plenty of excellent fifli is caught here at Achmim, particularly a large one called the Binny, a figure of which I have given in the Appendix. I have feen them about four feet long, and one foot and a half broad.

The people feemed to be very peaceable, and well dil- pofed, but of little curiolity. They exprefled not the leaft furprife at feeing my large quadrant and telelcopes mount- ed. We palled the night in our tent upon the river fide, without any fort of moleilation, though the men are re- proached with being very great thieves. But feeing, I fup- poi'e, by our lights, that we were awake, they were afraid.

The women feldom marry after fixteen ; we faw feveral with child, who they faid were not eleven years old. Yet I did not obferve that the men were lefs in fize, lefs vigor- ous and active in body, than in other places. This, one would not imagine from the appearance thefe young wives make,. They are little better coloured than a corpfe, and

look.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 101

look older at fixteen, than many Englifli women at fixty, fo that you are to look for beauty here in childhood only.

Achmim appears to be the Panopolis of the ancients, not only by its latitude, but alio by an infeription of a very large triumphal arch, a few hundred yards fouth of the convent. It is built with marble by the Emperor Nero, and is dedi- cated in a Greek infeription, itani ©eg. The columns that were in its front are broken and thrown away; the arch it- felf is either funk into the ground, or overturned on the fide, with little feparation of the feveral pieces.

The 24th of December we left Achmim, and came to the village Shekh Ali on the weft, two miles and a quarter dis- tant. We then palled Hamdi, about the fame diftance far- ther fouth ; Aboudarac and Salladi on the eafl ; thenSalladi Garbieh, and Salladi Shergieh on the eafl and weft, as the names import ; and a number of villages, almoft oppofite, on each fide of the river.

At three o'clock in the afternoon we arrived at Girge, the largeft town we had feen fince we left Cairo ; which, by the latitude Ptolemy has very rightly placed it in, mould be the Diofpolis Parva, and not Gawa, as Mr Norden makes it. For this we know is the beginning of the Diofpolitan nome, and is near a remarkable crook of the Nile, as it mould be. It is alfo on the weftern fide of the river, as Diofpolis was, and at a proper diftance from Dendera, the ancient Tentyra, a mark which cannot be miftaken.

The Nile makes a kind of loop here ; is very broad, and the current ftrong. We paffed it with a wind at north; but

the'

<ro2 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

the waves ran high as in the ocean. All the country, on both fides of the Nile, to Girge, is but one continued grove of palm-trees, in which are feveral villages a fmall diftance from each other, Doulani, Confaed, Dcirout, and Berdis, on the weft lide ; Welled Hallifi, and Beni Haled, on the eaft.

The villages have all a very pieturefque appearance among the trees, from the many pigeon-houfes that are on •the tops of them. The mountains on the eaft begin to de- part from the river, and thofe on the weft to approach near- er it. It feems to me, that, loon, the greateft part of Egypt on the eaft fide of the Nile, between Achmim and Cairo, will be defert; not from the rifing of the ground by the mud, as is fuppofed, but from the quantity of fand from the mountains, which covers the mould or earth feveral feet deep. This 24th of December, at night, we anchored be- tween two villages, Beliani and Mobanniny.

Next morning, the 25th, impatient to vifit the greateft, and moft magnilicent fcene of ruins that are in Upper Egypt, we fet out from Beliani, and, about ten o'clock in the fore- noon, arrived at Dendera. Although we had heard that the people of this place were the very worft in Egypt, we were not very apprehenfive. We had two letters from the Bey, to the two principal men there, commanding them, as they would anfwer with their lives and fortunes, to have a fpe- cial care that no mifchief befel us; and likewife a very premng letter to Shekh Hamam at Furlhout, in whofe ter- ritory we were.

I pitched my tent by the river fide, juft above our bark, and lent a menage to the two principal people, firft to the

one,

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. ioj

one, then to the other, defiring them to fend a proper perfon, for I had to deliver to them the commands of the Bey. I did not choofe to trufl thefe letters with our boat- man; and Dendera is near half a mile from, the river. The two men came after fome delay, and brought each of them a fheep ; received the letters, went back with great fpeed, and, foon after, returned with a horfe and three afTes, to carry me to the ruins..

Dendera is a confiderable town at this day, all covered with thick groves of palm-trees, the fame that Juvenal de- fcribes it to have been in his time. Juvenal himfelf mult have feen it, at leaft once, in paffing, as he himfelf died in a kind of honourable exile at Syene, whilft in command there.

Tcrga fug<z ce/eri, praflmitibits omnibus tnjlant^ S>ul vidua colunt umbrofce Tetitjra palmce.

Juv. Sat. 15. v. 75,

This place is governed by a cachefF appointed by Shekh Hamam. A mile fouth of the town, are the ruins of two temples, one of which is lb much buried under ground, that little of it is to be feen ; but the other, which is by far the molt magnificent, is entire, and accefiible on every fide. It is alio covered with hieroglyphics, both within and with- out, all in relief ; and of every figure, fimple and compound, that ever has been publifhed, or called an hieroglyphic.

The form of the building is an oblong fquare, the ends of which are occupied by two large apartments, or vefti- bules, fupportcd by monitions columns, all covered with

a- hieroglyphics ,

104 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

hieroglyphics likewife. Some are in form of men and beafts ; fome feem to be the figures of inftruments of facri- fice, while others, in a fmaller fize, and lefs diflinel: form, feem to be infcriptions in the current hand of hieroglyphics, of which I fhall fpeak at large afterwards. They are all finifhed with great care.

The capitals are of one piece, and confift of four huge human heads, placed back to back againft one another, with bat's ears, and an ill-imagined, and worfe-executed, fold of drapery between them.

Above thefc is a large oblong fquare block, flill larger than the capitals, with four flat fronts, difpofed like pannels, that is, with a kind of fquare border round the edges, while the faces and fronts are filled with hieroglyphics ; as are the walls and cielings of every part of the temple. Between thefe two apartments in the extremities, there are three other apartments, refembling the firft, in every refpecl, only that they are fmaller.

The whole building is of common white ftone, from the neighbouring mountains, only thofe two in which have been funk the pirns for hanging the outer doors, (for it fcems they had doors even in thofe days) are of granite, or black and blue porphyry.

The top of the temple is flat, the fpouts to carry off the water are monflrous heads of fphinxes ; the globes with wings, and the two ferpents, with a kind of fliield or breafl- plate between them, are here frequently repeated, fuch as we fee them on the Carthaginian medals.

4 The

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 105

The hieroglyphics have been painted over, and great part of the colouring yet remains upon the Hones, red, in all its ihades,efpeciaily that dark dufky colour called TyrianPur- ple ; yellow, very frefh ; fky-blue (that is, near the blue of an eaftern fky, feveral fhades lighter than ours ; green of dif- ferent fhades ; thefe are all the colours preferved.

I could difcover no vefliges of common houfes in Den- dera more than in any other of the great towns in Egypt. I fuppofe the common houfes of the ancients, in thefe warm countries, were conftructed of very flight materials, after they left their caves in the mountains. There was indeed no need for any other. Not knowing the regularity of the Nile's inundation, they never could be perfectly fecure in their own minds againft the deluge ; and this flight flructure of private buildings feems to be the reafon fo few ruins are found in the many cities once built in Egypt. If there ever were any other buildings, they mull be now covered with the white fand from the mountains, for the whole plain to the foot of thefe is o erflowed, and in culti- vation. It was no part, either of my plan or inclination, to enter into the detail of this extraordinary architecture. Quantity, and folidity, are two principal circumftances that are feen there, with a vengeance.

It flrikes and impofes on you, at firft fight, but the im- preflions are like thofe made by the flze of mountains, 'which the mind does not retain for any confiderablc time after feeing them ; I think, a very ready hand might fpend fix months, from morning to night, before he could copy the hieroglyphics in the infide of the temple. They arc, however, in feveral combinations, which have not appeared

Vol. I. O in

io6 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

in the collection of hieroglyphics, I wonder that, being- in the neighbourhood, as we are, of Lycopolis, we never fee a wolf as an hieroglyphic ; and nothing, indeed, but what, has fome affinity to water ; yet the wolf is upon all the med- als, from which I apprehend that the worfhip of the wolf, was but a modern fuperftition,

Dendera ftands on the edge of a fmall, but fruitful plain; the wheat was thirteen inches high, now at Chriflmas ; their harveft is in the end of March. The valley is not above five miles wide, from mountain to mountain. Here we firft faw the Doom-tree in great profufion growing among the palms, from which itfcarcely is diftinguifhable at a dif- tance. It is the * Talma Thebaica Cuciofera. Its Hone is like that of a peach covered with a black bitter pulp, which: refembles a walnut over ripe.

A little before we came to Dendera we faw the firft crocodile, and afterwards hundreds, lying upon every ifland,. like large flocks of cattle, yet the inhabitants of Dendera drive their beafls of every kind into the river, and they, ftand there for hours. The girls and women too, that come to fetch water in jars, ftand up to their knees in the water for a confiderable time ; and if we guefs by what happens, their danger is full as little as their fear, for none of thenv that ever I heard of, had been bit by a crocodile. However, if the Denderitcs were as keen and expert hunters of Cro- codiles, as fome f hiitorians tell us they were formerly, there is furely no part in the Nile where they would have better fport than here, immediately before their own city.

Having

*Tbeophraft. Hift. Plan. lib. iii. cap. S — lib. iv. cap^2.. fStrabo lib. vii. p. 941..

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 107

Having made fome little acknowledgment to thofe who had conducted me through the ruins in great fafety, I re- turned to the Canja, or rather to my tent, which I placed in the firlt firm ground. I faw, at fome diftance, a well-drefTed. man, with a white turban, and yellow ihawl covering it, and a number of ill-looking people about him. As I thought this was fome quarrel among the natives, I took no notice of it, but went to my tent, in order to rectify my quadrant for obfervation.

As foon as our Rais faw me enter my tent, he came with expremons of very great indignation. " What fignifies it, faid he, that you are a friend to the Bey, have letters to every body, and are at the door of Furfhout, if yet here is a man that will take your boat away from you?"

" Softly, foftly, I anfwered, Hatfan, he may be in the right. If Ali Bey, Shekh Hamam, or any body want a boat for public fervice, I muft yield mine. Let us hear."

Shekh Hamam and Ali Bey! fays he; why it is a fool, an idiot, and an afs ; a fellow that goes begging about, and fays lie is a faint,; but he is a natural fool, full as much knave as fool however ; he is a thief, I know him to be a thief."

If he is a faint, faid I, Hagi Haffan, as you are another, known to be fo all the world over, I don't fee why I ihould interfere ; faint againft faint is a fair battle." — " It is the Cadi, replies he, and no one elfe."

u Come away with me, faid I, Haffan, and let us fee this cadi ; if it is the cadi, it is not the fool, it may be the knave."

O 2 We

ioS TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

He was fitting upon the ground on a carpet, moving his head backwards and forwards, and faying prayers with beads in his hand. I had no good opinion of him from his firft appearance, but faid, Salam aliaim, boldy ; this feemed to offend him, as he looked at me with great contempt, and gave me no anfwer, though he appeared a little difconcert- ed by my confidence.

»»»-

"'Are you the Cafr, faid he, to whom that boat belongs r

" No, Sir, faid I, it belongs to Hagi Haffan."

"Do you think, fays he, I call Hagi Haffan, who is a Slier--

" That depends upon the meafure of your prudence, faid* " I, of which as yet I have no proof that can enable me to> "judge or decide."

"Are you the Cbri/I'um thatAvas at the ruins in the morn-- " ing ? fays he."

" I was at the ruins in the morning, replied I, and / am " a Chrifum. Ah Bey calls that denomination of people ** Nazaraaii that is the Arabic of Gairo and Conftantinople, " and I undcrftand no other."

" Lam, faid he,. going to Girge, and this holy faint is with " me, and there is no boat but your's bound that way, for a which reafon I have promifed to take him with me."

By

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 109

By this time the faint had got into the boat, and fat for- ward ; he was an ill-favoured, low, fick-like man, and feem- ed to be almoft blind.

You mould not make rafh prcmifes, faid I to the cadi, for this one you made you never can perform ; I am not go- ing to Girge. Ali Bey, whofejlave you are, gave me this boat, but told me, I was not to fhip either faints or cadies. There is my boat, go a-board if you dare ; and you, Hagi Harlan, let me fee you lift an oar, or loofe a fail, either for the cadi or the faint, if I am not with them.

I went to my tent, and the Rais followed me. " Hagi u Harlan, faid I, there is a proverb in my country, It is bet- " ter to flatter fools than to fight them : Cannot you go to " the fool, and give him half-a-crown ? will he take it, do " you think, and abandon his journey to Girge? after- ** wards leave me to fettle with the cadi for his voyage thi- " ther."

" He will take it with all his heart, he willkifs your hand " for half-a-crown, fays Haffan."

"Let him have half-a-crown from me, faid I, and deiire " him to go about his bufmefs, and intimate that I give him M it in 'charity; at fame time expect compliance with the " condition."

In the interim, a Cliriflian Copht came into the tent: " Sir, faid he, you don't know what you are doing ; the cadi " is a great man, give him his prefent, and have done with « him.""

no TRAVELSTO DISCOVER

" When he behaves better, it will be time enough for that, " faid I? — If you are a friend of his, advife him to be quiet, " before an order comes from Cairo by a Serach, and car- " ries him thither. Your countryman Rifle would not give " me the advice you do ?"

Risk! fays he; Do you know Rifk? Is not that Rifle's wri- ting, faid I, fhewing him a letter from the Bey ? Wallah ! (by God) it is, fays he, and away he went without fpeaking a word farther.

The faint had taken his half-crown, and had gone away finging, it being now near dark. — The cadi went away, and the mob difperfed, and we directed a Moor to cry, That all people fliould, in the night-time, keep away from the tent, or they would be fired at ; a Hone or two were afterwards thrown, but did not reach us.

I finished my obfervation, and afcertained the latitude of Dendera, then packed up my inftruments, and fent them •on board.

Mr Norden feems greatly to have miftaken the pofition of this town, which, confpicuous and celebrated as it is by ancient authors, and juftly a principal point of attention to modern travellers, he does not fo much as defcribe ; and, in his map, he places Dendera twenty or thirty miles to the fouthward of Badjoura ; whereas it is about nine miles to the northward. For Badjoura is in lat. 26° 3', and Dendera is in 260 ioi

It

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. m

It is a great pity, that he who had a tafte for this very remarkable kind of architecture, ihould have paired it, both in going up and coming down ; as it isr beyond comparifon, a place that would have given more fatisfaclion. than all Upper Egypt.

While we were linking our tent, a great mob came down, but without the cadi. As I ordered all my people to take their arms in their hands, they kept at a very confiderable dif- tance ; but the fool, or faint, got into the boat with a yellow flag in his hand, and fat down at the foot of the main-mall, laying, with an idiot fmile, That we mould lire, for he was out of the reach of the Ihot ; fome Hones were thrown, but did not reach us.

I ordered two of my fervants with large brafs Ihip-blun- derbufles, very bright and glittering, to get upon the top of the cabbin. I then pointed a wide-mouthed Swedilh blun- derbufs from one of the windows, and cried out, Have a care ;_^the next Hone that is thrown I fire my cannon amongft you, which will fweep away 300 of you inilantly from the face of the earth ; though I believe there were not. above two, hundred then prelent..

I ordered Hagi HalTan to call off his: cord immediately and, as foon as the blunderbufs appeared, away ran every one of them, and, before they could collect themfelves to return, our veffel was in the middle of the llream. The ' wind was fair, though not very frelh, on which we- let both cur fails, and made great way.

The

m* TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

The faint, who had been finging all the time we were difputing, began now to lliew fome apprehenfions for his own fafety : He alked Hagi Haflan, if this was the way to Girge ? and had for anfwer, " Yes, it is the fool's way to. « Girge."

We carried him about a mile, or more, up the river ; then ^a convenient landing-place offering, I afked him whether he got my money, or not, lall night ? He laid, he had for yefterday, but he had got none for to-day. — " Now, the next thing I have to afk you, faid I, is, Will you go afhore of your own accord, or will you be thrown into the Nile ? He an- fwered with great confidence, Do you know, that, at my word, I can fix your boat to the bottom of the Nile, and make it grow a tree there for ever ?" " Aye, fays Hagi Haf- fan, and make oranges and lemons grow on it likewife, can't you ? You are a cheat." "Come, Sirs, faid I, lofe no time, put him out." I thought he had been blind and weak ; and the boat was not within three feet of the fhore, when placing one foot upon the gunnel, he leaped clean upon land.

We flacked our veflel <lown the ftream a few yards, fill- ing our fails, and ftretching away. Upon feeing this, our faint fell into a defperate paflion, curling, blafpheming, and ftamping with his feet, at every word crying " Shar Ullah !" i.e. may God fend, and do juflice. Our people began to taunt and gibe him, afking him if he would have a pipe of tobacco to warm him, as the morning was very cold ; but I bade them be content. It was curious to fee him, as far as we could difcern, fometimes fitting down, fometimes jump- ing and flapping about, and waving his flag, then running

about

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. u

a

about a hundred yards, as if it Were after us ; but always returning, though at a flower pace.

None of the reft followed. He was indeed apparently the tool of that rafcal the cadi, and, after his dcfigns were frus- trated, nobody cared what became of him. He was left in the lurch, as thofe of his charai5tei\generally are, after Serv- ing the purpofe of knaves.

£**=

Vol. I. p CHAP.

1 14 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

CHAP. VI.

Arrive at FurJJjout — Adventure of Friar Chrifiopher — Vifit Thebes — - Luxor and Camac — Large Ruins at Edfu and Efhe Proceed on our

Voyage.

WE arrived happily at Furfliout that fame forenoon, and went to the convent of Italian Friars, who, like thofe of Achmim, are of the order of the reformed Francifcans, of whofe minion I fliall fpeak at large in the fequel.

We were received more kindly here than at Achmim ; but Padre Antonio, fuperior of that laft convent, upon which this of Furfliout alfo depends, following us, our good recep- tion fuffered a fmall abatement. In fhort, the good Friars would not let us buy meat, becaufc they faid it would be a Jhame and reproach to them; and they would not give us any, for fear that mould be a reproach to them Iikewife, if it was told in Europe they lived welL

After fome time I took the liberty of providing for my- felf, to which they fubmitted with chriftian patience. Yet thefe convents were founded exprefsly with a view, and from a ncceffity of providing for travellers between Egypt and Ethiopia, and we were flric"lly intitled to that enter- tainment.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. n5

tainment. Indeed there is very little ufe for this inftitu- tion in Upper Egypt, as long as rich Arabs are there, much more charitable and humane to ftranger Chriftians than the Monks.

Furshout is in a large and cultivated plain. It is nine miles over to the foot of the mountains, all fawn with wheat. There are, likewife, plantions of fugar canes. The town, as they faid, contains above 1 0,000 people, but I have no doubt this computation is rather exaggerated.

We waited upon the Shekh Hamam ; who was a big, tall, handfome man ; I apprehend not far from fixty. He was dreffed in a large fox-fkin peliffe over the reft of his cloaths, and had a yellow India fhawl wrapt about his head, like a turban. He received me with great politenefs and condefenfion, made me fit down by him, and afked me more about Cairo than about Europe.

The Rais had told him our adventure with the faint, at which he laughed very heartily, faying, I was a wife man. and a man of conduct. To me he only faid, " they arc bad people at Dendera ;" to which I anfwered, " there were very few places in the world in which there were not fome bad." He replied, " Your obfervation is true, but there they are all bad ; reft yourfelves however here, it is a quiet place ; though there are ftill fome even in this place not quite i'o good as they ought to be."

The Shekh was a man of immenfe riches, and, little by little, had united in his own perfon, all the feparate diflric~ts

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of Upper Egypt, each of which formerly had its particular- prince. But his interelt was great at Constantinople, where he applied directly for what he wanted, infomuch as to give a jealoufy to the Beys of Cairo. He had in farm from the Grand Signior almoil the whole country, between Siout and Syenc, or AiTouan. I believe this is the Shekh of Upper Egypt, whom Mr Irvine fpeaks of fo gratefully. He was betrayed, and murdered Tome time after, by one of the Beys whom he. had protected in his own country.

While we were at Furfhout, there happened a very ex- traordinary phenomenon. It rained the whole night, and till about nine o'clock next morning ; and the people be- gan to be very apprehenfive leaft the whole town fhould be deftroyed. It is a perfect prodigy to fee rain here ; and the prophets laid it portended a difiblution of government, which was juftly verified foon afterwards, and at that time indeed was extremely probable.

Furshqut is in lat 260 3' 30" ; above that, to the fouth- ward, on the fame plain, is another large village, belonging to Shekh Ifmael, a nephew of Shekh Hamam. It is a large town, built with clay like Furfhout, and furrounded with groves of palm trees, and very large plantations of fugar. canes. Here they make fugar.

Shekh Ismael was a very pleafant and agreeable man, but in bad health, having a violent afthma, and fometimes pleuretic complaints, to be removed by bleeding only. He had given thefe friars a houfe for a convent in Badjoura ; but as they had not yet taken poffelTion of it, he defired me

to come and Hay there,

Friar

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. ny

Friar Christopher, whom I underftood to have been a Milanefe barber, was his phyfician, but he had not the fci- ence of an Engliih barber in furgery. He could not bleed, but with a fort of inflrumcnt refcmbling that which is ufed in cupping, only that it had but a fmgle lancet ; with this he had been lucky enough as yet to efcape laming his patients.. This bleeding inftrument they call the Tabange, or the Piftol, as they do the cupping inftrument iikewife. I never could help fhuddering at feeing the coniidence with which this man placed a fmall brafs box upon all forts of arms, and drew the trigger for the point to go where fortune pleafed„

Shekh Ismael was very fond of this furgeon, and the furgeon of his patron ; all would have gone well, had not- friar Chriftopher aimed Iikewife at being an Aftronomer. A- bove all he gloried in being a violent enemy to the Coperni- can fyftem, which unluckily he had miftaken for a herefy in the church ; and partly from his own flight ideas and flock of knowledge, partly from fome Milanefe almanacs he had got, he attempted, the weather being cloudy, to foretel the time when the moon was to change, it being that of the month Ramadan, when the Mahometans' lent, or failing, , was to begin.

It happened that the Badjoura people, and their Shekh Ifmael, were upon indifferent terms with Hamam, and his men of Furfhout, and being defirous to get a triumph over their neighbours by the help of their friar Chriftopher, they continued to eat, drink, and fmoke, two days after the con- junction. .

The

ri8 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

The moon had been feen the fecond night, by a Fakir*', in the defert, who had fent word to Shekh Hamam, and he had begun his fail. But Ifmael, affured by friar Chriilophcr that it was impomble, had continued eating.

The people of Furihout, meeting their neighbours fing- ing and dancing, and with pipes of tobacco in their mouths, all cried out with ailoniiliment, and afked, " Whether they had " abjured their religion or not?" — From words they came to blows ; feven or eight were wounded on each iide, luckily none of them mortally. — Hamam next day came to inquire at his nephew Shekh Ifmael, what had been the occafion of all this, and to confult what was to be done, for the two villages had declared one another infidels.

I was then with my fervants in Badjoura, in great quiet and tranquillity, under the protection, and very much in the confidence of Ifmael; but hearing the hooping, and noife in the ilreets, I had barricadoed my outer-doors. A high wall furrounded the houfe and court-yard, and there I kept quiet, fatisfied with being in perfect fafety.

In the interim, I heard it was a quarrel about the keep- ing of Ramadan, and, as I had provifions,water, and employ- ment enough in the houfe, I refolved to ilay at home till they fought it out ; being very little interefted which of them Ihould be victorious. — About noon, I was fent for to Ifmael's houfe, and found his uncle Hamam with him.

He

A poor faint.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. iig

He told me, there were feveral wounded in a quarrel a- bout the Ramadan, and recommended them to my care. " About Ramadan, faid I ! what, your principal fall ! have " you not fettled that yet ?"— Without anfwering me as to this, he afked, " When does the moon change ?" As I knew nothing of friar Chriftophcr's operations, I anfwered, in hours, minutes, and feconds, as I found them in the ephe- merides.

"Look you there, fays Hamam, this is fine work!" and, directing his difcourfe to me, "When fhall we fee it?" Sir, faid I, that is impoflible for me to tell, as it depends on the ftate of the heavens ; but, if the fky is clear, you mull fee her to-night ; if you had looked for her, probably you would have feen her lafl night low in the horizon, thin like a thread; fhe is now three days old.— He ftarted at this, then told me friar Chrillopher's operation, and the confequenccs of it.

Ismael was afhamed, curfedhim, and threatned revenue. It was too late to retract, the moon appeared, and fpoke for herfelf; and the unfortunate friar was difgraced, and banifhed from Badjoura. Luckily the pleuretic Hitch came again, and I was called to bleed him, which 1 did with a lan- cet ; but he was fo terrified at its brightnefs, at the ceremonv of the towel and the bafon, and at my preparation, that it did not pleafe him, and therefore he was obliged to be reconciled to Chriflopher and his tabange.— Badjoura is in lat. 260 3' 1 6"; and is fituated on the weftern more of the Nile, as Furfhout is likewife*

We

i2o TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

We left Furfhout the 7th of January 1769, early in the morning. We had not hired our boat farther than Fur- fhout ; but the good terms which fubfifted between me and the faint, my Rais, made an accommodation very eafy to Carry us farther. He now agreed for L. 4 to carry us to Syene and down again ; but, if he behaved well, he expect- ed a trifling premium. " And, if you behave ill, Harlan, u faid I, what do you think you deferve ?" — " To be hanged, " faid he, I deferve, and defire no better."

Our wind at firft was but fcant. The Rais faid, that he thought his boat did not go as it ufed to do, and that it was growing into a tree. The wind, however, frefhened up to- wards noon, and cafed him of his fears. We palled a large town called How, on the weft fide of the Nile. About four o'clock in the afternoon we arrived at El Gourni, a fmall village, a quarter of a mile diftant from the Nile. It has in it a temple of old Egyptian architecture. I think that this, and the two adjoining heaps of ruins, which are at the fame diftance from the Nile, probably might have been part of ihe ancient Thebes.

Shaamy andTaamy are two colofTal flatues in a fitting poflure covered with hieroglyphics. The fouthmofl is of one flone, and perfectly entire. The northmoft is a good deal more mutilated. It was probably broken by Camby fes ; and they have fmce endeavoured to repair it. The other has a very remarkable head-drefs, which can be compared to nothing but a tye-wig, fuch as worn in the prefent day. Thefe two, fituated in a very fertile fpot belonging to The- bes, we] : apparently the Nilornetcrs of that town, as the marks which the water has left upon the bales fufficiently

2 fhew.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 121

fhew. The bafes of both of them are bare, and uncovered, to the bottom of the plinth, or lowefl member of their pe- deital ; fo that there is not the eighth of an inch of the loweft part of them covered with mud, though they ftand in the middle of a plain, and have flood there certainly a- bwe 3000 years ; fince which time, if the fanciful rife of the land of Egypt by the Nile had been true, the earth fhould have been raifed fo as fully to conceal half of them both.

These ftatues are covered with infcriptions of Greek and Latin ; the import of which feems to be, that there were certain travellers, or particular people, who heard Memnon's ftatue utter the found it was faid to do, upon being ftruck with the rays of the fun.

It may be very reafonably expected, that I mould here fay fomething of the building and fall of the firft Thebes ; but as this would carry me to very early ages, and inter- rupt for a long time my voyage upon the Nile ; as this is, be- fides, connected with the hiilory of feveral nations which I am about to defcribe, and more proper for the work of an hiftorian, than the curfory defcriptions of a traveller, I fhall defer faying any thing upon the fubject, till I come to treat of it in the firft of theie characters, and more elpecially till I fhall fpeak of the origin of the Jljcpherds, and the calami- ties brought upon Egypt by that powerful nation, a people often mentioned by different writers, but whofe hiuory hitherto has been but imperfectly known.

Nothing remains of the ancient Thebes but four pro- digious temples, all of them in appearance more ancient, but neither fo entire, nor fo magnificent, as thofe of Dendera. Vol, I, G^ The

122 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

The temples at Medinet Tabu are the moft elegant of thefe, The hieroglyphics are cut to the depth of half-a-foot, in; fome places, but we have Hill the fame figures, or rather a lefs variety, than at Dendera.

The hieroglyphics are of four forts; firft, fuch as have only the contour marked, and, as it were, fcratched only in the flone. The fecond are hollowed;, and in the middle of that fpace rifes the figure in relief, fo that the prominent part of the figure is equal to the flat, unwrought furface of the Hone, and feems to have a frame round it, defigned to defend the hieroglyphic from mutilation. The third fort is in relief, or baffb relievo, as it is called, where the figure is left bare and expofed, without being funk in, or defended, by any compartment cut round it in the flone. The fourth are thofe mentioned in the beginning of this description, the outlines of the figure being cut very deep in the flone.

All the hieroglyphics, but the laft mentioned, which do not admit it, are painted red, blue, and green, as at Dendera, and with no other colours.

Notwithstanding all this variety in the manner of ex- ecuting the hieroglyphical figures, and the prodigious mul- titude which I have feen in the feveral buildings, I never could make the number of different hieroglyphics amount to more than five hundred and fourteen, and of thefe there were certainly many, which were not really different, but from the ill execution of the fculpture only appeared fo. From this I conclude, certainly, that it can be no entire lan- guage which hieroglyphics are meant to contain, lor ao

language

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. i^

language could be comprehended in five hundred words, and it is probable that thefe hieroglyphics are not alphabetical ov Jingle letters only ; for five hundred letters would make t'jo large an alphabet. The Chinefe indeed have many more letters in ufe, but have no alphabet, but who is it that under- Jlands the Chinefe ?

There are three different characters which, I obferve, have been in ufe at the fame time in Egypt, Hieroglyphics, the Mummy character, and the Ethiopia Thefe are all three found, as I have feen, on the fame mummy, and there- fore were certainly ufed at the fame time. The lail only I believe was a language.

The mountains immediately above or behind Thebes, are hollowed out into numberlefs caverns, the firfl habitations of the Ethiopian colony which built the city. I imagine they continued long in thefe habitations, for I do not think the temples were ever intended but for public and folemnuits, and in none of thefe ancient cities did I ever fee a wall or foun- dation, or any thing like a private houfe ; all are temples and tombs, if temples and tombshi thofe times were not the fame thing. But veftiges of houfes there are none, whatever * Diodo- rus Siculus may fay, building with flone was too expenfive for individuals ; the houfes probably were all of clay, thatched with palm branches, as they afe at this da)-. This is one rea- fon why fo few ruins of the inimenfe number of cities we hear of remain.

QJ

Thebe?;,

'Died. Sic. lib, i.

124 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

Thebes, according to Homer, had a hundred gates. We can* not, however, difcover yet the foundation of any wall that it had ; and as for the horfemen and chariots it is faid to have fent out, all the Thebaid lbwn with wheat would not, have maintained one~half 'of them.

Thebes, at leaft the ruins of the temples, called Mediner Tabu, are built in a long ftretch of about a mile broad, moll parfimonioufly chofen at the fandy foot of the mountains. The Horti* Pennies, or hanging gardens, were furely formed upon the fides of thefe hills, then fupplied with water by mechanical devices. The utmofl is done to fpare the plain, and with great reafon ; for all the fpace of ground this ancient city has had to maintain its myriads of horfes and men, is a plain of three quarters of a mile broad, between the town and the river, upon which plain the water rifes to the height of four, and five feet, as we may judge by the marks on the ftatues Shaamy and Taamy. All this pretend* ed populouihefs of ancient Thebes I therefore believe fabu-^- lous.

It is a circumftance very remarkable, in building the firit temples, that, where the fide-walls are folid, that is, not fup- ported by pillars, fome of thefe have their angles and faces perpendicular, others inclined in a very confiderable angle to the horizon. Thofe temples, whofe walls are inclined, you may judge by the many hieroglyphics and ornaments, are of the firft ages, or the greater! antiquity. From which, I am diipofed to think, that lingular conftruction was a rem- nant

* Pliu. lib. 26. cap. 14.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 125

nant of the partiality of the builders for their firfl domi- ciles ; an imitation of the flope*, or inclination of the fides of mountains, and that this inclination of flat furfaces to each other in building, gave afterwards the firfl idea of Py- ramids fo

A number of robbers, who much refemble our gypfies, live in the holes of the mountains above Thebes. They are all out-laws, punifhed with death if elfewhere found. Of- jnan Bey, an ancient governor of Girge, unable to fuffer any longer the dilbrders committed by thefe people, order- ed a quantity of dried faggots to be brought together, and, with his foldiers^ took, pofleflion of the face of the moun- tain, where the greatefl number of thefe wretches were : He then ordered all their caves to be filled with this dry brafhwood, to which he fet fire, fo that mofl of them were deflroyed ; but they have fmce recruited their numbers, with- out changing their manners.

About half a mile north of El Gourni, are the magnifi- cent, flupendous fepulchres, of Thebes. The mountains of the Thebaid come clofe behind the town ; they are not run in upon one another like ridges, but ftand infulated upon their bafes ;. fo that you can get round each of them. A hundred of thefe, it is faid, are excavated into fepulchral, and a variety of other apartments. I went through feven of them with a great deal of fatigue. It is a folitary place ;

and

*"See Norden's views of the i ernples at Efne and Edfu. Vol. ii. plate 6. p. 80.

■j-This inclined figure of the fides, is frequently found in the fmall boxes within the,, saummy-i k

126 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

and my guides, cither from a natural impatience and diftafte that thefe people have at fuch employments, or, that their fears of the banditti that live in the caverns of the moun- tains were real, importuned me to return to the boat, even before I had begun my fearch, or got into the mountains where are the many large apartments of which I was in quell.

In the firft one of thefe I entered is the prodigious far- cophagus, fome fay of Menes, others of Ofimandyas ; pof- fibly of neither. It is fixteen feet high, ten long, and fix broad, of one piece of red-granite ; and, as fuch, is, I fuppofe, the fmeft vafe in the world. Its cover is ftill upon it, (bro- ken on one fide,) and it has a figure in relief on the outlide. It is not probably the tomb of Ofimandyas, becaufe, Diodo- rus * fays, that it was ten ftadia from the tomb of the kings ; whereas this is one among them.

There have been fome ornaments at the outer-pillars, or outer-entry, which have been broken and thrown down. Thence you dcfcend through an inclined paffage, I fuppofe, about twenty feet broad ; I fpeak only by guefs, for I did not meafure. The fide-walls, as well as the roof of this paf- fage, are covered with a coat of ftucco, of a finer and more equal grain, or furfacc, than any I ever faw in Europe. I found my black-lead pencil little more worn by it than by writing upon paper.

Upon

* Diod, Sic. lib. I,

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 127

Upon the left-hand fide is the crocodile feizing upon the apis, and plunging him into the water. On the right-hand is the * fcarabxus thebaicus, or the thebaic beetle, the firft animal that is feen alive after the Nile retires from the land ; and therefore thought to be an emblem of the refurreclion. My own conjecture is, that the apis was the emblem of the arable land of Egypt ; the crocodile, the typhon, or cacoda> mon, the type of an over-abundant Nile ; that the fcarabams was the land which had been overflowed, and from which the water had foon retired, and has nothing to do with the refurreclion or immortality, neither of which at that time were in contemplation.

Farther forward on the right-hand of the entry, the pannels, or compartments, were ftill formed in flucco, but, in place of figures in relief, they were painted in frefco. I dare fay this was the cafe on the left-hand of the paflage, as well as the right. But the firft difcovery was fo unex- pected, and I had flattered myfelf that I mould be fo far mafter of my own time, as to fee the whole at my leifure, that I was rivetted, as it were, to the fpot by the firft fight of thefe paintings, and I could proceed no further.

In one pannel were feveral mufical inftruments ftrowed upon the ground, chiefly of the hautboy kind, with a mouth- piece of reed. There were alfo fome fimple pipes or flutes. With them were feveral jars apparently of potter - ware, which, having their mouths covered with parchment or

fkin„

See the figure of this Infect in Pad Lucas-,

isS TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

fkin, and being braced on their fides like a drum, were prd- foably the inftrument called the tabor, or * tabret, beat upon by the hands, coupled in earlieft ages with the harp, and preferred ftill in Abyilinia, though its companion, the lait- mentioned inftrument, is no longer known there.

In three following pannels were painted, in frefco, three harps, which merited the utmoft attention, whether we con- fider the elegance of thefe inftruments in their form, and the detail of their parts as they are here clearly expreffed, or confine ourfelves to the reflection that neceflarily follows, to how great perfection mufic muft have arrived, before an artift could have produced fo complete an inftrument as either of thefe.

As the firft harp feemed to be the moft perfect, and leafl fpoiled, I immediately attached myfelf to this, and defired my clerk to take upon him the charge of the fecond. In this way, by fketching exactly, and loofely, I hoped to have made myfelf mafter of all the paintings in that cave, per- haps to have extended my refearches to others, though, in the fequel, I found myfelf miferably deceived.

My firft drawing was that of a man playing upon a harp; he was Handing, and the inftrument being broad, and flat at the bafe, probably for that purpofe, fupported itfelf eafdy with a very little inclination upon his arm ; his head is clofe fhaved, his eye-brows black, without beard or muf-

tach )cs.

* Gen. xxxi, 27. Ifa. chap. xxx. ver. 32.

_ ////// ////// e<n , /';v;)rf>, /// ///r - .///

^y//r/v:/ .

Zo/iden PuMi/h.Uh;!ij!i;tiy .fit, t;jt,rim.<,»: & G>

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 129

tachoes. He has on him a loofe fhirt, like what they wear at this day in Nubia (only it is not blue) with loofe fleeves, and arms and neck bare. It feemed to be thick mullin, or cotton cloth, and long-ways through it is a crimfon flripe about one-eighth of an inch broad ; a proof, if this is Egyp- tian manufacture, that they underflood at that time how to dye cotton, crimfon, an art found out in Britain only a very few years ago. If this is the fabric of India, flill it proves the antiquity of the commerce between the two countries, and the introduction of Indian manufactures into Egypt.

It reached down to his ancle; his feet are without fan- dais ; he feems to be a corpulent man, of about fixty years of age, and of a complexion rather dark for an Egyptian. To guefs by the detail of the figure, the painter feems to have liad the fame degree of merit with a good fign-painter in Europe, at this day. — If we allow this harper's flature to be live feet ten inches, then we may compute the harp, in its ■extreme length, to be fomething lefs than fix feet and a -half.

This inflrument is of a much more advantageous form •than the triangular Grecian harp. It has thirteen firings, but wants the forepiece of the frame oppofite to the longeft firing. * The back part is the founding-board, compofed of four thin pieces of wood, joined together in form of a cone, "that is, growing wider towards the bottom ; fo that, as the length of the firing increafes, the fquare of the corrcfpond- ing fpace in the founding-board, in which the found was to undulate, always increafes in proportion. The whole prin- ciples, on which this harp is conflructed, are rational and Vol. I. R ingenious,

i3o TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

ingenious, and the ornamented parts are executed in the very belt manner.

The bottom and fides of the frame feem to be fineered, and inlaid, probably with ivory, tortoife-ihell, and mother-of- pearl, the ordinary produce of the neighbouring feas and deferts. It would be even now impoilible, either to con- flruet or to finifh a harp of any form with more tafle and elegance, Befides the proportions of its outward form, we mull obferve likewife how near it approached to a perfect inilrument, for it wanted only two firings of having two complete octaves ; that thefe were purpofely omitted, not from defect of tafle or fcience, mufl appear beyond contra- diction, when we confider the harp that follows.

I had no fooner finifhed the harp which I had taken in hand, than I went to my alliflant, to fee what progrefs he had made in the drawing in which he was engaged. I found, to my very great furprife, that this harp differed effentially,, in form and diflribution of its parts, from the one I had drawn, without having lofl any of its elegance; on the con- trary, that it was fmifhed with full more attention than the other. It fecmed to be fineered with the fame materials, ivory and tortoife-ihcll, but the firings were differently dif- pofed, the ends of the three longefl, where they joined to the founding-board below, were defaced by a hole dug in the wall. Several of the firings in different parts had been fcraped as with a knife, for the refl> it was very perfect. It had eighteen firings. A man, who feemed to be flill older than the former, but in habit perfectly the fame, bare-footed, clofc flhaved, and of the fame complexion with him, flood

playing

> / 1

c '

/(•/////<■ '// rr. / 0r~( '///< t't ■ >

/'nlMi'J /J,:,\'r"i~.s\i /■:/ 1' A'.Vwi.t,'// k Co.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. i3r

playing with botli his hands near the middle of the harp, in a manner feemingly lefs agitated than in the other.

I went back to my firfl harp, verified, and examined my ■drawing in all its parts ; it is with great pleafurc I now give a figure of this fecond harp to the reader, it was miilaid among a multitude of other papers, at the time when I was folicited to communicate the former drawing to a gentle- man then writing the Hiflory of Mulic, which he has already fubmitted to the public ; it is very lately and unexpectedly this lafl harp has been found ; I am only forry this accident has deprived the public of Dr Burney's remarks upon it. I hope he will yet favour us with them, and therefore abftain from anticipating his reflections, as I confider this as his pro- vince ; I never knew any one fo capable of affording the pub- lic, new, and at the fame time jufl lights on this fubject.

There flill remained a third harp of ten firings, its precife form I do not well remember, for I had feen it but once when I firfl entered the cave, and was now preparing to copy that likewife. I do not recollect, that there was any man playing upon this one, I think it was rather refting upon a wall, with fome kind of drapery upon one end of it, and was the fmallefl of the three. But I am not at all fo certain of particulars concerning this, as to venture any description of it ; what I have faid of the other two may be abfolutely depended upon.

I look upon thefe harps then as the Theban harps in life in the time of Scfoflris, who did not rebuild, but deco- rate ancient Thebes ; I confider them as affording an in-

R 2 conteflible

i32 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER.

conteilible proof, were they the only monuments remaining,- that every art necefiary to the conflruclion, ornament, and ufe of this inflrument, was in the higheft perfection, and if- fo, all the others mufl have probably attained to the fame degree.

We fee in particular the ancients then poffeffed an art relative to architecture, that of hewing the hardefl flones with the greateft eafe, of which we are at this day utterly- ignorant and incapable. We have no inflrument that could do it, no compofition that could make tools of temper fuf- ficient to cut bafs reliefs in granite or porphyry fo readily ; and our ignorance in this is the more completely fhewn, in that we have all the reafons to believe, the cutting inflru- ment with which they did thefe furprifmg feats was com-* pofed of brafs ; a metal of which, after a thoufand expert ments, no tool has ever been made that could ferve the purpofe of a common knife, though we are at the fame time certain, it was of brafs the ancients made their razors.

These harps, in my opinion, overturn all the accounts hitherto given of the earlieft Hate of mufic and mufical inftruments in the eail ; and are altogether in their form, ornaments, and compafs^ an inconteflible proof, ftronger than a thoufand Greek quotations, that geometry, drawing, me^ chanics, and mulic, were at the greateft perfection when this inflrument was made, and that the period from which we date the invention of thefe arts, was only the beginning of. the asra of their refloration. This was the fentiment of Solo- mon^ writer who lived at the time when this harp waspainted: " Is there (fays Solomon) any thing whereof it may- be faid,

" See,

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. iS3

" See, this is new ! it hath been already of old time which " was before us*."

We find, in thefe very countries, how a later calamity, of the fame public nature, the conqueft of the Saracens, occa- sioned a limilar downfal of literature, by the burning the Alexandrian library under the fanatical caliph Omar. We fee how foon after, they flourifhed, planted by the fame hands that before had rooted them out. .

The effects of a revolution occafioned, at the period I am now fpeaking of, by the univerfal inundation of the Shepherd^ were the deftruction of Thebes, the ruin of architecture, and the downfal of aftronomy in Egypt. Still a remnant was left in the colonies and correfpondents of Thebes, though fallen. Ezekielt celebrates Tyre as being, from her beginning, famous for the tabret and harp, and it is pro- bably to Tyre the tafte for mulic fie d from the contempt and perfecution of the barbarous Shepherds; who, though a numerous nation, to this day never have yet poffeffed any fpecies of mufic,or any kind of mufical inftruments capable of improvement. ,

Although it is a curious fubject for reflection, it mould not furprife us to find here the harp, in fuch variety of form. Old Thebes, as we prefently mall fee, had been deftroyed, and was foon after decorated and adorned, but not rebuilt by Sefoftris. It was fome time between the reign of Menes, the firfl: king of the Thebaid, and the firil general war of

the

' Eccles. chap. i. ver. 10. f Ezek, chap, xxviii. ver. 13.

rj4 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

the Shepherds, that thefe decorations and paintings were made. This gives it a prodigious antiquity ; but fuppofing it was a favourite innrument, confequently well underftood at the building of Tyre * in the year 1320 before Chrift, and Sefoflris had lived in the time of Solomon, as Sir Ifaac New- toni magines ; Hill there were 320 years fince that inftru- ment had already attained to great perfection, a fufficient time to have varied it into every form.

Upon feeing the preparations I was making to proceed farther in my refearches, my conductors loll all fort of fub- ordination. They were afraid my intention was to fit in this cave all night, (as it really was,) and to vint the others next morning. With great clamour and marks of difcon- tent, they dafhed their torches againft the largefl harp, and made the bell of their way out of the cave, leaving me and ray people in the dark ; and all the way as they went, they made dreadful denunciations of tragical events that were immediately to follow, upon their departure from the cave.

There was no pombility of doing more. I offered them money, much beyond the utmoft of their expectations ; but the fear of the Troglodytes, above Medinet Tabu, had fallen upon them ; and feeing at laft this was real, I was not myfelf without apprehenfions, for they were banditti, and outlaws, and no reparation was to be expected, whatever they ihould do to hurt us.

Very

* Nay, prior to this, the harp is mentioned as a common inftrument in Abraham's time 1 3 70 years before Chrift, Gen. chap, xxxii. ver. 27.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. i3S

Very much vexed, I mounted my horfe to return to the boat. The road lay through a very narrow valley, the fides of which were covered with bare loofe ftones. I had no fooner got down to the bottom, than I heard a greal deal of loud fpeaking on both fides of the valley ; and, in an in- ftant, a number of large ftones were rolled down upon me, which, though I heard in motion, I could not fee, on account of the darknefs ; this increafed my terror.

Finding, by the impatience of the horfe, that feveral of thefe ftones had come near him, and that it probably was the noife of his feet which guided thofe that threw them, I difmounted, and ordered the Moor to get on horfeback • which he did, and in a moment galloped out of danger. This, if I had been wife, I certainly might have done before him, but my mind was occupied by the paintings. Never- thelefs, I was refolved upon revenge before leaving thefe banditti, and liftened till I heard voices, on the right fide of the hill. I accordingly levelled my gun as near as pomble, by the ear, and fired one barrel among them. A moment's filence enfued, and then a loud howl, which feemed to have come from thirty or forty perfons. I took my fervant's blunderbufs, and difcharged it where I heard the howl, and a violent confufion of tongues followed, but no more' ftones. As I found this was the time to efcape, I kept along the dark fide of the hill, as expeditioufly as poflible, till I came to the mouth of the plain, when we reloaded our firelocks, expecting fome interruption before we reached the boat ; and then we made the beft of our way to the river.

We

1B6 TRAVELS TO DSCOVER

We found our Rais full of fears for us. He had been told, that, as foon as day light fhould appear, the whole Troglodytes were to come down to the river, in order to plunder and dellroy our boat.

This night expedition at the mountains was but partial, the general attack was referved for next day. Upon hold- ing council, we were unanimous in opinion, as indeed we had been during the whole courfe of this voyage. We thought, fmce our enemy had left us to-night, it would be our fault if they found us in the morning. Therefore, without noife, we call off our rope that fattened us, and let ourfelves over to the other fide. About twelve at night a gentle breeze began to blow, which wafted us up to Luxor, where there was a governor, for whom I had letters.

From being convinced by the fight of Thebes, which had not the appearance of ever having had walls, that the fable of the hundred gates, mentioned by Homer, was mere in- vention,! was led to conjecture what could be the origin of that fable.

That the old inhabitants of Thebes lived in caves in

the mountains, is, I think, without doubt, and that the

hundred mountains I have fpoken of, excavated, and adorn-

-ed, were the greateit wonders at that time, ieems equally

probable. Nov/, the name of thefe to this day is Beeban el

Meluke, the ports or gates of the kings, and hence, perhaps,

come the hundred gates of Thebes upon which the Greeks

have dwelt fo much. Homer never faw Thebes, it was -de-

molifhed before the days of any profane writer, either in

profe or verfe. What he added to its hiftory mull have been

from imagination.

2 All

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 137

All that is faid of Thebes, by poets or hiflorians, after the days of Homer, is meant of Diofpolis ; which was built by the Greeks long after Thebes was deftroyed, as its name teitifies ; though Diodorus * fays it was built by Bufiris. It was on the eail fide of the Nile, whereas ancient Thebes was on the weft, though both are confidered as one city ; and fStrabo fays, that the river J runs through the middle of Thebes, by which he means between old Thebes and Diof- polis, or Luxor and Medinet Tabu.

While in the boat, I could not help regretting the time I had fpent in the morning, in looking for the place in the narrow valley where the mark of the famous golden circle was vifible, which Norden fays he faw, but I could difcern no traces of it any where, and indeed it does not follow that the mark left was that of a circle. This magnificent inflrument was probably fixed perpendicular to the horizon •in the plane of the meridian ; fo that the appearance of the place where it flood, would very probably not partake of the circular form at all, or any precife fhape whereby to know it. Befides, as I have before faid, it was not among thefe tombs or excavated mountains, but ten flades from them, fo the veftiges of this famous inflrument § could not be found here. Indeed, being omitted in the lateft edition of Norden, it would feem that traveller himfelf was not perfectly well affured of its exiflence.

Vol. I. S . We

* Diod. Sic. Bib. lib. i. p. 42. § d. f Strabo, lib. 1 7. p. 943. J Nah. ch. 3. ver. 8, & 9.

§ A fimilar inflrument, erected by Eratofthenes at Alexandria, cut of copper, ivas ufed by Hipparchus and Ptclemy. — Aim. lib. 1. cap. 11. 3. cap. 2. Vide his remarks on Mr Creave's PyramiJographia, p. 134.

i3S TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

We were well received by the governor of Luxor, who-* was alfo a believer in judicial ailrology. Having made him a fmall prefent, he furnifhed us with provisions,- and, among feveral other articles, fome brown fugar ; and as we had i'een limes and lemons in great perfection at Thebes, we were refolved to refrefh ourfelves with fome punch, in re- membrance of Old England. But, after what had happen- ed the night before, none of our people chofe to run the rifk- of meeting the Troglodytes. We therefore procured a fer- vant of the governor's of the town, to mount upon his goat- fkin filled with wind, and float down the ftream from Luxor' to El Gournie, to bring us a fupply of thefe, which he foon after did.

He informed us, that the people in the caves had, early in the morning, made a defcent upon the townfmen, with a view to plunder our boat; that feveral of them had been wounded the night before, and they threatened to purfue us to Syene. The fervant did all he could to frighten them,, by faying that his mailer's intention was to pafs over with- troops, and exterminate them, as Ofman Bey of Girge had" before done, and we were to affifl him with our fire-arms. — - After this we heard no more of them..

Luxor, and Carnac, which is a mile and a quarter below- it, are by far the largefl and moil magnificent fcenes of ruins in Egypt, much more extenfive and ftupendous than thofer of Thebes and Dendera put together.

There are two obelifks here of great beauty, and in good* prefervation, they are lefs than thofe at Rome, but not at' all mutilated. The pavement,, which is made to receive

the

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE.

*3<3

the fliadow, is to this day fo horizontal, that it might (till be ufed in obfervation. The top of the obelifk is femicircu- lar, an experiment, I fuppofe, made at the inftance of the obferver, by varying the fhape of the point of the obelifk, to get rid of the penumbra.

At Carnac we faw the remains of two vail rows of fphinxes, one on the right-hand, the other on the left, (their heads were moflly broken) and, a little lower, a number of termini as it mould feem. They were compofed of bafaltes, with a dog or lion's head, of Egyptian fculpture. They flood in lines likewife, as if to conduit or ferve as an avenue to fome principal building.

They had been covered with earth, till very lately a Ve- netian phyfician and antiquary bought one of them at a very confiderable price, as he faid, for the king of Sardinia. This has caufed feveral others to be uncovered, though no purchafer hath yet offered.

Upon the outfide of the walls at Carnac and Luxor there feems to be an hiftorical engraving inftead of hieroglyphics ; this we had not met with before. It is a reprefentation of men, horfes, chariots, and battles ; fome of the attitudes are freely and well drawn, they are rudely Scratched upon the furface of the ftone, as fome of the hieroglyphics at Thebes are. The weapons the men make ufe of are fhort javelins, fuch as are common at this day among the inhabitants of

S 2 Egypt,

*-Signior Donati,

i4o TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

Egypt, only they have feathered wings like arrows. Tlieic is alfo diftinguifhed among the reft, the figure of a man on horfeback, with a lion fighting furioufly by him, and Dio- dorus * fays, Ofimandyas was fo reprefented at Thebes. This whole compofition merits great attention..

I have faid, that Luxor is Diofpolis, and fliould think, that/ that place, and Carnac together, made thejovis Civitas Magna of Ptolemy, though there is g' difference of the latitude by my obfervation compared with his. But as mine was made on the fouth of Luxor, if his was made on the north of Cai- nac, the difference will be greatly diminifhecL

The 17th we took leave of our friendly Shekh of Luxor,, and failed with a very fair wind, and in great fpirits. The liberality of the Shekh of Luxor had extended as far as even to my Rais, whom he engaged to land me here upon my return. — I had procured him confiderable eafein fome com- plaints he had ; and he faw our departure with as much regret as in other places they commonly did our arrival.

On the eaftern more are Hambde, Mafchergarona, Tor, Senimi, and Gibeg. Mr Norden feems to have very much confufed the places in this neighbourhood, as he puts Er- ment oppolitc to Carnac, and Thebes farther fouth than Erment, and on the eaft fide of the Nile, whilft he places Luxor farther fouth than Erment. But Erment is fourteen miles farther fouth than Thebes, and Luxor about a quar- ter

* Diod.Sic. Bib. lib. 1. p. 45. § c

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. i4r

rer of a mile (as I have already faid) farther fouth on the Eafl fide of the river, whereas Thebes is on the Weft.

He has fixed a village (which he calls * Demcgeit) in the fituation where Thebes ftands, and he calls it Crocodilopolis, from what authority I know not; but the whole geography is here exceedingly confufed, and out of its proper poiition.

In the evening we came to an anchor on the eaftern more nearly oppofite to Efne. Some of our people had landed to moot, trufting to a turn of die river that is here, which would enable them to keep up with us ; but they did not arrive till the fun was fctting, loaded with hares, pigeons, gootos, all very bad game. I had, on my part, ftaid on board, and had fhot two gcefe, as bad eating as the others, but very beautiful in their plumage,

We panned over to Efne next morning. It is the ancient Latopolis, and has very great remains, particularly a large temple, which, though the whole of it is of the remoteft antiquity, feems to have been built at different times; or rather out of the ruins of different ancient buildings. The hieroglyphics upon this are very ill executed, and are not painted The town is the refidence of an Arab Shekh, and the inhabitants are a very greedy, bad fort of people ; but as I was dreffed like an Arab, they did not molefl, becaufa they did not know me, .

The i 8th, we left Efne, and palled the town of Edfu, where there is likewife confiderable remains of Egyptian architecture. It is the Appollinis Civitas Magna.

The

* Vide Norden's map of the Nile.

*42 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

The wind failing, we were obliged to flop in a very poor, defolate, and dangerous part of the Nile, called Jibbel el Sil- felly, where a boom, or chain, was drawn acrofs the river, to hinder, as is fuppofed, the Nubian boats from committing piratical practices in Egypt lower down the flream. The flones on both fides, to which the chain was fixed, are very vifible ; but I imagine that it was for fifcal rather than for warlike purpofes, for Syene being garrifoned, there is no poffibility of boats paffing from Nubia by that city into Egypt. There is indeed another purpofe to which it might be defigned ; to prevent war upon the Nile between any two ftates.

We know from Juvenal*, who lived fome time at Syene, that there was a tribe in that neighbourhood called Ombi, who had violent contentions with the people of Dendera about the crocodile ; it is remarkable thefe two parties were Anthropophagi fo late as Juvenal's time, yet no hiflorian fpeaks of this extraordinary fad, which cannot be called in quefhion, as he was an eye-witnefs and refided at Syene.

Now thefe two nations who were at war had a- bove a hundred miles of neutral territory between them, and therefore they could never meet except on the Nile. But either one or the other poffenlng this chain, could hinder his adverfary from coming nearer him. As the chain is in the hermonthic nome, as well as the capital .of the Ombi, I fuppofe this chain to be the barrier of this

laft

* Juven. Sat. 15. ver. 76,

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. HJ

Jafl ftate, to hinder thofe of Dendera from coming up the river to eat them.

About noon we pafTed Coom Ombo, a round building like a caftle,where is fuppofed to have been the metropolis of Ombi, the people laft fpoken of. We then arrived at Daroo*, a miferable manfion, unconfcious that, fome years after we were to be indebted to that paltry village for the man who was to guide us through the defert, and reftore us to our native country and our friends..

We next came to Shekh Ammer, the encampment of the Arabs f Ababde, I fuppofe the fame that Mr Norden calls Ababuda, who reach from near CoiTeir far into the defert. As I had been acquainted with one of them at Badjoura, who defired medicines for his father, I promifed to call up- on him, and fee their effect, when I mould pafs Shekh Am- mer, which I now accordingly did ; and by the reception I met with, I found they did nor expect I would ever have been as good as my word. Indeed they would probably have been in the right, but as I was about to engage myfelf in extenfive deferts, and this was a very confiderable nation in thefe tracts, I thought it was worth my while to put my- felf under their protection.

Shekh Ammer is not one, but a collection of villages,, compofed of miferable huts, containing, at this time, about a thoufand effective men : they poffefs few horfe, and are

moftly

* taris Welled Hamran, our guide through thegreat defert, dwelt in this village,

f The ancient Adei»-

s44 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

moftly mounted on camels. Thefe were friends to Shekh Hamam, governor of Upper Egypt for the time, and confe- quently to the Turkilh government at Syene, as alfo to the janiffaries there at Deir and Ibrim. They were the barrier, or bulwark, againft the prodigious number of Arabs, the Bifha- reen, and others, depending upon the kingdom of Sennaar.

Ibrahim, the fon, who had feen me at Furfhout and Bad- joura, knew me as foon as I arrived, and, after acquainting his father, came with about a dozen of naked attendants, with lances in their hands to efcort me. I was fcarce got •into the door of the tent, before a great dinner was brought after their cuftom ; and, that being difpatched, it was a thou- fand times repeated, how little they expected that I would .have thought or inquired about them.

We were introduced to their Shekh, who was lick, in a corner of a hut, where he lay upon a carpet, with a enfhion under his head. This chief of the Ababde, called Nimmer, i. e. the Tiger (though his furious qualities were at this time in great meafure allayed by ficknefs) afked me much about the flate of Lower Egypt. I fatisfied him as far as poflible, but recommended to him to confine his thoughts nearer home, and not to be over anxious about thefe diilant coun- tries, as he himfelf feemed, at that time, to be in a declining flate of health.

Nimmer was a man about fixty years of age, exceedingly tormented with the gravel, which was more extraordinary as he dwelt near the Nile ; for it is, univerfally, the difeafe

2 with

*The Bifliareen are the Arabs who live in the frontier between the two nations. They are .the nominal lubjeds of Sennaar, but, in fact, indifcreet banditti, at lealt as to (hangers.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. t45

with thofe who ufe water from draw-wells, as in the defert. But he told me, that, for the firft twenty-feven years of his life, he never had feen the Nile, unlefs upon fome plunder- ing party; that he had beenconftantly at war with the people of the cultivated part of Egypt, and reduced them often to the Hate of ftarving ; but now that he was old, a friend to Shekh Hamam, and was refident near the Nile, he drank of its water, and was little better, for he was already a martyr to the difeafe. I had fent him foap pills from Badjoura, which had done him a great deal of good, and now gave him lime-water, and promifed him, on my return, to mew his people how to make it.

A very friendly converfation enfued, in which was repeat- ed often, how little they expected I would have vifited them ! As this implied two things ; the firft, that I paid no regard to my promife when given ; the other, that I did not efleem them of confequence enough to give myfelf the trouble, I thought it right to clear myfelf from thefe fufpicions.

" Shekh Nimmer, faid I, this frequent repetition that you " thought I would not keep my word is grievous to me. I am " a Chriftian, and have lived now many years among you " Arabs. Why did you imagine that I would not keep my " word, fmce it is a principle among all the Arabs I have " lived with, inviolably to keep theirs ? When your fon Ibra- " him came to me at Badjoura, and told me the pain that " you was in, night and day, fear of God, and defire to do " good, even to them I had never feen, made me give you " thofe medicines that have eafed you. After this proof of " my humanity, what was there extraordinary in my com- " ing to fee you in the way ? I knew you not before ; but

Vol. I. T " my

H6 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

" my religion teaches me to do good to all men, even to- " enemies, without reward, or without confidering whether " I ever mould fee them again."

" Now, after the drugs I fent you by Ibrahim, tell me, " and tell me truly, upon the faith of an Arab, would your *' people, if they met me in the defert, do me any wrong, " more than now, as I have eat and drank with you to-day ?"

The old man Nimmer, on this rofe from his carpet, and fat upright, a more ghaflly and more horrid figure I ne- ver faw. " No, faid he, Shekh, curfed be thofe men of my people, or others, that ever fliall lift up their hand againfl you, either in the Defert or the Tel/, i. e. the part of Egypt which is cultivated. As long as you are in this country, or between; this and CofTeir, my fbn mail ferve you with heart and hand;; one night of pain that your medicines freed me from, would; not be repaid, if I was to follow you on foot to Mcflir, that is Cairo."

I then thought it a proper time to enter into conver- fation about penetrating into Abymnia that way, and they difcufTed it among themfelves in a very friendly, and at: the fame time in a very fagacious and fenfible manner.

" We could carry you to El Haimer, (which I underflood to be a well in the defert, and which I afterwards was much better acquainted with to my forrow.) We could conduct you fo far, fays old Nimmer, under God, without fear of harm, all that country was Chriflian once, and we-

Chriitians

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 147

Chriftians like yourfelf % The Saracens having nothing in their power there, we could carry you fafely to Suakem, but the Bifhary are men not to be trufted, and we could go no farther than to land you among them, and they would put you to death, and laugh at you all the time they were tor- menting you f. Now, if you want to viiit Abyfiinia, go by Cofleir and Jidda, there you Chriftians command the coun- try."

* I told him, I apprehended, the Kennoufs, about the fecond cataract, above Ibrim, were bad people. He laid the Ken- noufs were, he believed, bad enough in their hearts, but they were wretched flaves, and fervants, had no power in their hands, would not wrong any body that was with his people ; if they did, he would extirpate them in a day."

" I told him, I was fatisfied of the truth of what was laid, and afked him the bell way to ColTeir. He faid, the bell way for me to go, was from Kenne, or Cuft, and that he was carrying a quantity of wheat from Upper Egypt, while Shekh Hamam was fending another cargo from his country, both which would be delivered at ColTeir, and loaded there for Jidda."

" All that is right, Shekh, faid I, but fuppofe your people meet us in the defert, in going to Cofleir, or otherwiie, how mould we fare in that cafe? Should we fight?" "I have

T 2 told

* They were Shepherds Indigent, not Arabs. f Qui Ludit in HofpttefixQ—W&s a chata£er long ago given to the Moors.

Horace Ode.

I48 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

told you Shekh already, fays he, Curfed be the man who lifts his hand againft you, or even does not defend and be- friend you, to his own lofs, were it Ibrahim my own fon."

I then told him I was bound to Coffeir, and that if I found myfelf in any difficulty, I hoped, upon applying to his people, they would proted me, and that he would give them the word, that I was yagoube, a phyfician, feeking no harm, but doing good ; bound by a vow, for a certain time, to wander through deferts, from fear of God, and that they mould not have it in their power to do me harm.

The old man muttered fomething to his fons in a dialect I did not then underftand ; it was that of the Shepherds of Suakem. As that was the firft word he fpoke, which I did not comprehend, I took no notice, but mixed fome lime- water in a large Venetian bottle that was given me when at Cairo full of liqueur, and which would hold about four quarts ; and a little after I had done this the whole hut was filled with people.

There were priefis and monks of their religion, and the heads of families, fo that the houfe could not contain hair of them. The great people among them came, and, after joining hands, repeated a kind of * prayer, of about two minutes long, by which they declared themfclves, and their children, accurfed, if ever they lifted their hands againit me in the Tell, or Field in the defeet, or on the river; or,, in cafe that I, or mine mould fly

to

* This kir.d of oath was la ufe among the Arabs, or Slepherds, ea.ly as the time of AbnJus^ (Ken. xxi. 2 2, 23. xxvi. 25,.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE.

149

to them for refuge, if they did not protect us at the rifle of their lives, their families, and their fortunes, or, as they emphatically exprefled it, to the death of the laft male child among them.

Medicines and advice being given on my part, faith and protection pledged on theirs, two bufhels of wheat and feven fheep were carried down to the boat, nor could we decline their kindnefs, as refufinga prefentin that coun- try (however it is underftood in ours,) is juft as great an af- front, as coming into the prefence of a fuperior without a prefent at all.

I told them, however, that I was going up among Turks who were obliged to maintain me, the confequence there- fore will be, to fave their own, that they will take your fheep, and make my dinner of them ; you and I are Arabs% and know what Turks arc. They all muttered curfes between their teeth at the name of Turk, and we agreed they mould keep the fheep .till I came back, provided they mould be then at liberty to add as many more.

Tins was all underftood between us, and we parted perfectly content with one another. But our Rais was very far from being fatisfied, having heard fomething of the feven fheep ; and as we were to be next day at Syene, where he knew we were to get meat enough, he reckoned that they would have been his property. To flifle all caufe of difcontent, however, I told him he was to take no notice of my vilit to Shckh Ammer, and that I would make him a- mends when I returned,

CHAP,

iSo TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

^ar^^w^

CHAR VII.

Arrives at Sycne — Goes to fee the Cataracl — Remarkable Tombs — the Jit nation of Syene — The Aga propofcs a Vi/lt to Delr olid Vorim — The Author returns to Kcnne.

WE failed on the 20th, with the wind favouring us, till about an hour before fun-rife, and about nine o'clock came to an anchor on the fouth end of the palm groves, and north end of the town of Syene, nearly oppolite to an ifland in which there is a fmall handfome Egyptian temple, pretty entire. It is the temple of * Cnupbis, where formerly was the Nilometer.

Adjoining to the palm trees was a very good comfort- able houfe, belonging to Huflein Schourbatchie, the man that ufed to be fent from that place to Cairo, to receive the pay of the janiiTaries in garrifon at Syene, upon whom too I had credit for a very fmall lum.

The reafons of a credit in fuch a place are three : Firft, in cafe of ficknefs, or purchafe of any antiquities : Secondly, that you give the people an idea (a very ufeful one) that you carry no money about with you : Thirdly, that your

money

* Strabo, lib. xvii. p. 944=

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. IJX

money changes its value, and is not even current beyond Efne.

Hussein was not at home, but was gone fomewhere up- on bufinefs, but I had hopes to find him in the courfe of the day. Hofpitality is never refufed, in thefe countries, upon the flighteft pretence. Having therefore letters to him, and hearing his houfe was empty, we fent our people and bag- gage to it.

I was not well arrived before a janifiary came, in long Tur- kilh cloaths, without arms, and a white wand in his hand, to tell me that Syene was a garrifon town, and that the Aga was at the caftle ready to give me audience.

I returned him for anfwer, that I was very fenfible it was my firft duty, as a ftranger, to wait upon the Aga in x.garrifi?ied town of which he had the command, but, being bearer of the Grand Signior's Firman, having letters from the Bey of Cairo, and from the Port of Janiflaries to him in particular, and, at prefent being indifpofed and fatigued, I hoped he would indulge me till the arrival of my landlord ; in which in- terim I mould take a little reft, change my cloaths, and be more in the fituation in which I would wilh to pay mv re- fpects to him..

I received immediately an anfwer by two janiflaries, who infilled to fee me, and were accordingly introduced while I was lying down to reft. They faid that Mahomet Aga had received my menage, that the reafon of lending to me was

not

j52 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

not either to hurry or diflurb me ; but the earlier to know in what he could be of fervice to me ; that he had a particular letter from the Bey of Cairo, in confequence of which, he had difpatched orders to receive me at Efne, but as I had not waited on the Cacheff there, he had not been apprifed.

After giving coffee to thefe very civil mefTengers, and taking two hours reft, our landlord the Schourbatchie ar- rived ; and, about four o'clock in the afternoon, we went to the Aga.

The fort is built of clay, with fome fmall guns mounted on it ; it is of ftrength fufficient to keep people of the coun- try in awe.

I found the Aga fitting in a fmall kioofk, or clofet, upon a ftone-bench covered with carpets. As I was in no fear of him, I was refolved to walk according to my privileges ; and, as the meaneft Turk would do before the greateft man in England, I fat down upon a cufhion below him, after laying my hand on my breaft, and faying in an audible voice, with great marks of refpecl:, however, Salam alicum ■' to which he anfwered, without any of the ulual difficulty, Alicum fal am! Peace be between us is the ialutation ; There is peace between us is the return.

After fitting down about two minutes, I again got up, and flood in the middle of the room before him, faying, I am bear- er of a hateiTierriffe, or royal mandate, to you, Mahomet Aga ! and took the firman out of my bofom, and prefented it to him. Upon this he flood upright, and all the reft of the people, before fitting with him likewife ; he bowed his head

4 upon

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 153

upon the carpet, then put the firman to his forehead, open- ed it, and pretended to read it ; but he knew well the con- tents, and I believe, befides, he could neither read nor write any language. I then gave him the other letters from Cairo, which he ordered his fecretary to read in his ear.

All this ceremony being finimed, he called for a pipe, and coffee. I refufed the firit, as never ufmg it ; but I drank a difh of coffee, and told him, that I was bearer of a confiden- tial mejfagt from Ali Bey of Cairo, and wiflied to deliver it to him without witneffes, whenever he pleafed. The room was accordingly cleared without delay, excepting his fecre- tary, who was alfo going away, when I pulled him back by the cloaths, faying, " Stay, if you pleafe, we mall need you " to write the anfwer." We were no fooner left alone, than I told the Aga, that, being a flranger, and not knowing the difpofition of his people, or what footing they were on to- gether, and being deiired to addrefs myfelf only to him by the Bey, and our mutual friends at Cairo, I wiflied to put it in his power (as he pleafed or not) to have witneffes of de- livering the fmall prefent I had brought him from Cairo. The Aga feemed veryfenfible of this delicacy; and particu- larly defired me to take no notice to my landlord, the Schour- batchie, of any thing I had brought him.

All this being over, and a confidence eflablifhed with govern- ment, I lent his prefent by his own fervant that night, under pretence of defiring horfes to go to the cataract next day. The meffage was returned, that the horfes were to be ready by fix o'clock next morning. On the 21ft, the Aga fent me his own horfe, with mules and afTcs for my fcrvants, 10 go to the cataract. Vol. I. U We

i54 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

We pafied out at the fouth gate of the town, into the firft fmall fandy plain, A very little to our left, there are a num- ber of tcmb-ftones with inferiptions in the Culic character, which travellers erroneoufiy have called unknown language, and letters, although it was' the only letter and language known to Mahomet, and the moil learned of his feel: in the firft ages.

The Cufic characters feem to be all written in capitals, which one might learn to read much more eaflly than the modern Arabic, and they more reiemble the Samaritan. We read there — Abdullah el Hejazi el Anfari — Mahomet Ab- del Shems el Taiefy el Anfari. The firfl of thefe, Abdullah el Hejazi, is Abdullah born in Arabia Petrea. The other is, Mahomet the flave of the fun, born in Taief. Now, both of thefe are called Anfafii which many writers, upon Arabian hiilory, think, means, bom in Medina; becaufe, when Maho- met fled from Mecca, the night of the hegira, the people of Medina received him willingly, and thenceforward got the name of * Anfari, or Helpers. But this honourable name was extended afterwards to all thofe who fought under Ma- homet in his wars, and after, even to thofe who had been born in his lifetime.

These of whofe tombs we are now fpeaking, were of the army of Haled Ibn el Waalid, whom Mahomet named, Saif Ullah, the ' Sword of God,' and who, in the califat of Omar, took and deftroyed Syene, after lofmg great part of his army

before

* This word, improperly ufed and fpelled by M. de Volney, has nothing to do with, .. theft Anfaris.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 155

before it. It was afterwards rebuilt by the Shepherds of Bcja, then Chriftians, and again taken in the time of Salidan, and, with the reft of Egypt, ever fince hath belonged to Cairo. It was conquered by, or rather furrendered to, Selim Emperor of the Turks, in 15 16, who planted two advanced polls (Deir and Ibrim) beyond the cataract in Nubia, with imall garri- fons of janhTaries like wife, where they continue to this day.

Their pay is ifTued from Cairo ; fometimes they marry each others daughters, rarely marry the women of the coun- try, and the fon, or nephew, or nearer! relation of each de- ceafed, fucceeds as janifTary in room of his father. They have loft their native language, and have indeed nothing of the Turk in them, but a propenfity to violence, rapine, and injuftice ; to which they have joined the perfidy of the Arab, which, as I have faid, they fometimes inherit from their mother. An Aga commands thefe troops in the caftle. They have about two hundred horfemen armed with firelocks ; with which, by the help of the Ababde, encamped at Shekh Ammer, they keep the Bifliareen, and all thefe numerous tribes of Arabs, that inhabit the Defert of Senna ar, in toler- able order.

The inhabitants, merchants, and common people of the town, are commanded by a cacheff. There is neither but- ter nor milk at Syene (the latter comes from Lower Egypt) the fame may be faid of fowls. Dates do not ripen at Syene, thofe that are fold at Cairo come from Ibrim and Dontrola. There are good fiih in the Nile, and they are eailly caught, efpecially at the cataract, or in broken water ; there are only two kinds of large ones which \ have happened to fee, the

U 2 binny

i56 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

binny and the boulti. The binny I have defcribed in its pro- per place.

After palling the tomb-flones without the gate, we come to a plain about five miles long, bordered on the left by a hill of no confiderable height, and fandy like the plain, upon which are feen fome ruins, more modern than thofe Egyptian buildings we have defcribed, They feem indeed, to be a mixture of all kinds and ages-

The diftance from the gate of the town to Termiffi, of Marada, the fmall villages on the cataract, is exactly fix Englifh miles. After the defcription already given of this cataract in fome authors, a traveller has reafon to be fur- prifed, when arrived on its banks, to find that veffels fail up the cataract, and confequently the fall cannot be fo vio- lent as to deprive people of their hearing *.

The bed of the river, occupied by the water, was not then half a mile broad. It is divided into a number of fmall channels, by large blocks ef granite, from thirty to forty feet high. The current, confined for a long courfe between the rocky mountains of Nubia, tries to expand itfelf with great violence. Finding, in every part before it, oppofition from the rocks of granite, and forced back by thefe, it meets the oppofite currents. The chafing of the water againft thefe huge obftacles, the meeting of the contrary currents one with another, creates fuch a violent ebullition, and

makes

* Cicero de Somnio Scipronis.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. i57

makes fuch a noife and difturbed appearance, that it fills: the mind with confufion rather than with terror.

We faw the miferable Kennoufs (who inhabit the

banks of the river up into Nubia, to above the fecond

cataract) to procure their daily food, lying behind rocks,

with lines in their hands, and catching fifh ; they did not

feem to be either dexterous or fuccefsful in the {'port.

They are not black, but of the darker! brown ; are not

woolly-headed, but have hair. They are fmall, light, agile

people, and feem to be more than half-ftarved. . I made a

fign that I wanted to fpeak with one of them ; but feeing

me furrounded with a number of horfe and fire-arms, they

did not choofe to truft themfelves. I left my people behind

with my firelock, and went alone to fee if I could engage

them in a converfation. At firft they walked off; finding

I.perfifted in following them, they ran at full fpeed, and

hid themfelves among the rocks,

Pliny* fays, that, in his time, the city of Syene was fitu- ated fo directly under the tropic of Cancer, that there was a well, into which the fun fhone fo perpendicular, that it was enlightened by its rays down to the bottom. Strabo f had faid the fame. The ignorance, or negligence, in the Geodefique meafure in this obfervation, is extraordinary ; Egypt had been meafured yearly, from early ages, and the diftance between Syene and Alexandria mould have been known to an ell. From this inaccuracy, I do very much fufpect the other meafure Eratofthenes is faid to have made, by which he fixed the fun's parallax at 10 feconds and a v- L u haif,

* Pli°y> Kb. ''• cap. 73. -)• Strabo, lib. XTJi. p. 944, .

i58 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

half, was not really made by him, but was fome old Chal- daic, or Egyptian obfervation, made by more inftructed aftro- nom'ers which he had fallen upon.

The Arabs call it AfTouan, which they fay fignifies enlight- ened; in allufion,I fuppofe, to the circumflance of the well, enlightened within by the fun's being ftationary over it in June; in the language of Beja its name fignifies a circle, or portion of a circle.

Syene, among other things, is famous for the firfl attempt made by Greek aftronomers to afcertain the meafure of the circumference of the earth. Eratofthenes, born at Cyrene a- bout 276 years before Chrift, was invited from Athens to A- lexandria by Ptolemy Evergetes, who made him keeper of the Royal Library in that city. In this experiment two po- fitions were aflumed, that Alexandria and Syene were ex- actly 5000 ftades diftantfrom each other, and that they were prccifely under the fi^me meridian. Again, it was verified by the experiment of the well, that, in the fummer folftice at mid-day, when the fun was in the tropic of Cancer, in its greateft northern declination, the well* at that inftant was totally and equally illuminated ; and that no ftyle, or gno- mon, erected on a perfed plane, did call, or project, any manner of fhadow for 150 ftades round, from which it was juftly concluded, that the fun, on that day, was fo exactly vertical to Syene, that the center of its difk immediately cor- responded to the center of the bottom of the well. Thefe preliminaries being fixed, Eratofthenes fet about his obfer- vation thus : —

On

* Strabo, lib. ii. p. 133.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 15$

On the day of the furamer folfticc, at the moment the fun was ftationary in the meridian of Syene, he placed a ityle perpendicularly in the bottom of a half- concave fphcre, which he expofed in open air to the fun at Alexandria. Now, if that ityle had call no fhade at Alexandria, it would have been precifely in the fame circumilance with a ityle in the well in Syene ; and the reafon of its not calling the made would have been, that the fun was directly vertical to it. But he found, on the contrary, this ityle at Alexandria did call: afliadow ; and by meafuring the diftance of the top of this fhadow from the foot of the ftyle, he found, that, when the fun call: no fhadow at Syene, by being in the zenith, at'. Alexandria he projected a fhadow ; which fhewed he was diflant from the vertical point, or zenith, j±o=j° I2^ which was y^th of the circumference of the whole heavens, or of. a great circle.

This being fettled, the conclufion was, that Alexandria and Syene muft be diftantfrom each other by the 50th part'-. of the circumference of the whole earth.

Now 5000 ftades was the diftance already affumed be- tween Alexandria and the well of Syene ; and all that was to be done was to repeat 5000 ftades fifty times, or multiply 5,000 Hades by 50, and the anfwer was 250,000 ftades, which was the total of the earth's circumference. This, admitting the French contents of the Egyptian ftadium to be juft, will amount to 1 1,403 leagues for the circumference of the earth fought ; and as our prefent account fixes it to be 9000, the error will be 2403 leagues in excefs, or more than one- fourth of the whole fum required.

This

160 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

This obfervation furely therefore is not worth record- ing, unlefs to lliew the infufficiency or imperfection of the method ; it cannot dcferve the encomiums * that have been bellowed upon it, if juftice has been done to Eratoflhenes' geodefique meamres, which I do not, by any manner of means, warrant to be the cafe, becaufe the meafure of his arch of the meridian feems to have been conducted with a much greater degree of fuccefs and precifion than that of his bafe.

On the 2 2d, 23d, and 24th of January, being at Syene, in a houfe immediately eaft of the fmall ifland in the Nile (where the temple of Cnuphis is Hill Handing, very little injured, and which fStrabo, who was himfelf there, fays was in the an- cient town, and near the well built for the obfervation of the folftice) with a three-foot brafs quadrant, made by Lang- lois, and defcribed by % Monfieur de la Lande, by a mean of three obfervations of the fun in the meridian, I concluded the latitude of Syene to be 240 o' 45" north.

And, as the latitude of Alexandria, by a medium of many obfervations made by the French academicians, and more recently by Mr Niebuhr and myfelf, is beyond poffibility of contradiction 310 n; 33", the arch of the meridian con- tained between Syene and Alexandria, muft be 70 io^S", or 1 ' 12" lcfs than Eratoilhenes made it. And this is a wonder- ful precifion, if we confider the imperfeclion of his inftru- ment, in the probable fhortnefs of his radius, and difficulty

(almoil

* Spe&acle de la Nature, f Strabo, lib. 1 7. p. 944. t L'hifloire d'aftronomie, de M. de la Lande, vol. i. lib, 2.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 161

(almoft infurmountable) in diftinguilliing the diviilon of the penumbra.

There certainly is one error very apparent, in meafuring the bafe betwixt Syene and Alexandria ; that is, they were not (as fuppofed) under the fame meridian ; for though, to my very great concern afterwards, I had no opportunity of fixing the longitude at this firft vifit to Syene, as 1 had done the latitude, yet on my return, in the year 1772, from an cclipfe of the firft fatellite of Jupiter, I found its longitude to be 330 30'; and the longitude of Alexandria, being 300 iG' y'\ there is 30 14' that Syene is to the eaftward of the meridian of Alexandria, or fo far from their being under the fame meridian as fuppofed.

It is impomble to fix the time of the building of Syene ; upon the mofl critical examination of its hieroglyphics and proportions, I fhould imagine it to have been founded fome time after Thebes, but before Dendera, Luxor, or Carnac.

It would be no lefs curious to know, whether the well, which Eratolthenes made ufe of for one of the terms of the geodcfique bafe, and his arch of the meridian, between Alexandria and Syene, was coeval with the building of that city, or whether it was made for the experiment. I fhould be inclined to think the former was the cafe ; and the pla- cing this city firft, then the well under the tropic, were with a view of afcertaining the length of the folar year. In fliort, this point, fo material to be fettled, was the conftant objec> of attention of the firft aftronomers, and this was the ufe of the dial of Ofimandyas ; this inquiry was the occafion of the number of obelifks raifed in every ancient city in Egypt.

Vol. I. X We

i62 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER'

Wc cannot miitake this, if we obferve liow anxioufly thcy- liave varied the figure of the top, or point of each obeliik; fometimes it is a very iharp one ; fometimes a portion of a circle, to try to get rid of the great impediment that per- plexed them, the penumbra.

The projection of* the pavements, conftantly to the norths ward, fo diligently levelled, and made into exact planes by large ilabs of granite, mod artificially joined, have been fo Substantially fecured, that they might ferve for the observa- tion to this day ; and it is probable, the pofition of this city and the well were coeval, the remit of intention, and both the works of thefe firfb aftronomers, immediately after the building of Thebes. If this was the cafe, we may conclude, that the fact of the fun illuminating the bottom of the well in Eratoilhenes's time was a fuppofed one, from the uniform tradition, that once it had been fo, the periodical change of the quantity of the angle, made by the equator and ecliptic, not being then known, and therefore that the quantity of the celeftial arch, comprehended between Alex- andria and Syene, might be as erroneous from another caufe, as the bafe had been by affirming a wrong diftance on the earth, in place of one exactly meafured.

There is at Axum an obelifk erected by Ptolemy Everge- tes, the very prince who was patron to Eratofthencs, with- out hieroglyphics, directly facing the fouth, with its top firft cut into a narrow neck, then fpread out like a fan in a femicircular form, with a pavement curioufly levelled to receive the fhade, and make the Separation of the true fha-- dow from the penumbra as dillinct as poSiible.

This-

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 163

This was probably intended for verifying the experi- ment of Eratofthenes with a larger radius, for, by this obelifk, we mull not imagine Ptolemy intended to obferve the obliquity of the ecliptic at Axum. Though it was true, that Axum, by its fituation, was a very proper place, the fun palling over that city and obeliflc twice a-year, yet it was equally true, that, from another circumllance, which he might have been acquainted with, at lefs expence of time than building the obelifk would have cod him, that he himfelf could not make any ufe of the fun's being twice vertical to Axum ; for the fun is vertical at Axum about the 25th of April, and again about the 20th of Augufl ; and, at both thefe feafons, the heaven is fo overcaf! with clouds, and the rain fo continual, efpecially at mid-day, that it would be a wonder indeed, if Ptolemy had once fcen the fun during the months he ftaid there.

Though Syene, by its fituation mould be healthy, the general complaint is a weaknefs and forenefs in the eyes ; and this not a temporary one only, but generally ending in blindnefs of one, or both eyes ; you fcarce ever fee a perfon in the ltreet that fees with both eyes. They fay it is owing to the hot wind from the defert ; and this I apprehend to be true, by the violent forenefs and inflammation we were troubled with in our return home, through the great Defert, to Syene.

We had now fmifhed every thing we had to do at Syene, and prepared to defcend the Kile. After having been quiet' and well ufed fo long, we did not expect any altercation at parting ; we thought we had contented every body, and we were perfectly content with them. But, unluckily for us,

X 2 our

i64 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

our landlord, the Schourbatchie, upon whom I had my cre- dit, and who had diflinguifhed himfelf by being very fer- viceable and obliging to us, happened to be the proprietor of a boat, for which, at that time, he had little employment ; nothing would fatisfy him but my hiring that boat, in- stead of returning in that which brought us up.

This could by no means be done, without breaking faith with our Rais, Abou Cuffi, which I was refolved not to do on any account whatever, as the man had behaved honeftly and well in every refpect. The janhTaries took the part of their brother againft the ftranger, and threatened to cut Abou Cuffi to pieces, and throw him to the crocodiles.

On the other part, he was very far from being terrified. He told them roundly, that lie was a fervant of Ali Bey, that, if they attempted to take his fare from him, their pay ihould be flopped at Cairo, till they furrendered the guilty perfon to do him juftice. He laughed moll unafledtedly at the notion of cutting him to pieces ; and declared, that, if he was to complain of the ufage he met when he went down to Lower Egypt, there would not be a janiflary from Syenc who would not be in much greater danger of crocodiles* than he.

I went in the evening to the Aga,and complained of my landlord's behaviour. I told him pofitively, but with great mew of refpecl, I would rather go down the Nile upon a raft, than fet my foot in any other boat but the one that brought me up. I begged him to be cautious how he pro- ceeded, as it would be my Jlorj, and not bis, that would go

to

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. i%

to the Bey. This grave and refolute appearance had the effect. The Schourbatchie was fent for, and reprimanded, as were all thofe that Tided with him ; while privately, to calm all animofities againfl my Rais, I promifed him a piece of green cloth, which was his wifh ; and fo heartily were we reconciled, that, the next day, he made his fervants help Abou Cuffi to put our baggage on board the boat.

The Aga hinted to me, in converfation, that he wondered at my departure, as he heard my intention was to go to Ibrim and Deir. I told him, thofe garrifons had a bad name; that aDanifli gentleman, fome years ago, going up thither, with orders from the government of Cairo, was plundered, and very nearly affamnated, by Ibrahim, Cacheff of Deir. He looked furprifed, fliook his head, and feemed not to give me credit ; but I perfifted, in the terms of Mr Norden's * Narra- tive ; and told him, the brother of the Aga of Syenc was along with him at the time. " Will any perfon, faid he, tell me, that a man who is in my hands once a month, who has not an ounce of bread but what I furniih him from this garrifon, and whole pay would be flopt (as your Rais truly faid) on the firfl complaint transmitted to Cairo, could af- fafiinatc a man with Al-i Bey's orders, and my brother along with him ? Why, what do you think he is ? I fhall fend a fer- vant to the Cacheff of Deir to-morrow, who mall bring him down by the beard, if he refufes to come willingly." I faid, " Then times were very much changed for the better ; it was not always fo, there was not always at Cairo a fovereign

' like

* Vide MrNcrder/s Voyage up the Nile,

-i66 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

like Ali Bey, nor at Syene a man of his prudence, and capa- city in commanding; but having no bufmefs at Deir and Ibrim, I mould not rifk finding them in another hu- mour, exerciiing other powers than thole he allowed them

to have."

The 26th we embarked at the north end of the town, in the very fpot where I again took boat above three years afterwards. We now no longer enjoyed the advantage of our prodigious main-fail ; not only our yards were lowered, but our malts were taken out ; and we floated down the current, making the figure of a wreck. The current, pufli- ine againft one of our fides, the wind directly contrary, prefling us on the other, we went down broad fide foremojl ; but fo fteadily, as fcarce to be fenfible the veiTel was in mo- tion.

In the evening I ftopt at Shekh Ammer, and faw my pa- tient Nimmer, Shekh of the Ababde. I found him greatly better, and as thankful as ever ; I renewed my prefcripuons, and he his offers of fervice.

I was vifited, however, with a pretty fmart degree of fever by hunting crocodiles on the Nile as I went down, without any poffibility of getting near them.

On the 31ft of January we arrived at Negade, the fourth fettlcmentof the Francifcan friars in Upper Egypt,for the pretended million of Ethiopia. I found it to be in lat.

25° 55' 3°" k is a fma11 nCilt villaKe> covered with Palm~ trees,and moftly inhabited by Cophts, none of whom the

friars have yet converted, nor ever will, unlefs by fmall

pcniions.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. i(T7

penfions, which they give to the pooreil of them, to he de- coy-ducks to the reft.

Opposite to Negade, on the other fide of the river about three miles, is Cus, a large town, the Appollonis Civitas Par- va of the ancients. There are no antiquities at this place ; but the caravan, which was to carry the corn for Mecca, acrofs the defert to Cofleir, was to aflemble there. I found they were not near ready ; and that the Arabs Atouni had threatened they would be in their way, and would not fuf- fer them to pals, at any rate, and that the guard command- ed to efcort them acrofs the defert, would come from Fur- fhout, and therefore I mould have early warning,

It was the 2d of February I returned to Badjoura, and took up my quarters in the houfe formerly alhgned me, greatly to the joy of Shekh Ifmael, who, though he was in the main reconciled to his friend, friar Chriftopher, had not yet forgot the wounding of the live men by his miscalculating ramadan ; and was not without fears that the fame inadvertence might, fome day or other, be fatal to him, in his pleurify and afthma, or, what is ftiil more like- ly, by the operation of the tabangc.

As I was now about to launch into that part of my ex- pedition, in which I was to have no further intercoufe with Europe J fet myfelf to work to examine all my obfervations, and put my journal in fuch forwardnefs by explanations, where needful, that the labours and pains I had hitherto been at, might not be totally loft to the public, if I mould pcriih in the journey I had undertaken, which, every day,

22 from

i68 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

from all information I could procure, appeared to be more and more defperate.

Having finifhed thefe, at leaft fo far as to make them intelligible to. others, I conveyed them to my friends Meffrs Julian and Rofa at Cairo, to remain in their cuftody till I fhould return, or news come that I was otherwife difpofed of.

ca;.' ' ■ ^^3

±s

CHAP

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 169

-^S^

CHAP. VIII.

The Author fets out from Kenne — Croffes the Defer t of the TJjebaid — Ph fits the Marble Mountains — Arrives at Coffeir^ on the Red Sea-— Tranfaclions there.

IT was Thurfday, the 16th of February 17^9, we heard the caravan was ready to fet out from Kenne, the Ccene Empo- rium of antiquity. From Kenne our road was firft Eaft, for half an hour, to the foot of the hills, which here bound the cultivated land ; then S. E. when, at 1 1 o'clock in the fore- noon, we paired a very dirty fmall village called Sheraffa. All the way from Kenne, clofe on our left, were defert hills, on which not the leafl verdure grew, but a few plants of a large fpecies of Solanum, called Burrumbuc.

At half part two we came to a well, called Bir Ambar, the well of fpices, and a dirty village of the fame name, belong- ing to the Azaizy, a poor inconfiderable tribe of Arabs. They live by letting out their cattle for hire to the caravans that go to Gofleir,.and attending themfelves, when neccflary. It got its name, I fuppofe, from its having formerly been a nation of the caravans from the Red Sea, loaded with this kind of merchandife from India. The houfes of the Azaizy are of a very particular conferudtion, if they can be called

Vol- L Y houfes.

i7o TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

houfes. They are all made of potter-clay, in one piece, in fhape of a bee-hive ; the largeft is not above ten feet high, and the greateft diameter fix.

There are no vefliges here of any canal, mentioned to have been cut between the Nile and the Red Sea. The cultivated land here is not above half a mile in extent from the river, but the inundation of the Nile reaches much higher, nor has it left behind it any appearance of foil. After paffing Bir Ambar, we pitched our tent about four o'clock at Gabba*, a fhort mile from Cuft, on the borders of the defert — here we paffed the night.

On the 17th, at eight o'clock in the morning, having mounted my fervants all on horfeback, and taken the charge of our own camels, (for there was a confufion in our cara- van not to be defcribed, and our guards we knew were but a fet of thieves) we advanced flowly into the defert. There were about two hundred men on horfeback, armed with firelocks ; all of them lions, if you believed their word or appearance ; but we were credibly informed, that fifty of the Arabs, at firft fight, would have made thefe heroes fly without any blooclflied.

I had not gone two miles before I was joined by the

Howadat Arab, whom I had brought with me in the boat

om Cairo. He offered me his fervice with great profef-

fions of gratitude, and told me, that he hoped I would again

take charge of his money, as I had before done from Cairo.

It

*It is art town, but fome fand and a few bullies, fo calUd.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 171

It was now for the firfl time he told me his name, which was Mahomet Abdel Gin, " the Slave of the Devil, or the " Spirit." There is a large tribe of that name, many of which come to Cairo from the kingdom of Sennaar ; but he had been born among the Howadat, oppofite to iSletrahenny, where I found him.

Ouu road was all the way in an open plain, bounded by hillocks of fand, and fine gravel, perfectly hard, and not perceptibly above the level of the plain country of Egypt. About twelve miles d.iflant there is a ridgo of mountains of no confiderable height, perhaps the moft barren in the world. Between thefe our road lay through plains, never three miles broad, but without trees, fhrubs, or herbs. There are not even the traces of any living creature, neither ferpent nor lizard, antelope nor oflrich, the ufual inhabitants of the moll dreary deferts. There is no fort of water on the fur- face, brackifh or fweet. Even the birds feem to avoid the place as peflilential, not having feen one of any kind fo much as flying over. The fun was burning hot, and, upon rubbing two flicks together, in half a minute they both took fire, and flamed ; a mark how near the country was redu- ced to a general conflagration !

At half pafl three, we pitched our tent near fome draw- wells, which, upon tailing, we found bitterer than foot. We had, indeed, other water carried by the camels in fkins. This well-water had only one needful quality, it was cold, and therefore very comfortable for ref re filing us outwardly. This unpleafant flation is called Legeta ; here we were ob_ liged to pafs the night, and all next day, to wait the arrival

Y 2 of

ija TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

of the caravans of Cus, Efne, and part of thofe of Kcnne.. and Ebanout. .

While at the wells of Legeta, my Arab, Abdel Gin, came to me with his money, which had increafed now to nine- teen fequins and a half. "What! laid I, Mahomet, are you never fafe among your countrymen, neither. by fea nor land ?" " Oh, no, replied Mahomet ; the difference, when we were on board the boat, was, we had three thieves only ; but, when ajfembled here, we fhall have above three thoufand. — But I have an advice to give you." — " And my ears," faid I, " Mahomet, are always open to advice, efpe- daily in ftrange countries." — " Thefe people," continued Mahomet, " are all afraid of the Atouni Arabs ; and, when attacked, they will run away, and leave you in the hands of thefe Atouni, who will carry off your baggage. There- fore, as you have nothing to do with their corn, do not kill any of the Atouni if they come, for that will be a bad affair, but go afide, and let me manage. I will anfwer with my life, though all the caravan mould be flripped ftark-naked, , and you loaded with gold, not one article belonging to you mall ■ be touched." I queftioned him very particularly a- bout this intimation, as it was an affair of much confe-- quence, and I was fo well fatisfied, that I refolved to con-, form flricftly to it.

In the evening came twenty Turks from Caramania, which is that part of Afia Minor immediately on the fide of the Mediterranean oppofite to the coaft of Egypt ; all of them neatly and cleanly dreffed like Turks, all on camels, armed with fwoi ds, a pair of piftols at their girdle, and a fhort neat gun ; their arms were in very good order, with their flints

and

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 173

and ammunition flowed in cartridge-boxes, in a very foldier- like manner. A few of thefe fpoke Arabic, and my Greek fervant, Michael, interpreted for the reft. Having been in- formed, that the large tent belonged to an Englifliman, they came into it without ceremony. They told me, that they were a number of neighbours and companions, who had fet out together to go to Mecca, to the Hadje ; and not knowing the language, or cuftoms of the people, they had been but indifferently ufed fince they landed at Alexandria, particu- larly fomewhere (as I guefled) about Achmim ; that one of the Owam, or fwimming thieves, had been on board of them in the night, and had carried off a fmall portmanteau with about 200 fequins in gold ; that, though a complaint had been made to the Bey of Girge, yet no fatis faction had been obtained; and that now they had heard an Englifliman was here, whom they reckoned their countryman^ they had come to propofe, that we fhould make a common caufe to defend each other againft all enemies. — What they meaned by coun- tryman was this : — 1

There is in Afia Minor, fomewhere between Anatolia and Caramania, a diftrict. which they call Caz Dagli, cor- ruptly Caz Dangli, and this the Turks believe was the country from which the Englifli firft drew their origin ; and on this account they never fail to claim kindred with the Englifh wherever they meet, efpecially if they Hand in need of their afliflance.

I told them the arrangement I had taken with the A-

rab. At firft, they thought it was too much confidence to

place in him, but I convinced them, that it was greatly di-

minifhing our rifle, and, let the worft come to the worfc,

v„ I j I was-,

a74 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

I was well fatisfied that, armed as we were, on foot, we were more than fufficient to beat the Atouni, after they had de- feated the clownifh caravan of Egypt, from whole courage we certainly had nothing to expect.

I cannot conceal the fecret pleafure I had in finding the character of my country fo firmly eltablilhed among na- tions fo dillant, enemies to our religion, and iirangers to our government. Turks from Mount Taurus, and Arabs from the defert of Libya, thought themfelves unfafe among their own countrymen, but truftcd their lives and their lit- tle fortunes implicitly to the direction and word of an Eng- lifhman whom they had never before feen.

These Turks feemed to be above the middling rank of people; each of them had his little cloak bag very neatly packed up; and they gave me to underftand that there was money in it. Thefe they placed in my icrvants tent, and chained them all together, round the middle pillar of it ; for it was eafy to lee the Arabs of the caravan had thofe packages in view, from the fiilt moment of the Turk's arrival.

We (laid all the iSth at Legeta, waiting for the junction of the caravans, and departed the 19th at fix o'clock in the morning. Our journey, all that day, was through a plain, never lefs than a mile broad, and never broader than three ; the hills, on our right and left, were higher than the for- mer, and of a brownifh calcined colour, like the Hones on the fides of Mount Vefuvius, but without any herb or tree

upon them.

2 At

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. i75

At half pall ten, we palled a mountain of green and red marble, and at twelve we entered a plain called Hamra, where we firft obferved the fand red, with a purple caft, of the colour of porphyry, and this is the fignification of Ham- ra, the name of the valley. Idifmounted here, to examine of what the rocks were compofed ; and found, with the great- ell pleafure, that here began the quarries of porphyry, with- out the mixture of any other ftone ; but it was imperfecl;, brittle, and foft. I had not been engaged in this purfuit an hour, before we were alarmed with a report that the A- touni had attacked the rear of the caravan ; we were at the head of it. The Turks and my fervants were all drawn together, at the foot of the mountain, and polled as advan- tageoufly as poffible. But it foon appeared that they were fome thieves only, who had attempted to Heal fome loads of corn from camels that were weak, or fallen lame, perhaps in intelligence with thofe of our own caravans.

All the reft of the afternoon, we faw mountains of a perfectly purple colour, all of them porphyry ; nor has Ptolemy f much erred in the pofition of them. About four o'clock, we pitched our tent at a place called Main el Mafa- rek. The colour of the valley El Hamra continued to this llation ; and it was very Angular to obferve, that the ants, or pifmires, the only living creatures I had yet obferved, were all of a beautiful red colour like the fand.

The 20th, at fix oclock in the morning, we left Main el

Mafarek,

f Ptol. Almag. lib. 4. Geograph. pag. 104,

x76 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

Mafarek, and, at ten, came to the mouth of the defiles. At eleven we began to defcend, having had a very impercep- tible aicent from Kenne all the way.

We were now indemnified for the famenefs of our na- tural productions yeilerday ; for, on each fide of the plain, we found different forts of marble, twelve kinds of which I felccted, and took with me.

At noon, we came to a plain planted with acacia-trees, at equal diftances ; fmgle trees, fpreading broader than uiual, as if on purpofe to proportion the refrefhment they gave to the number of travellers who flood in need of it. This is a {ration of the Atouni Arabs after rain. From our leaving Legeta, we had no water that, nor the following day.

On the right-hand fide of this plain we found porphyry and granite, of very beautiful kinds. All the way, on both fides of the valley, this day, the mountains were of porphyry, and a very few of itone.

At a quarter pail four, we encamped at Koraim, a final! -plain, perfectly barren, coniifting of line gravel, fand, and Hones, with a few acacia-trees, interfperfed throughout.

The 2 i ft, we departed early in the morning from Ko- raim, and, at ten o'clock, we palled feveral defiles,^perpetually alarmed by a report, that the Arabs were approaching; none of whom we ever law. We then proceeded through jl-veral defies, into a long plain that turns to the eait, then north-eaft, and north, fo as to make a portion of a circle. At die end of tins plain we came to a mountain, the great- eft.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 177

eft part of which was of the marble, verde antico, as it is called in Rome, but by far the moll beautiful of the kind I had ever feen.

Having patted this, we had mountains on both fides of us, but particularly on our right. The only ones that I my- felf examined were of a kind of granite, with reddifh veins throughout, with triangular and fquare black fpots. Thefe mountains continued to Mefag el Terfowcy, where we en- camped at twelve o'clock ; we were obliged to bring our water from about five miles to the fouth-eafl. This water does not appear to be from fprings, it lies in cavities and grottos in the rock, of which there are twelve in number, whether hollowed by nature or art, or partly by both, is more- than I can folve. Great and abundant rains fall here in February. The clouds, breaking on the tops of thefe mountains, in their way to Abyffinia, fill thefe citterns with large fupplies, which the impending rocks fe cure from eva- poration.

It was the firfl frefli water we tailed fince we left the Nile; and the only water of any kind fince we left Legeta. But fuch had been the forefight of our caravan, that very few reforted thither, having all laid in abundant {lore from the Nile ; and fome of them a quantity fufficient to ferve them till their return. This was not our cafe. We had water, it is true, from the Nile ; but we never thought we could have too much, as long as there was room in onr water-fkins to hold more ; I therefore went early with my camel-drivers, expecting to have feen fome antelopes, which every night come to drink from the well, having no opportunity to do it throughout the day.

Vol. I. Z I HA3

178 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

I had not concealed myfelf half an hour, above a nar- row path leading to the principal cave, before I faw, firft one antelope walking very {lately alone ; then four others, clofe- ly following him. Although I was wholly hid as long as I lay ftill, he feemed to have difcerned me from the inftant that I faw him. I mould have thought it had been the fmell that had difcovcred me, had not I ufed the precaution of carrying a piece of burnt turf along with me, and left one with my horfe likewife ; perhaps it was this unufuai fmell that terrified him. Whatever was the caufe, he ad- vanced apparently in fear, and feemed to be trailed with the care of the flock, as the others teftified no apprehen- sion, but were rather fporting or fighting with each other. Still he advanced flower, and with greater caution ; but, be- ing perfectly within reach, I did not think proper any long- er to rifk the whole from a defire to acquire a greater num- ber. I fhot him fo juilly, that, giving one leap five or fix feet high, he fell dead upon his head. I' fired at the others,, retiring all in a croud; killed one likewife, and lamed ano- ther, who fled among the mountains, where darknefs pro- tected him. We were perfectly content with our acquifi- tion, and the nature of the place did not prompt us to look after the wounded. We continued at the well to afTift our companions who came in want of water, a duty with which: neceffity binds us all to comply. .

We returned near midnight with our game and our wa- ter. We found our tents all lighted, which, at that time of night, was unufuai. I thought, however, it was on account of my abfence, and to guide me the hirer home. We were however furprifed, when, coming within a moderate diftahce of our tent, we heard the word called for; I anfwercd imme- diately,

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 179

diately, Charlotte; and, upon our arrival, we perceived the Turks were parading round the tents in arms, and foon after our Howadat Arab came to us, and with him a mef- fenger from Sidi Haifan, defiring me to come inftantly to his tent, while my fervants advifed me firft to hear what they had to fay to me in mine.

I soon, therefore, perceived that all was not well, and I returned my compliments to Harlan, adding, that, if he had any thing to fay to me fo late, he would do well to come, or fend, as it was pail my hour of vifiting in the defert, efpe- cially as I had not eat, and was tired with having the charge of the water. I gave orders to my fervants to put out all the extraordinary lights, as that feemed to be a mark of fear ; but forbade any one to fleep, excepting thofe who had the charge of our beails, and had been fetching the water.

1 found that, while our people had been aflecp, two per- sons had got into the tent and attempted to fteal one of the portmanteaus ; but, as they were chained together, and the tent-pole in the middle, the noife had awakened my fer- vants, who had feized one of the men ; and that the Turks had intended inftantly to have difpatchcd him with their knives, and with great difficulty had been prevented by my fervants, according to my conftant orders, for I wifhed to avoid all extremities, upon iuch occafions, when poffible. They had indeed leave to deal with their flicks as freely as their prudence fuggefted to them ; and they had gone, in this cafe, fully beyond the ordinary limits of difcrcthit, efpecially Abdel Gin, who was the firft to feize the robber. In fhort, they had dealt fo liberally with their flicks, that

Z 2 the

180 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

the thief was only known to be living by his groans, and they had thrown him at a fmall diflance, for any perfon to own him that pleafed. It appeared, that he was a fervant of Sidi Haflan, an Egyptian Have, or fervant to Shckh Ha- mam, who conducted or commanded the caravan, if there was any condntl or command in it.

There were with me ten fervants, all completely armed, twenty-five Turks, who feemed worthy to be depended up- on, and four janiflarics, who had joined us from Cairo, fo that there were of us forty men perfectly armed, befides attendants on the cattle. As we had people with us who knew the wells, and alfo a friend who was acquainted with the Atouni, nothing, even in a defert, could reafonably a- larm us.

With great difficulty we pulled down an old acacia-tree, and procured fome old-dried camels dung, with which we roafled our two antelopes : very ill-roafted they were ; and execrable meat, though they had been ever fo well drefled, and had had the belt fauce of Chriflendom. However, we were in the defert, and every thing was acceptable. We had fome fpirits, which nnifhed our repaft that night : it was exceedingly cold, and we fat thick about the fire.

Five men with firelocks, and a number of Arabs with lances, having come towards us, and being challenged by the centinel for not giving the word, were then cleared to Hand, or they would be fired upon. They all cried out, Sdlam Alkum I and I intimated that any three of them might come forward, but defired them to keep away the Arabs. Three of them accordingly came, and then two more. They

3 ; delivered ,

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 181

delivered a meilage from Sidi Hafjan, that my people had killed a man; they defired that themurderermightbe deliver- ed to them, and that I ihould come to his tent, and fee juftice done. " I told them, that none of my people, however pro- " voked, would put a man to death in my abfence, unlefs " in defence of their own lives ; that, if I had been there, I " mould certainly have ordered them to fire upon a thief " catched in the act of ftealing within my tent ; but, fince " he was dead, I was fatisfied as to him, only expected that " Sidi Haflan would give me up his companion, who had " fled ; that, as it was near morning, I mould meet him " when the caravan decamped, and hear what he had to fay " in his defence. In the mean time I forbade any perfon " to come near my tent, or quarters, on any pretence whatr ever, till-day light." Away they went murmuring, but what they laid I did not underftand. We heard no more of them, and none of us flept. All of us, however, repeated our vows of Handing by each other ; and we fince found, that we had flood in the way of a common practice, of {trip- ping thefe poor flrangers,. the Turks, who come every year this road to Mecca.

At dawn of day, the caravan was all in motion. They had got intelligence, that two days before, about 300 Atouni had watered at Terfowey ; and, indeed, there were marks of great refort at the well, where we filled the water. We had agreed not to load one of our camels, but let the cara- van go on before us, and meet the Atouni firfl ; that I only ihould go on horfeback, about two hundred yards into the plain from the tent, and all the reft follow me on foot with arms in their hands, .

Hassan

sSz TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

Hassan, too, was mounted on horfeback, with about a hundred of his myrmidons, and a number of Arabs on foot. He fent me word that I was to advance, with only two fer- vants ; but I returned for anfwer, that I had no intention to advance at all ; that if he had any bufmefs, he mould fay fo, and that I would meet him one to one, or three to fix, juft as he pleafed. He fent me again word, that he wanted to communicate the intelligence he had of the Atouni, to put me on my guard. I returned for anfwer, that I was al- ready upon my guard, againft all thieves, and did not make any diftindtion, if people were thieves themfelves, or en- couraged others to be fo, or whether they were Atouni or Ababde. He then fent me a mcflage, that it was a cold morning, and wiflied I would give hirn a dim of coffee, and keep thofe ftrangers away. I therefore defired one of my fervants to bring the coffee-pot, and directing my people to fit down, I rode up to him, and difmounted, as he did ah'o, when twenty or thirty of his vagabonds came, and fat down likewife. He faid he was exceedingly furprifed, after fending to me laft night, that I did not come to him ; that the whole camp was in murmur at beating the man, and that it was all that he could do to hinder his foldiers from falling upon us, and extirpating us all at once ; that I did wrong to protect thofe Turks, who carried always money to Mecca for merchandife, and defrauded them of their dues.

My fervant having juft poured out a dim of coffee to give him, I laid, Stay, Sir, till we know whether we are in peace. Sidi Haffan, if that is the way of levying dues upon the Turks, to fend thieves to rob them in my tent, you fhould advife me firft of it, and then we mould have fettled the bufinefs. With regard to your preventing people from

murdering

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 183

murdering me, it is a boaft fo ridiculous that I laugh at it, Thofe pale-faced fellows who are about you muffled up in burnoofes for fear of cold in the morning, are they capable to look janiffaries in the face like mine ? Speak lowly, and in Arabic, when you talk at this rate, or perhaps it will not be in my power to return you the compliment you did me lafl night, or hinder them from killing you on the fpot. Were ever fuch words fpoken ! faid a man behind ; tell me, ma- iler, are you a king ? If Sidi Haffan, anfwered I, is your ma- iler, and you fpeak to me on this occafion, you are a wretch ; get out of my fight ; I fwear I will not drink a difli of coffee while you are here, and will mount my horfe directly.

I then rofe, and the fervant took back the coffee-pot; upon which Haffan ordered his fervant out of his pre- sence, faying, " No, no ; give me the coffee if we are in peace j" and he drank it accordingly. Now, fays he, pail is pail ; the Atouni are to meet us at the * mouth of Beder ; your people are better armed than mine, are Turks, and ufed to fighting. I would wifh you to go foremoll, and we will take charge of your camels, though my people have 4000 of their own, and they have enough to do to take charge of the corns " And I," faid I, " if I wanted water or provifion, would go to meet the Atouni, who would ufe me well. Why, you don't know to whom you are fpeaking, nor that the Atouni are Arabs of Ali Bey, and that lam his man of confidence, go- ing to the Sherriffe of Mecca ? The Atouni will not hurt us • but, as you fay, you are commander of the caravan, we have

all

* The Arabs call thefe narrow pafTes in the mountains Fum, as the Hebrews did Pi, the- mouth. Fum el Beder, is the mouth of Beder; Fum el Teifowey, the mouth or paffage of Ter-- fow£y ; Piha Hhiioth, the mouth of the va'ley cut through with ravines.

i34 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

all fworn we will not fire a mot, till we fee you heartily en- gaged ; and then we will do our belt to hinder the Arabs from Healing the Sherriffe of Mecca's corn, for bis fake only?' They all cried out El Fedtah ! El Fedtah ! fo I faid the prayer of peace as a proxy ; for none of the Turks would come near him.

Opposite to where we were encamped is Terfowey, a large mountain, partly green-marble, partly granite, with a red blufh upon a grey ground, with fquare oblong fpots. About forty yards within the narrow valley, which fepa- rates this mountain from its neighbour, we law a part of the fuft or fhaft of a monftrous obelifk of marble, very near- ly fquare, broken at the end, and towards the top. It was nearly thirty feet long, and nineteen feet in the face ; about two feet of the bottom were perfectly infulated, and one whole fide feparatcd from the mountain. The gully had been widened and levelled, and the road made quite up to underneath the block.

We faw likewife, throughout the plain, fmall pieces of jafper, having green, white, and red fpots, called in Italy, " Diafpo Sanguineo." All the mountains on both fides of the plain feemed to be of the fame fort, whether they really were fo or not, I will not fay, having had no time to exa- mine them.

The 2 2d, at half pall one in the morning, we fet out full of terror about the Atouni. We continued in a direction nearly eail, till at three we came to the defiles ; but it was fo dark, that it was imporlible to difcern of what the coun- try on each fide coniiited. At day-break, we found our-

iclves

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. jgy

fclvcs .at the bottom of a mountain of granite, bare like the former.

We faw quantities of fmall pieces of various forts of granite, and porphyry fcattered over the plain, which had been carried down by a torrent, probably from quarries of ancient ages ; thefe were white, mixed with black fpots ; red, with green veins, and black fpots. After this, all the moun- tains on the right hand were of red marble in prodigious abundance, but of no great beauty. They continued, as the granite did, for feveral miles along the road, while the oppo- fite fide was all of dead-green, fuppofed ferpentine marble.

It was one of the moft extraordinary fights I ever faw. The former mountains were of confidcrable height, with- out a tree, or fhrub, or blade of grafs upon them ; but thefe now before us had all the appearance, the one of having been fprinkled over with Havannah, the other with Brazil fnufF. I wondered, that, as the red is neareft the fea, and the mips going down the Abyllinian coaft obferve this appearance within lat. 260, writers have not imagined this was called the Red Sea upon that account, rather than for the many weak reafons they have relied upon.

About eight o'clock we began to defeend fmartlv, and, half an hour after, entered into another defile like thofc before defcribed, having mountains of green marble on every fide of us. At nine, on our left, we faw the higheft mountain we had yet paffed. We found it, upon examination, to be com- pofed of ferpentine marble ; and, thro' about one-third of the thicknefs, ran a large vein of jafper, green, fpotted with red Its exceeding hardnefs was fuch as not to vield to the blows

Vc,L- r- A a of

i86 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

of a hammer; but the works of old times were more ap- parent in it, than in any mountain we had feen. Duels, or channels, for carrying water tranfverfely, were obierved evi- dently to terminate in this quarry of jafper: a proof that water was one of the means ufed in cutting thefc hard ftones.

About ten o'clock, defcending very rapidly, with green marble and jafper on each fide of us, but no other green thing whatever, we had the firft profpect. of the Red Sea, and, at a quarter pad eleven, we arrived at Coffeir. It has been a wonder with all travellers, and with myfelf among the reft, where the ancients procured that prodigious quan- tity of fine marble, with which all their buildings abound. That wonder, however, among mam/ others, now ceafes, after having paffed, in four days, more granite, porphyry, marble, and jafper, than would build Rome, Athens, Corinth, Syracufe, Memphis, Alexandria, and half a dozen fuch ci- ties. It feemed to be very viiible, that thofe openings in the hills, which I call Defiles, were not natural, but artificial ; and that whole mountains had been cut out at thefe places, to preferve a Hope towards the Nile as gentle as poffible: this, I fuppofe, might be a defcent of about one foot in fifty at moft ; fo that, from the mountains to the Nile, thofe heavy carriages muft have moved with as little draught as pof- fible, and, at the fame time, been fufhciently impeded by friction, fo as not to run amain, or acquire an increafed ve- locity, againft which, alfo, there mud have been other pro- vifions contrived. As I made another excurfion to thefe marble mountains from Cofieir, I will, once for all, here fet down what I obferved concerning their natural appear- ance.

The

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 187

The porphyry fliews itfelf by a line purple fand, without any glofs or glitter on it, and is exceedingly agreeable to the eye. It is mixed with the native white land, and fixed gra- vel of the plains. Green unvariegated marble, is generally feen in the fame mountain with the porphyry. Where the two veins meet, the marble is for fome inches brittle, but the porphyry of the fame hardnefs as in other places.

The granite is covered with fand, and looks like flone of a dirty, brown colour. But this is only the change and impref- fion the fun and weather have made upon it; for, upon break- ing it, you fee it is grey granite, with black fpots, with a red- difh caft, or blufh over it. This red feems to fade and fuf- fer from the outward air, but, upon working or polifhing the furface, this colour again appears. It is in greater quantity than the porphyry, and nearer the Red Sea. Pom- pey's pillar feems to have been from this quarry.

Next to the granite, but never, as I obferved, joined with it in the fame mountain, is the red marble. It is covered 'with fand of the fame colour, and looks as if the whole mountain were fpread over with brick dull:. There is alfo a red marble with white veins, which I have often i'cen at Rome, but not in principal fubjedts, I have alfo i'e?n it in Britain. The common green (called Serpentine) looks as if covered over with Brazil muff. Joined with this green, I faw two famples of that beautiful marble they call Ifabella; one of them with a yellowifh caft, which we call Quaker* colour ; the other with a blucifli, which is commonly termed Dove-colour. Thefe two fecm to divide the refpective mountains with the terpentine. In this green, likewife, it Was we faw the vein of jafper ; but whether it was ahiblutc-

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288 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

ly the fame with this which is the hloody jafper, or blood- ftone, is what we had not time to fettle.

I should firil have made mention of the verde antico, the dark green with white irregular fpots, becaufe it is of the greatell value, and nearcft the Nile. This is produced in the mountains of the plain green, or ferpentine, as is the jafper, and is not difcoverable by the dull, or any particular colour upon it. lirfl, there is a blue fleaky llone, exceedingly even and fmooth in the grain, folid, and without fparks or co- lour. When broken, it is fomething lighter than a flat®, and more beautiful than moil marble ; it is like the lava of volcanoes, when polifhed. After lifting this, we come to the beds of verde antico ; and here the quarrying is very obvi- ous, for it has been uncovered in patches, not above twenty feet fquare.. Then, in another part, the green llone has been removed, and another pit of it wrought.

I saw, in feveral places in the plain, fmall pieces of A- frican marble fcattered. about, but no rocks or mountains of it. I fuppofe it is found in the heart of fome other co- 1-oured marble, and in ftrata, like the jafper and verde anti- co, and, I fufpecl,in the mountains of Ifabella marble, efpe- cially of the yelloweft fort of it,, but this is mere conjecture. This prodigious flore of marble is placed upon a ridge, whence there is a defcent to the eall or weft, either to the Nile or Red Sea. The level ground and hard-fixed gravel are proper for the heavieil carriages, and will eafily and fmoothly convey any weight whatever to its place of em- barkation on the Nile ; fo that another wonder ceafed, how the ancients tranfported thofe vail blocks to Thebes, Mem- phis, and Alexandria.

COSSEIH

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 189

Cosseir is a fmall mud-walled village, built upon the fhore, among hillocks of floating fand. It is defended by a fquare fort of hewn ftone, with fquare towers in the angles, which have in them three fmall cannon of iron, and one of brafs, all in very bad condition ; of no other ufe but to terrify the Arabs, and hinder them from plundering the town when full of corn, going to Mecca in time of famine. The walls are not high ; nor was it neceffary, if the great guns were in order. But as this is not the cafe, the ram- parts are heightened by clay, or by mud-walls, to fereen the foldiers from the lire-arms of the Arabs, that might otherwife command them from the fandy hills in the neigh- bourhood.

There are feveral wells of brackifh water on the N. W. of the caftle, which, for experiment's fake, I made drinkable, by filtering it through fand ; but the water in ufe is brought from Terfowey, a good day's journey off.

The port, if we may call it fo, is on the fouth-eaft of the town. It is nothing but a rock which runs out about four hundred yards into the fea, and defends the veffels, which ride to the weft of it, from the north and north-eaft winds, as the houfes of the town cover them from the north-weft,

There is a large inclofure with a high mud-wall, and, within, every merchant has a fhop or magazine for his corn and merchandife : little of this laft is imported, unlefs coarfe India goods, for the confumption of Upper Egypt itfelf, fince the trade to Dongola and Sennaar has been in- terrupted.

I HAD

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I had orders from Shckh Hamam to lodge in the caftle. But a few hours before my arrival, Hufiein Bey Abou Kerfh landed from Mecca, and Jidda, and he had taken up the apartments which were deftined for me. He was one of thofe Beys whom Ali Bey had defeated, and driven from Cairo. He was called Abou Ksr/h, i. e. Father Belly, from be- ing immoderately fat ; his adverfity had brought him a lit- tle into fhapes. My fervants, who had gone before, think- ing that a friend of the Bey in power was better than an enemy outlawed, and banifhed by him, had inadvertently put fome of my baggage into the caftle j nil when this po- tentate was taking poilefiion. Swords were immediately drawn, death and deftruction threatened to my poor fer- vants, who fled and hid themfelves till I arrived.

Upon their complaint, I told them they had acted im- properly; that a fovereign was afevereign all the world over; and it was not my bufinefs to make a difference, whether he was in power or not. I eafily procured a houfe, and fent a janifTary-of the four that had joined us from Cairo,, with my compliments to the Bey, deiiring reftitution of my baggage, and that he would excufe the ignorance of my fervants, who did not know that he was at Cofleir ; but only, having the firman of the Grand Signior, and letters from the Bey and Pert of janifTavies of Cairo, they pre- sumed that I had a right to lodge there, if he had not taken xip the quarters.

It happened, that an intimate friend of mine, Mahomet Toral, captain of one of the large Cairo mips, trading to Arabia, was a companion of this Mullein Bey, and had car- ried him to fee Captain Thornhill, and fome cf our Englifh

2 captains

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. i9i<

captains at Jidda, who, as their very laudable cuflom is, al- ways fhew fuch people fome civilities. He qucftioncd the janiffary about me, who told him I was Englifh; that I had the protection I Jiad mentioned, and that, from kindnefs and charity, I had furnifhed the ftranger Turks with water, and provifion at my own expencc, when croffing the defert. He profeffed himfelf exceedingly afhamed at the beha- viour of his fervants, who had drawn their fabres upon mine, and had cut my carpet and fome cords. After which, of his own accord, he ordered his kaya, or next in com- mand, to remove from the lodging he occupied, and inflead of fending back my baggage by my fervant, he directed it to be carried into the apartment from which the kaya had removed. This I abfolutely refufed, and fent word, I un- derftood he was to be there for a few days onlv; and as I might ftay for a longer time, I mould only defire to fuc- ceed him after his departure, in order to put my baggage in fafety from the Arabs ; but for the prefent: they were in no danger, as long as be was in the toman. I told him, I would pay my refpecls to him in the evening, when the weather cooled. I did fo, and, contrary to his expectations, brought him a fmall prefent. . Great intercourfe of civility paired; my fellow-travellers, the Turks, were all feared there, and lie gave me, repeatedly, very honourable teftimonials of my charity, generofity, and kindnefs to them. .

These Turks, finding themfcives in a fimation to be heard, had not omitted the opportunity of complaining to Huffein Bey of the attempt of the Arab to rob them in the defert. The Bey afked me, If it happened in my tent; I faid, -It was in that of my fervants. "What is the reafon,

favs •

tQi

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fays he, that, when you Englifh people know fo well what p-ood government is, you did not order his head to be flruck off, when you had him in your hands, before the door of the tent?"— M Sir," faid I, " I know well what good government is ; but being a ftranger, and a Chriftian, I have no fort of title to exercife the power of life and death in this country ; only in this one cafe, when a man at- tempts my life, then I think I am warranted to defend myfelf, whatever may be the confequence to him. My men took him in the fac% and they had my orders, in fuch cafes, to beat the offenders fo that they mould not ileal thefe two months again : They did fo ; that was punifh- ment enough in cold blood."—" But my blocd," fays he, " never cools with regard to fuch rafcals as thefe : Go (and he called one of his attendants) tell Haffan, the head of the caravan, from me, that unlcfs he hangs that Arab before fun-rife to-morrow, I will carry him in irons to Furfhout."

Upon this meffage I took my leave ; faying only, " Huf- fcin Bev, take my advice ; procure a veffel and fend thefe Turks over to Mecca before you leave this town, or, be af- fured they will all be made refponfible for the death of this Arab ; will be ftripped naked, and perhaps murdered, as foon as your back is turned." It was all I could do to get them protected thus far. This meafure was already provided for, and the poor Turks joyfully embarked next morning. The thief was not at all moleiled : he was fent out of the way, under pretence that he had fled.

Cosseir has been miflaken by different authors. Mr Iluet, Bifliop of Avranches, fays, It is the Myos Hormos of antiquity; others, the Thilotcras Tortus of Ptolemy.

The

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 193

The fact is, that neither one nor other is the port, both, be- ing confiderably farther to the northward. Nay, more, the prefent town of Cofleir was no ancient port at all ; old Cof- feir was five or fix miles to the northward. There can be no fort of doubt, that it was the Portus Albus, or the White Harbour ; for we find the fteep defcent from Terfowey, and the marble mountains, called, to this day, the Accaba, which, in Arabic, fignifies a fteep afcent or defcent, is pla- ced here by Ptolemy with the fame name, though in Greek that name has no fignification. Again, Ptolemy places *Aias Mons, or the mountain Aias, juft over Cofleir, and this moun- tain, by the fame name, is found there at this day. And, upon this mountain, and the one next it, (both over the port) are two very remarkable chalky cliffs ; which, being confpicuous and feen far at fea, have given the name of the White Port, which Cofleir bore in all antiquity.

I found, by many meridian altitudes of the fun, taken at the caftle, that CofTeir is in lat. 260 f 51" north ; and, by three obfervations of Jupiter's fatellites, I found its longi- tude to be 340 4/ 15" eaft °f tne meridian of Greenwich.

The caravan from Syene arrived at this time, efcorted by four hundred Ababde, all upon camels, each armed with two fhort javelins. The manner of their riding was very whim- fical ; they had two fmall faddles on each camel, and fat back to back, which might be, in their practice, convenient enough ; but I am fure, that, if they had been to fight with us, every ball would have killed two of them, what their ad- vantage would have been, I know not.

Vol. I. B b The

Ptokm. Geograph. lib. 4. p. 103,

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The whole town was in terror at the influx of fo many barbarians, who knew no law whatever. They brought a thoufand camels loaded with wheat to tranfport to Mecca. Every body fliut their doors, and I among the reft, whilfl the Bey fent to me to remove into the caftlc. But I had no fear, and refolved to make an experiment, after hearing thefe were people of Nimmer, whether I could trull them in the defert or not. However, I fent all my inftruments, my money, and the beft of my baggage, my medicines and memorandums, into a chamber in the caftle : after the door was locked, and the key brought to me, the Bey ordered to nail up pieces of wood acrofs it, and fet a centinel to watch it all day, and two in the night.

I was next morning down at the port looking for {hells in the fea, when a fervant of mine came to me in apparent fright and hurry. He told me the Ababde had found out that Abdel Gin, my Arab, was an Atoimi, their enemy, and that they had either cut his throat, or were about to do it ; but, by the fury with which they feized him, in his fight, he could not believe they would fpare him a minute.

He very providently brought me a horfe, upon which I mounted immediately, feeing there was no time to be loft; and in the fhhing-drefs, in which I was, with a red turban a- bout my head, I galloped as hard as the horfe could carry me through the town. If I was alarmed myfelf, I did not fail to alarm many others. They all thought it was fomething behind, not any thing before me, that occafion- ed this fpeed. I only told my fervant at palling, to fend two of my people on horfeback after me, and that the Bey would lend them horfes.

I WAS

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. r95

I was not got above a mile into the fands, when I began to reflect on the folly of the undertaking. I was going in- to the defert among a band of favages, whofe only trade was robbery and murder, where, in all probability, I fhould be as ill treated as the man I was attempting to fave. But, feeing a crowd of people about half a mile before me, and thinking they might be at that time murdering that poor, honefl, and fimple fellow, all confideration of my own, fafety for the time vanifhed.

Upon my coming near them, fix or eight of them fur- rounded me on horfeback, and began to gabble in their own language, I was not very fond of my fituationl; It would have coil them nothing to have thruft a lance through my back, and taken the horfe away; and, after {trip- ping me, to have buried me in a hillock of fand, if they were fo kind as give themfelves that laft trouble. How- ever, I picked up courage, and putting on the befl appear- ance I could, faid to them.fteadily,without trepidation," What men are thefe before r" The anfwer, after fome paufe, was, they are men- and they looked very queerly, as if they meant to alk each other, What fort of a fpark is this? " Are thofc be- fore us Ababde, faid I ; are they from Shekh Ammer ?" One of them nodded, and grunted fullenly, rather than faid " Aye, Ababde from Shekh Ammer." " Then Salam Alicum! faid I, we are brethren. How does the Nimmer? Wrho com- mands you here ? Where is Ibrahim ?

At the mention of Nimmer, and Ibrahim, their counten- ance changed, not to any thing fweeter or gentler than be- fore, but to a look of great furprife: They had not return- ed my falutation,/<?tf« be between us; but one of them afked

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iD6 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

me who I was ? — " Tell me firft, faid I, who that is you have before ?" — " It is an Arab, our enemy, fays he, guilty of our blood." — " He is, replied I, my fervant. He is a Howadat Arab, his tribe lives in peace at the gates of Cairo, in the fame manner your's at Shekh Ammer does at thofe of Af- fouan." " I afk you, Where is Ibrahim your Shekh's fon ?" — " Ibrahim, fays he, is at our head, he commands us here. But who are you ?" — " Come with me, and mew me Ibrahim, faid I, and I will fliew you who I am."

I passed by thefe, and by another party of them. They had thrown a hair rope about the neck of Abdel Gin, who was almofl ftranglcd already, and cried out moll miferably, for me not to leave him. I went directly to the black tent which I faw had a long fpear thrufl up in the end of it, and met at the door Ibrahim and his brother, and feven or eight Ababde. He did not recollect me, but I difmounted clofe to the tent-door, and had fcarce taken hold of the pil- lar of the tent, and faid Fiarduc *, when Ibrahim, and his brother both knew me. " What ! faid they, are you Tagoube our phyfician, and our friend ?" — " Let me afk you, replied I, if you are the Ababde of Shekh Ammer, that curfed your- felves, and your children, if you ever lifted a hand againft me, or mine, in the defert, or in the plowed field : If you. have repented of that oath, or fworn falfely on purpofc to deceive me, here I am come to you in the defert" " What is the matter, fays Ibrahim, we are the Ababde of Shekh Am- mer, there are no other, and we flill fay, Curfed be he, whe- ther

* That is, I am under your protection.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 197

"ther our father, or children, that lifts his hand againfl you, in the defert, or in the plowed field." " Then, faid I, you are all accurfed in the defert, and in the field, for a num- ber of your people are going, to murder my fervant. They took him indeed from my houfe in the town, perhaps that is not included in your curfe, as it is neither in the deftrt nor the plowed field" — I was very angry. "Whew! fays Ibrahim with a kind of whittle, that is downright nonfenfe. Who are thofe of my people that have authority to murder, and take prifoners while I am here ? Here one of you, get up- on Yagoube's horfe, and bring that man to me." Then turning to me, he dellred I would go into the tent and fit down : " For God renounce me and mine, (fays he), if it is "as you fay, and one of them hath touched the hair of his " head, if ever be drinks of the Nile again."

A number of people who had feen me at Shekh Ammer, now came all around me ; fome with complaints of fick- nefs, fome with compliments; more with impertinent ques- tions, that had no relation to either. At laft came in the culprit Abdel Gin, with forty or fifty of the Ababde who had gathered round him, but no rope about his neck. There began a violent altercation between Ibrahim, and his men, in their own language. All that I could guefs was, that the men had the woril of it ; for every one prefent faid fomething harm to them., as difapproving the action.

I heard the name of HafTan Sidi HafTan often in the dis- pute. I began to fufpeft fomething, and delired in Arabic to know what that Sidi Hailiin was, fo often mentioned in difcourfc, and then the whole lecret came out.

Tiij

i98 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

The reader will remember, that this Arab, Abdel Gins. was the perfon that feized the fervant of Haffan, the Captain of the Caravan, when he was attempting to ileal the Turk's portmanteau out of my tent ; that my people had beat him till he lay upon the ground like dead, and that Huffein Bey, . at the complaint of the Caramaniots, had ordered him to be hanged. Now, in order to revenge this, Haffan had told the Ababde that Abdel Gin was an Atouni fpy, that he had de- tected him in the Caravan, and that he was come to learn the number of the Ababde, in order to bring his compa- nions to furprife them. He did not fay one word that he was my fervant, nor that I was at Coffeir ; fo the people thought they had a very meritorious facrifice to make, in the perfon of poor Abdel Gin.

All paffed now in kindnefs, frefh medicines were afked for the Nimmer, great thankfulnefs, and profeffions, for what they had received, and a prodigious quantity of meat on wooden platters very excellently dreffed, and moft agree- ably diluted with frefh water, from the colder! rock of Tcr- fowey, was fet before me.

In the mean time, two of my fervants, attended by three of Huffein Bey, came in great anxiety to know what was the matter; and, as neither they nor the Arabs chofe much each others company, I fent them with a fhort account of the whole to the Bey ; and foon after took my leave, car- rying Abdel Gin along with me, who had been clothed by Ibrahim from head to foot. We were accompanied by two Ababde, in cafe of accident.

I CANNOT

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE.

199

I cannot help here accufing myfelf of what, doubtlefs, may be well reputed a very great fin. I was fo enraged at the traitorous part which Haffan had acted, that, at parting, I could not help faying to Ibrahim, " Now, Shekh, I have done every thing you have defired, without ever expecting fee, or reward; the only thing I now aik you, and it is pro- bably the laft, is, that you revenge me upon this Haffan, who is every day in your power." Upon this, he gave me his hand, faying, " He fhall not die in his bed, or I fhall never fee old age,"

We now returned all in great fpirits to Coffeir, and I ob- served that my unexpected connection with the Ababde had given me an influence in that place, that put me above all fear of perfonal danger, efpecially as they had feen in the defert, that the Atouni were my friends alfo, as reclaiming this Arab fhewed they really were.

The Bey infilled on my flipping with him. At his defire I told him the whole ftory, at which he feemed to be much fur- prifed, faying, feveral times, "Menullah! Menullah! Muck- toub !" It is God's doing, it is God's doing, it was written fo. And, when I had fmifhed, he faid to me, " I will not leave this traitor with you to trouble you further ; I will oblige him, as it is his duty, to attend me to Furfhout." This he accordingly did ; and, to my very great furprife, though he might be affured I had complained of him to Shekh Ham- am, meeting me the next day, when they were all ready to <lepart, and were drinking coffee with the Bey, he gave me a flip of paper, and defired me, by that direction, to buy him a fabre, which might be procured in Mecca. It feems it is the manufacture of Perfia, and, though I do not omderftand

3 ia

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iia the leaft, the import of the terms, I give it to the reader that he may know by what defcription he is to buy an ex- cellent fabre. It is called Suggaro Tabanne Harefanne A- gemmi, Jbr Sidi Hajfan ofFurJloout.

Although pretty much ufed to flifle my refentmenr upon impertinences of this kind, I could not, after the trick he had played me with the Ababde, carry it indifferently ; I threw the billet before the Bey, faying to Haffan, " A fword of that value would be ufelefs and mifemployed in the hand of a coward and a traitor, fuch as furely you mull be fen- fible I know you to be." He looked to the Bey as if appeal- ing to him, from the incivility of the obfervation ; ,but the Bey, without fcruple, anfwered, " It is true, it is true what he fays, HafTan ; if I was in Ali Bey's place, when you dared ufe a ftranger of mine, or any flranger, as you have done him, I would plant you upon a fharp ftake in the market- place, till the boys in the town floned you to death ; but he has complained of you in a letter, and I will be awitnefs againft you before Hamam, for your conduct is not that of a Mujfulman*'

While I was engaged with the Ababde, a veflTel was feen in diflrefs in the offing, and all the boats went out and towed her in. It was the veflel in which the twenty- five Turks had embarked, which had been heavily loaded. Nothing is fo dreadful as the embarkation in that fea ; for the boats have no decks ; the whole, from ftern to Item, be- ing filled choak-full of wheat, the wafte, that is the fiope of theveiTel,betweentheheightofherftemandftern,isfilledupby oneplankon each fide, which is all that is above the furface of the waves. Sacks, tarpaulins, or mats, are flrowed along

i the

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 201

the furface of the wheat upon which all the pafTengers lye* On the leafl agitation of the waves, the fea getting in upon the wheat, increafes its weight fo prodigioufly, that, fall- ing below the level of the gunnel, the water rulhes in between the plank and that part of the veflel, and down it goes to the bottom.

Though every day produces an accident of this kind from the fame caufe, yet fuch is the defire of gaining money in that feafon, which offers but once a-year, that every fhip fails, loaded in the fame manner as the lafl which perifhed. This was jufl the cafe with the veflel that had carried the Turks. Anxious to go away, they would not wait the figns of the weather being rightly fettled. Ullah Kerim ! they cry, ' God is great and is merci- ful' ; and upon that they embark in a navigation, where it needs indeed a miracle to fave them.

The Turks all came afhore but one ; the youngeft, and, according to all appearance, the befl, had fallen over board,, and perifhed. The Bey received them, and with great cha- rity entertained them all at his own expence, but they were fo terrified with the fea, as almofl to refolve never to make another attempt.

The Bey had brought with him from Jidda, a fmall, but

tight veflel belonging to * Sheher ; which came from that

country loaded with frankincenfe, the commodity of that

Vol. I. c c port.

On the eaft coaft of Arabia Felix, Syagrum Promontoriura.

£02 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

port. The Rais had bufmefs down the Gulf at Tor, and he had fpoken to the Bey, to recommend him to me. I had no bufmefs at Tor, but as we had grown into a kind of friendfhip, from frequent converfation, and as he was, ac- cording to his own word, a great faint, like my laft boat- man, a character that I thought I could perfectly manage, I propofed to the Bey, that he and I fhould contribute fome- thing to make it worth this Captain's pains, to take our friends the Turks on board, and carry them to Yambo, that they might not be deprived of that blefling which would remit from their viflt to the Prophet's tomb, and which they had toiled fo much to earn. I promifed, in that cafe, to hire his vefTel at fo much a month upon its return from Yambo ; and, as I had then formed a refolution of making a furvey of the Red Sea to the Straits of Babelmandeb, the Rais was to take his directions from me, till I pleaied to difmifs him.

Nothing was more agreeable to the views of all parties than this. The Bey promifed to flay till they failed, and I engaged to take him after he returned ; and as the captain, in quality of a faint, allured us, that any rock that flood in our way in the voyage, would either jump afide, or become foft like a fpunge, as it had often happened before, both the Turks and we were now allured of a voyage without danger.

All was fettled to our mutual fat is faction, when, unluc- kily, the Turks going down to their boat, met Sidi HafTan, whom, with reafon, they thought the author of all their misfortunes. The whole twenty-four drew their fwords, and, without feeking iabrcs from Perfia, as he had done,

2 they

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 203

they would have cut Sidi HafTan in pieces, but, fortunately for him, the Turks had great cloth trowfers, like Dutch- men, and they could not run, whilfl he ran very nimbly in his. Several piftols, however, were fired, one of which fhot him in the back part of the ear ; on which he fled for re- fuge to the Bey, and we never faw him more.

g^-"1 ■■ ■ i , 1 ■. ■■■ ■ 1. fiagggE

C c 2 CHAP,

504 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

^^gs^

CHAP. IX.

Voyage to Jibbel Zumrud — Return to Cojfeir — Sails fram Cojfeir — jfajl* fateen IJlands — Arrive at Tor,

1 H E Turks and the Bey departed, and with the Turks I difpatched my Arab, Abdel Gin, not only giving him fomething myfelf, but recommending him to my beneficent countrymen at Jidda, if he mould go there.

I now took up my quarters in the caftle, and as the Ab- abde had told flrangc {lories about the Mountain of Eme- ralds, I determined, till my captain mould return, to make a voyage thither. There was no pollibility of knowing the diftance by report; fometimes it was twenty-five miles, fome- times it was fifty, fometimes it was a hundred, and God knows how much more,

I chose a man who had been twice at thefe mountains of emeralds ; with the beft boat then in the harbour, and on Tuefday the 14th of March, we failed, with the wind at North Eaft, from the harbour of Coffeir, about an hour be- fore the dawn of day. We kept coafting along, with a very moderate wind, much diverted with the red and green ap- pearances

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 205

pearances of the marble mountains upon the coafl. Our vefTel had one fail, like a ftraw mattrefs, made of the leaves of a kind of palm-tree, which they call Doom. It was fixed above, and drew up like a curtain, but did not lower with a yard like a fail ; fo that upon flrefs of weather, if the fail was furled, it was fo top-heavy, that the mip mufl founder, or the mail be carried away. But, by way of indemnifica- tion, the planks of the vefiel were fewed together, and there was not a nail, nor a piece of iron, in the whole fliip ; fo that, when you flruck upon a rock, feldom any damage en- fued. For my own part, from an abfolute deteflation of her whole conflruction, I infilled upon keeping clofe along fhore, at an eafy liaiL

The Continent, to the leeward of us, belonged to our friends the Ababde. There was great plenty of mell-fim to be picked up on every fhoal. I had loaded the veilel with four fkins of frefh water, equal to four hogfheads, with cords, and buoys fixed to the end of each of them, fo that, if we had been fhipwrecked near land, as rubbing two flicks together made us fire, I was not afraid of receiving fuccour, before we were driven to the lafl extremity, provi- ded we did not perifh in the lea, of which I was not very apprehenfive.

On the 15th, about nine o'clock, I faw a large high rock, like a pillar, riling out of the fea. At firft/l took it for a part of the Continent ; but, as we advanced nearer it, the fun being very clear, and the fea calm, I took an obfer- vation, and as our fituation was lat. 25° 6', and the ifland a- bout a league diftant, to the S. S. W. of us, I concluded its latitude to be pretty exactly 25 ° 3' North. This ifland is

4 about

p.o6. TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

about three miles from the ihore, of. an oval form, riling in the middle. It feems to mt to be of granite ; and is cal- led, in the language of the country, jibbel Siberget, which has been traniiated the Mountain of Emeralds. . Siberget, how- ever, is a word in the language of the Shepherds, who, I doubt, never in their lives faw an emerald ; and though the Arabic translation is Jilbd Zumrud, and that word has been transferred to the emerald, a very fine ftone, oftener feen iince the difcovery of the new world, yet I very much doubt, that either Siberget or Zumrud ever meant Emerald in old times. My reafon is this, that we. found, both here and: in the Continent, fplinters, and pieces of green pellucid chryilaline fubftance ; yet, though green, they were veiny, clouded, and not at all fo hard as rock-cryftal ; a mineral production certainly, but a little harder than glafs, and this, I apprehend, was what the Shepherds, or people of Beja, cal- led Siberget, the Latins Smaragdus, and the Moors Zummd.

The i 6th, at day-break in the morning, I took the Arab of Coffeir with me, who knew the place. We landed on a point perfectly defert ; at firft, fandy like Coffeir, afterwards, where the foil was fixed, producing forne few plants of rue or abfinthium. . We advanced above three miles farther in a perfectly defert country, with only a few acacia-trees Scat- tered here and there, and came to the foot of the mountains. I afked my guide the name of that place ; he laid it was Saiel. They are never at a lofs for a name, and thofe who do not underfland the language, always believe them. This would have been the cafe in the prefent conjuncture. He knew not the name of the place, and perhaps it had no name, but he called it Saiel, which fignifies a male acacia- trce ; merely becaufe he faw an acacia growing there ; and, .

with

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 2&7

with equal reafon, he might have called every mile Saiel^ from the Gulf of Suez to the line.

We fee this abufe in the old Itineraries, efpecially in the *Antonine, from fuch a town to fuch a town, fo many miles ; and what is the next Itation ? (el feggera) ten miles. This el feggera f, the Latin readers take to be the name of a town, as Harduin, and all commentators on the claflics, have done. But fo far from Seggera fignifying a town, it imports juft the contrary, that there is no town there, but the travel- ler muft be obliged to take up his quarters under a tree that night, for fuch is the meaning of Seggera as a llation, and fo likewife of SaieL

At the foot of the mountain, or about feven yards up from the bafe of it, are five pits or fliafts, none of them four feet in diameter, called the Zumrud Wells, from which the ancients are faid to have drawn the emeralds. We were not provided with materials, and little endowed with incli- nation, to defcend into any one of them, where the air was probably bad. I picked up the nozzels, and fome frag- ments of lamps, like thofe of which we find millions in Italy : and fome worn fragments, but very fmall ones, of that brittle green chryftal, which is the fibergct and bilur of Ethiopia, perhaps the zumrud, the fmaragdus defcribed by Pliny, but by no means the emerald, known fince the difcovery of the new world, whofe firft character abfolute-

If

*Itin. Anton, a^avth. p. 4. •;- So the next ftage from Syene is called Hiera Sycamines, a fy camore-tree, Ptol. lib. 4. p. 108-

208 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

ly defeats its pretention, the true Peruvian emerald being equal in hardnefs to the ruby.

Pliny* reckons up twelve kind of emeralds, and names them all by the country where they are found. Many have thought the fmaragdus to be but a finer kind of jafper. Pomet aiTures us it is a mineral, formed in iron, and fays he had one to which iron-ore was flicking. If this was the cafe, the fineft emeralds fhould not come from Peru, where, as far as ever has been yet difcovered, there is no iron.

With regard to the Oriental emeralds, which they fay come from the Eaft Indies, they are now fufficiently known, and the value of each ftone pretty well afcertained ; but all our induftry and avarice have not yet difcovered a mine of emeralds there, as far as I have heard. That there were emeralds in the Eaft Indies, upon the firft difcovery of it by the Cape, there is no fort of doubt ; that there came emeralds from that quarter in the time of the Romans, feems to ad- mit of as little ; but few antique emeralds have ever been feen ; and fo greatly in efteem, and rare were they in thofe times, that it was made a crime for any artift to engrave up- on an emerald f.

It is very natural to fuppofe, that fome people of the Eaft had a communication and trade with the new world, before we attempted to fhare it with them ; and that the emeralds, they had brought from that quarter, were thofe which came

afterwards

* Plift. lib. xxxvii. cap. 5. f TittO,

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 209

afterwards into Europe, and were called the Oriental, till they were confounded with the * Peruvian, by the quantity of that kind brought into the Eaft Indies, by the Jews and Moors, after the difcovery of the new Continent.

But what invincibly proves, that the ancients and we are not agreed as to the fame Hone, is, that f Theophraflus fays, that in the Egyptian commentaries he faw mention made of an emerald four cubits, (fix feet long,) which was fent as a prefent to one of their kings ; and in one of the temples of Jupiter in Egypt he faw an obelifk 60 feet high, made of four emeralds : and Roderick of Toledo informs us, that, when the Saracens took that city, Tarik, their chief, had a table of an emerald 365 cubits, or 547^ feet long. The Moorifh hiftories of the invafion of Spain are full of fuch emeralds.

Having fatisfied my curiofity as to thefe mountains, without having feen a living creature, I returned to my boat, where I found all well, and an excellent dinner of nlli pre- pared. Thefe were of three kinds, called Biffer, Surrum- bac, and Nhoude el Benaat. The firfl of thefe fecms to be of the Oyfler-kind, but the fhells are both equally curved and hollow, and open with a hinge on the fide like a muf- fel. It has a large beard, like an oyfter, which is not eata- ble, but which fhould be ltript off. We found fome of thefe two feet long, but the largeft I believe ever feen compofes the baptifmal font in the church of Notre Dame in Paris J. The fecond is the Concha Veneris, with large projecting

Vol. I. D d points

* Taveniier vol. II. Voyag. f Theophraflus iJi^Xttut. $ Clamps.

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points like fingers. The third, called the Breafls of the Vir- gin, is a beautiful Ihell, perfectly pyramidal, generally a- bout four inches in height, and beautifully variegated with mother-of-pearl, and green. All thefe fifties have a pep- pery tafte, but are not therefore reckoned the lefs whole- fome, and they are fo much the more convenient, that they carry that ingredient of fpice along with them for fauce, with which travellers, like me, very feldom burden themfelves.

Besides a number of very fine fhells, we picked up fe- veral branches of coral, coralines, yufTer*, and many other articles of natural hiftory. We were abundantly provided with every thing ; the weather was fair ; and we never doubted it was to continue, fo we were in great fpirits, and. only regreted that we had not, once for all, taken leave of CofTeir, and flood over for Jidda.

In this difpofition we failed about three o'clock in the afternoon, and the wind flattered us fo much, that next day, the 17th, about eleven o'clock, we found ourfelves a- bout two leagues a-flern of a fmall ifland, known to the Pilot by the name of Jibbel Macouar. This ifland is at lead four miles from the fhore, and is a high land, fo that it may be feen, I fuppofe, eight leagues at fea, but is gene- rally confounded with the Continent. I computed myfelf to be about 4' of the meridian diftant when I made the obler- vation, and take its latitude to be about 240 2' on the centre of the ifland.

The

* It is a Keratophyte, growing at the bottom of the fca

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. £11

The land here, after running from Jibbel Sibcrgct to Macouar, in a direction nearly N. W. and S. E. turns round in fhape of a large promontory, and changes its direction to N. E. and S. W. and ends in a fmall bay or inlet ; fo that, by fanciful people, it has been thought to refemble the nofe of a man, and is called by the Arabs, Ras el Anf, the Cape of the Nofe. The mountains, within land, are of a dufky burnt colour ; broken into points, as if interfered by tor- rents.-

The coafting vefTels from Mafuah and Suakem which are bound to Jidda, in the ftrength of the Summer monfoon, ftand clofe in more down the coaft of Abyflinia, where they find a gentle fleady eaft wind blowing all night, and a weft wind very often during the day, if they are near enough the more, for which purpofe their vefTels are built.

Besides this, the violent North-Eafl monfoon raking in the direction of the Gulf, blows the water out of the Straits of Babelmandeb into the Indian Ocean, where, being accu- mulated, it prefles itfelf backwards ; and, unable to find way in the middle of the Channel, creeps up among the mallows on each coaft of the Red Sea. However long the voyage from Mafuah to Jibbel Macouar may feem, yet thefe gentle winds and favourable currents, if I may fo call thofe in the fea, foon ran us down the length of that mountain.

A large veflel, however, does not dare to try this, whilft conftantly among fhoals, and clofe on a lee-more; but thofe fewed together, and yielding without damage to the ftrefs, Hide over the banks of white coral, and even fometimes the rocks. Arrived at this ifland, they fet their prow towards

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212 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

the oppofite more, and crofs the Channel in one night, ta the coaft of Arabia, being nearly before the wind. The track of this extraordinary navigation is marked upon* the map, and it is fo well verified, that no ihip-mafter need doubt it.

About three o'clock in the afternoon, with a favourable wind and fine weather, we continued along the coaft, with an eafy fail. We faw no appearance of any inhabitants ; the mountains were broken and pointed, as before taking the direction of the coaft ; advancing and receding as the more itfelf did. This coaflis a very bold one, nor was there in any of the iflands we had feen, fhoals or anchoring places, unlefs upon the rock itfelf; fo that, when we landed, we could run our boltfprit home over the land.

This ifland, Jibbel Macouar, has breakers running off from it at all points ; but, though we hauled clofe to thefe,. we had no foundings. We then went betwixt it and the fmall ifland, that lies S. S. E, from it about three miles, and tried for foundings to the leeward, but we had none, al- though almoft touching the land. About fun-fet, I faw a fmall fandy ifland, which we left about a league to the Aveft- ward of us. It had no flirubs, nor trees, nor height, that could diftinguifh it. My defign was to pulh on to the river Frat, which is represented in the charts as very large and deep, coming from the Continent ; though, coniidering by its latitude that it is above the tropical rains, (for it is laid

down

Vide the track of this Navigation laid down on the Charts

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 2r

j

down about lat. 210 25'), I never did believe that any fuch river exifted.

In facT:, we know no river, north of the fources of the Nile, that does not fall into the Nile. Nay, I may fay, that not one river, in all Abymnia, empties itfelf into the Red Sea. The tropical rains are bounded, and finifli,in lat. 160, and there is no river, from the mountains, that falls into the defert of Nubia ; nor do we know of any river which is tributary to the Nile, but what has its rife under the tro- pical rains. It would be a very fingular circumflance, then, that the Frat fhould rife in one of the dryeft places in the globe, that it fhould be a river at leaft equal to the Nile ; and fhould maintain itfelf full in all feafons, which the Nile does not ; laft of all, in a country where water is fo fcarce and precious, that it mould not have a town or fettlement upon it, either ancient or modern, nor that it fhould be re- torted to by any encampment of Arabs, who might crofs over and traffic with Jidda, which place is immediately op- pofite..

On the 1 8th, at day-break, I was alarmed at feeing no land, as I had no fort of confidence in the fkill of my pilot, however fure I was of my latitude. About an hour after fun-fet, I obferved a high rugged rock, which the pilot told me, upon inquiry, was Jibbel, (viz. a Rock), and this was all the fatisfadion I could get. We bore down upon it with a. wind, fcant enough ; and, about four, we came to an an- chor. As we had no name for that ifland, and I did not know that any traveller had been there before me, I ufed the privilege by giving it my own, in memory of haying been there. The fouth of this ifland feems to be high and

rocky.

2i4 THE SOURCE OF THE NILE.

rocky, the north is low and ends in a tail, or Hoping bank, but is exceedingly fteep to, and at the length of your bark any way from it, you have no foundings.

All this morning fince before day, our pilot had begged us to go no farther. He faid the wind had changed ; that, by infallible figns he had feen to the fouthward, he was confident (without any chance of being miftaken) that in twenty-four hours we mould have a florm, which would put us in danger of fhipwreck ; that Frat, which I wanted to fee, was immediately oppofite to Jidda, fo that either a country, or Englifh boat would run me over in a night and a day, when I might procure people who had connections in the country, fo as to be under no apprehenfion of any accident ; but that, in the prefent track I was going, every man that I mould meet was my enemy. Although not very fufceptible of fear, my ears were never ihut againft reafon, and to what the pilot ftated, I added in my own breaft, that we might be blown out to fea, and Want both water and provifion. We, therefore, dined as quickly as poffible, and encouraged one another all we could. A little pafter fix the wind came eafterly, and changeable, with a thick haze over the land. This cleared about nine in the evening, and one of the fined and fteadieit gales that ever blew, carried us fwiftly on, direcTly for Cofleir. The iky was full of dappled clouds, fo that, though I, feveral times, tried to catch a liar in the meridian, I was always fruftrated. The wind became frefher, but Hill very fair.

The 19th, at day-break, we law the land ftretching all the wav northward, and, foon after, diftinctly difcerned

Jibbel

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE.

215

Jibbel Siberget upon our lee-bow. We had feen it indeed before, but had taken it for the main-land.

After patting fuch an agreeable night, we could not be quiet, and laughed at our pilot about his perfect knowledge of the weather. The fellow mook his head, and faid, he had been miflaken before now, and was always glad when it happened fo ; but ftill we were not arrived at CofTeir, though he hoped and believed we mould get there in fafety. In a very little time the vane on the mail-head began to turn, fii-ft north, then eaft, then fouth, and back again to all the points in the compafs ; the fky was quite dark, Math thick rain to the fouthward of us ; then followed a moll violent clap of thunder, but no lightning ; and back again came the wind fair at fouth-eafl. We all looked rather down- call at each other, and a general filence followed. This, how- ever, I faw availed us nothing, we were in the fcrape, and were to endeavour to get out of it the bell way we could. The veiTel went at a prodigious rate. The fail that was made of mat happened to be new, and, filled with a ilrong wind, weighed prodigioufly. What made this worfe, was, the malls were placed a little forward. The firll thinp- I aiked, was, if the pilot could not lower his main-fail ? But that we found impoffible, the yard being fixed to the mall- head. The next Hep was to reef it, by hauling it in part up like a curtain : this our pilot defired us not to attempt ; for it would endanger our foundering. Notwithilanding which, I defired my fervant to help me with the haulyards ; and to hold them in his hand, only giving them a turn round the bench. This increafmg the veflel's weight above and be- fore, as me already had too much preffure, made her give

3 two

2i6 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

two pitches, the one after the other, fo that I thought flic was buried under the waves, and a confiderable deal of wa- ter came in upon us. I am fully fatisfied, had fhe not been in good order, very buoyant, and in her trim, ilie would have gone to the bottom, as the wind continued to blow a hurricane.

I began now to throw off my upper coat and trowfers, that I might endeavour to make more, if the veffel fhould founder, whilft the fervants feemed to have given themfelves up, and made no preparation. The pilot kept in clofe by the land, to fee if no bight, or inlet, offered to bring up in ; but we were going with fuch violence, that I was fatif- fied we fhould overfet if we attempted this. Every ten mi- nutes we ran over the white coral banks, which we broke in pieces with the grating of a file, upon iron, and, what was the moil terrible of all, a large wave followed higher than our ilern, curling over it, and feemed to be the inflru- ment deflincd by Providence to bury us in the abyfs.

Our pilot began apparently to lofe his underflanding with fright. I begged him to be fteady, perfuading him to take a glafs of fpirits, and defired him not to difpute or doubt any thing that I fhould do or order, for that I had feen much more terrible nights in the ocean ; I allured him, that all harm done to his veffel mould be repaired when we fhould get to CofTeir, or even a new one bought for him, if his own was much damaged. He anfwered me nothing, but that Mahomet was the prophet of God. — Let him prophecy, faid I, as long as he pleafes, but what I order you is to keep Ready to the helm ; mind the vane on the top of the mail, and fleer flraight before the wind, for I am refolved to cut

i that

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 217

that main-fail to pieces, and prevent the maft from going a, way, and your veffel from finking to the bottom. I got no an- fwer to this which I could hear, the wind was fo high, ex- cept fomething about the mercy and the merit of Sidi AH el Genowi. I now became violently angry. '* D — n Sidi Ali el Genowi, faid I, you beaft, cannot you give me a ra- tional anfwer ? Stand to your helm, look at the vane ; keep the vefTel ftraight before the wind, or, by the great G — d who fits in heaven, (another kind of oath than by Sidi AH el Genowi), I will moot you dead the firfl yaw the fliip gives, or the firfl time that you leave the fteerage where you are {landing." He anfwered only, Maloom, i. e. very well. — All this was fooner done than faid ; I got the main-fail in my arms, and, with a large knife, cut it all to fhreds, which eafed the veffel greatly, though we were flill going at a pro- digious rate.

About two o'clock the wind feemed to fail, but, half an hour after, was more violent than ever. At three, it fell calm. I then encouraged my pilot, who had been very at- tentive, and, 1 believe, had pretty well got through the whole lift of faints in his calendar, and I allured him that he mould receive ample reparation for thelofs of his main- fail. We now faw diftinctly the white cliffs of the two mountains above Old Coffeir, and on the 19th, a little before fun fet, we arrived fafely at the New.

We, afterwards, heard how much more fortunate we had been than fome of our fellow- failors that fame night ; three of flie veffels belonging to Coffeir, loaded with wheat for Yambo, periflied, with all on board of them, in the gale ; a- mong thefe was the veffel that firfl had the Turks on board.

Vol. I, Eg This

2iS TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

.This account was brought by Sidi Ali el Meyrrioum el Shehrie, which fignifies ' Ali, the ape or monkey, from Sheher.' For though he was a faint, yet being in figure liker to a monkey, they thought it proper to diftinguiih him by that to which he bore the greater! refemblance.

We were all heartily fick of Coffeir embarkations, but the veflel of Sidi Ali el Mey mourn, tho' fmall, was tight and well- rigged ; had fails of canvas, and had navigated in the In- dian Ocean ; the Rais had four flout men on board, appa- rently good failors ; he himfelf, though near fixty, was a very active, vigorous little man, and to the full as good a failor as he was a faint. It was on the 5th of April, after ha- ving made my laft obfervation of longitude at Coffeir, that I embarked on board this veffel, and failed from that port, It was neceffary to conceal from fome of my fervants our intention of proceeding to the bottom of the Gulf, leaft, finding themfelves among Chrifcians fo near Cairo, they might defert a voyage of which they were fick, before it was well begun.

For the firfl two days we had hazy weather, with little wind. In the evening, the wind fell calm. We faw a high land to the foufh-weft of us, very rugged and broken, which feemed parallel to the coafc, and higher in the middle than at either end. This, we conceived, was the mountain that divides the coaft of the Red Sea from the cafiern part of the Valley of Fgypt, correfponding to Monfalout and Siour. We brought to, in the night, behind a fmall low Cape, tho' the wind was fair, our Rais being afraid of the Jaffatecn Jilands, which we knew were not far a-head.

We

THESOURCEOFTHENILE. 219

We caught a great quantity of fine fifh this night with a line, fome of them weighing 14 pounds. The befl were blue in the back, like a falmon, but their belly red, and marked with blue round fpots. They refembled a falmon in fhape, but the fifh was white, and not fo firm.

Jn the morning of the 6th we made the JafFateen Iflands. They are four in number, joined by {hoals and iunken rocks. They are crooked, or bent, like half a bow, and are danger- ous for mips failing in the night, becaufe there feems to t>e a paffage between them, to which, when pilots are at- tending, they neglecF two fmall dangerous funk rocks, that lie almofl in the middle of the entrance, in deep water.

I understood, afterwards, from the Rais, that, had it not been from fome marks he faw of blowing weather, he would not have come in to the JafFateen Iflands, but flood clireftly for Tor, running between the ifland Sheduan, and a rock which is in the middle of the channel, after you pafs Ras Mahomet. But we lay fo perfectly quiet, the whole night, that we could not but be grateful to the Rais for his care, although we had fe-en no apparent reafon for it.

Next morning, the 7th, we left our very quiet birth in the bay, and flood clofe, nearly fouth-eafl, along-ikle of the two fouthernaoft JafFateen Iflands our head upon the center of Sheduan, till we had cleared the eafccrrnofl of thofe iflands about three miles. We then paiTed Sheduan, leaving it to the callward about three leagues, and keeping nearly a N. N. W. courfe, to range the weft fide of jibbel Zcit. This is a large defert ifland, or rock, that is about four miles from the main.

E c 2 The

22o TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

The pafTage between them is practicable by fmall craft only, whole planks are fewed together, and are not affec- ted by a ftroke upon hard ground ; for it is not for want of water that this navigation is dangerous. All the weft coaft is very bold, and has more depth of water than the eaft ; but on this fide there is no anchoring ground, nor fhoals. It is a rocky more, and there is depth of water eve- ry where, yet that part is full of funken rocks ; which, though not vifible, are near enough the furface to take up a large fhip, whofe deftruction thereupon becomes inevi- table. This I prefume arifes from one caufe. The moun- tains on the fide of Egypt and Abyffinia are all (as we have Hated) hard (tone, Porphyry, Granite, Alabaiter, Bafaltes, and many forts of Marble. Thefe are all therefore fixed, and even to the northward of lat i6°, where there is no rain, very fmall quantities of duft or fand can ever be blown from them into the fea. On the oppofite, or Arabian fide, the fea- coaft of the Hejaz, and that of the Tehama, are all moving lands ; and the dry winter- monfoon from the fouth-eaft blows a large quantity from the deferts, which is lodged a- mong the rocks on the Arabian fide of the Gulf, and con- lined there by the north-eaft or fummer- monfoon, which is in a contrary direction, and hinders them from coming, over, or circulating towards the Egyptian fide..

From this it happens, that the weft, or Abyflinian fide, 5s full of deep water, interfperfed with funken rocks, unmafk- ed, or uncovered with fand, with which they would other- wife become iflands. Thefe are naked and bare all round, and fharp like points of fpears ; while on the eaft-fide there arc rocks, indeed, as in the other, btit being between the fauth- caft monfoon, which drives the fand into its coaft, and the i north- weft

THESOURCE OF THE NILE. 221

north-weft monfoon which repels it, and keeps it in there, every rock on the Arabian fliore becomes an Jlaud, and e^e- ry two or three iflands become a harbour.

Upon the ends of the principal of thefe harbours large heaps of ftones have been piled up, to ferve as fignals, or marks, how to enter ; and it is in thefe that the large vef- fels from Cairo to Jidda, equal in fize to our 74 gun mips, (but from the cifterns of mafon-work built within for hold- ing water, I fuppofe double their weight) after navigating their portion of the channel in the day, come fafely and quietly to, at four o'clock in the afternoon, and in thefe little harbours pafs the night, to fail into the channel again, next morning at fun-rife.

Therefore, though in the track of my voyage to Tor, I am feen running from the weft fide of Jibbel Zcit a W. N. W. courfe (for I had no place for a compafs) into the har- bour of Tor, I do not mean to do fo bad a fervice to huma- nity as to perfuade large mips to follow my track. There are two ways of inftrufting men ufefully, in things abfo- lutely unknown to them. The firft is, to teach them what they can do fafely. The next is, to teach them what they cannot do at all, or, warranted by a preffing occafion, attempt with more or lefs danger, which ftiould be explained and placed before their eyes, for without this laft no man knows the extent of his own powers. With this view, I will venture, without fear of contradiction, to fay, that my courfe from CofTeir, or even from Jibbel Sibergct, to Tor, is impoffible to a great fhip. My voyage, painful, full of care, and danger- ous as it was, is not to be accounted a furety for the lives of thoufands. It may be regarded as a foundation for furveys hereafter to be made by perfons more capable, and better

protected ;

c-22 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER'

protected; and w this cafe \\ ill, I hope, be found a valuable fragment, becaufe, whatever have been; my coufcientious fears of running fervants, who work for pay, into danger of lofing their lives by peril of the fea, yet I can fafely fay, that never did. the face of man, or fear of danger to myfelf, deter me from verifying with my eyes, what my own hands have put upon paper.

In the days of the Ptolemies, and, as I mall mew,- long before, the weft coaftof the Red Sea, where the deepeft wa- ter, and moft dangerous rocks are, was the track which the Indian and African fhips chofe, when loaded with the richefl . merchandise that ever veffels fince carried. The Ptolemies , built a number of large cities on this coaft ; nor do we hear that fhips were obliged to abandon that track, from the dif- afters that befel them in the navigation. On the contrary, they avoided the coaft of Arabia ; and one reafon, among others, is plain why they mould ; — they were loaded with the moft valuable commodities, gold, ivory, gums, and pre- cious ftones ; room for ftowage on board therefore was very - valuable.

Part of this trade, when at its greateft perfection, was carried on in veflels with oars. We know from the prophet Ezekiel*, 700 years before Chrift, or 300 after Solomon had . finifhed his trade with Africa and India, that they did not , always make ufe of fails in the track of the monfoons ; and i confequently a great number of men muft have been necef-

fary

• Ezek. chap, xxvii. 6th and 29th verfes.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. -223

fary for fo tedious a voyage. A number of men being ne- cefiary, a quantity of water was equally fo ; and this mull have taken up a great deal of ftowage. Now, no where on the coaft of Abyffinia could they want water two days ; and fcarce any where, on the coaft of Arabia, could they be fure of it once in fifteen, and from this the weftern coaft was called Ber el Aja?n*, corruptly Azamia, the country of water, in oppofition to the eaftern more, called Ber el Arab, where there was none.

Adeliberate furvey became abfolutely neceffary, and as in proportion to the danger of the coaft pilots became more fkilful, when once they had obtained more com- plete knowledge of the rocks and dangers, they preferred the boldeft more, becaufe they could Hand on all night, and provide themfelves with water every day. Whereas, on the Arabian fide, they could not fail but half the day, would be obliged to lie to all night, and to load themfelves with water, equal to half their cargo.

I now mall undertake to point out to large mips, the way by which they can fafely enter the Gulf of Suez, fo as that they may be competent judges of their own courfe, in cafe of accident, wichout implicitly furrendering themfelves, and property, into the hands of pilots.

In the firft place, then, I am very confident, that, taking their departure from Jibbelel-Ouree, fhips may fafely Hand

on

Ajan, in the language of Shepherds, fignifies raiwwater.

22.4 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

on all night mid-channel, until they are in the latitude of Yambo.

The Red Sea maybe divided into four parts, of which the Channel occupies two, till about lat. 260, or nearly that of Cofleir. On the weft fide it is deep water, with many rocks, as I have already faid. On the eaft fide, that quarter is occupied by iflands, that is, fand gathered about the rocks, the caufes whereof I have before mentioned ; between which there are channels of very deep water, and harbours, that protect the largeft mips in any winds. But among thefe, from Mocha down to Suez, you muft fail with a pilot, and during part of the day only..

To a perfon ufed to more civilized countries, it appears no great hardfhip to fail with a pilot, if you can get one, and in the Red Sea there are plenty; but thefe are creatures without any fort of fcience, who decide upon a manoeuvre in a moment, without forethought, or any warning given. Such pilots often, in a large fhip deeply loaded, with every fail out which me can carry, in a very inftant cry out to let go your anchors, and bring you to, all Handing* in the face of a rock, or fand. Were not our feamen's vigour, and celerity in execution, infinitely beyond the fkill and forefight of thofe pilots, I believe ,very few mips, coming the inward paflage among the illands, would ever reach the port in fafety.

If you are, however, going to Suez, without the confent of the Sherriffe of Mecca, that is, not intending to fell your cargo at Jidda, or pay your cuftom there, then you mould

take

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 225

take in your water at Mocha; or, if any reafon fliould hin- der you from touching that more, a few hours will carry you to Azab, or Saba, on the Abymnian coaft, whofe latitude I found to be 130 5' north. It is not a port, but a very to- lerable road, where you have very fafe riding, under the Ihelter of a low defert ifland called Crab Ifland, with a few rocks at the end of it. But it mud be remembered, the people are Galla, the moll treacherous and villanous wretch- es upon the earth. They are Shepherds, who fometimes are on the coaft in great numbers, or in the back of the hills that run clofe along the fhore, or in miferable villages compofed of huts, that run nearly in an eaft and weft direc- tion from Azab to Raheeta, the largeft of all their villages. You will there, at Azab, get plenty of water, fheep, and goats, as alfo fome myrrh and incenfe, if you are in the proper feafon, or will Hay for it.

I again repeat it, that no confidence is to be had in the people. Thofe of Mocha, who even are abfolutely neceffary to them in their commercial tranfaclions, cannot truft them without furety or hoftages. And it was but a few years be- fore I was there, the furgeon and mate of the Elgin Earl-In- dia man, with feveral other failors, were cut off, going on fhore with a letter of fafe conduct from their Shekh to pur- chafe myrrh. Thofe that were in the boat efcaped, but moft of them were wounded. A fhip, on its guard, docs not fear banditti like thefe, and you will get plenty of water and provifion, though I am only fpeaking of it as a nation of necefnty.

If you are not afraid of being known, there is a low

black ifland on the Arabian coaft called Camaran, it is in

Vol. I. F f lat

2zG TRAVELS TO DISCOVER'.

Iat..i5° 39', and is diftinguifhed by a white houfe, or fortrefs", on the weft end of it, where you will procure excellent wa- ter, in greater plenty than at Azab ; but no provifions, or only (uch as are very bad. If you fliould not wifh to be feen, however, on the coaft at all, among the chain of iflands that reaches almoft acrofs the Gulf from Loheia to Mafuah, there is one called Foofht, where there is good anchorage ; it is laid down in my map in lat. 15° 59' 43" N. and long- 42 ° 27' E. from actual obfervation taken upon the illand. There is here a quantity of excellent water, with a faint or monk to take care of it, and keep the wells clean. This poor creature was fo terrified at feeing us come afhore with fire-arms, that he lay down upon his face on the land ; nor would he rife, or lift up his head, till the Rais had explain- ed to me the caufe of his fear, and till, knowing I was not in any danger of furprife, I had lent my guns on board.

From this to Yambo there is no fafe watering place. In- deed if the river Frat were to be found, there is no need of any other watering place in the Gulf; but it is abfolutely necef- fary to have a pilot on board before you make Ras Mahomet; becaufe, over the mountains of Auche, the Elanitic Gulf, and the Cape itfclf, there is often a. great haze, which lafts for many days together, and many mips are conftantly loft, by miftaking the Eaflern Bay, or Elanitic Gulf, for the entrance of the Gulf of Suez ; the former has a reef of rocks nearly acrofs it.

Aftejr you have made Sheduan, a large ifland three leagues farther, in a direction nearly north and by weft, is a bare rock, which, according to their ufual carelefsnefs and indifference, they are. not at the pains to call by any other

name.

THE SOURCE OP TH.E NILE. 227

name but Jibbcl, the rock, ifland, or mountain, in general. You lhould not come within three full leagues of that rock, but leave it at a diftance to the weftward. You will then fee fhoals, which form a pretty broad channel, where you have foundings from fifteen to thirty fathoms. And again, {landing on directly upon Tor, you have two other oval fands with funken rocks, in the channel, between which you are to fleer. All your danger is here in fight, for you might go in the infide, or to the eaftward, of the many fmall iilands you fee toward the more ; and there are the anchoring places of the Cairo veflels, which are marked with the black anchor in the draught. This is the courfe beft known and practifed by pilots for fhips of all fizes. But by a draught of Mr Niebuhr, who went frOm Suez with Mahomet Rais Tobal, his track with that large fhip was through the channels, till he arrived at the point, where Tor bore a little to the northward of eaft of him.

Tor may be known at a diftance by two hills that ftand near the water fide, which, in clear weather, may be feen fix leagues off. Juft to the fotuh-eaft of thefe is the town and harbour, where there are ibme palm-trees about the houfes,the more remarkable, that they are the firft you fee on the coaii There is no danger in going into Tor harbour, the foundings in the way are clean and regular ; and by giving the beacon a fmall birth on the larboard hand, you may haul in a little to the northward, and anchor in live -or fix fathom. The bottom of the bay is not a mile from the beacon, and about the fame diftance from the oppofite fliore. There is no fenfible tide in the middle of the Gulf, but, by the fides, it runs full two knots an hour. At fprings, it is liigh water at Tor nearly at twelve o'clock.

E f 2 On

228 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

On the 9th we arrived at Tor, a fmall draggling village,, with a convent of Greek Monks, belonging to Mount Sinai. Don John de Caftro * took this town when it was walled, and fortified, foon after the difcovery of the Indies by the Portuguefe ; it has never fmce been of any confideration. It ferves now, only as a watering-place for fhips going to, and from Suez. From this we have a diftinet view of the points of the mountains Horeb and Sinai, which appear behind a* d above the others, their tops being often covered with fnow in winter.

There are three things, (now I am at the north end of the Arabian Gulf,) of which the reader will expect fome ac- count, and I am heartily forry to fay, that I fear I fhall be obliged to difappoint him in all, by the unfatisfactory rela^ tion I am forced to give,

The firft is, Whether the Red Sea is not higher than the Mediterranean, by feveral feet or inches ? To this I anfwer, That the fact has been fuppofed to be fo by antiquity, and alledged as a reafon why Ptolemy's canal was made from the bottom of the Heroopolitic Gulf, rather than brought due north acrofs the Ifthmus of Suez ; in which laft cafe, it was feared it would- fubmerge a great part of Afia Mir- nor. But who has ever attempted to verify this by experi- Ti ent ? or who is capable of fettling the difference of levels, amounting, as fuppofed, to fome feet and inches, between two points 120 miles diftant from each other, over a delert that has no fettled furface, but is changing its height every

day?

^ ■ ^ ■ ■ II II Ml M " - "" ' '"" ■ ■ ■ ■■■■■■ 1 . ■ ■ I ■■

* Vide bis Journal published by Abbe Venct.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 229

day ? Befides, fince all feas are, in fact, but one, what is it that hinders the Indian Ocean to flow to its level ? What is it that keeps the Indian Ocean up ?

Till this laft branch of the queftion is refolved, I fhall take it for granted that no fuch difference of level exifts, whatever Ptolemy's engineers might have pretended to him; becaufe, to fuppofe it fact, is to fuppofe the violation of one very material law of nature.

The next thing I have to take notice of, for the Satisfac- tion of my reader, is, the way by which the children of If- rad paffed the Red Sea at the time of their deliverance from, the land of Egypt.

As fcripture teaches us, that this paffage, wherever it might be, was under the influence of a miraculous power, no parti- cular circumftance of breadth, or depth, makes one place likelier than another. It is a matter of mere curiofity, and can only promote an illuftration of the fcripture, for which reafon, I do not decline the consideration of it,

I shall fuppofe, that my reader has been Sufficiently con- vinced, by other authors, that the land of Gofhen, where the Israelites dwelt in Egypt, was that country lying eaftof the Nile, and not overflowed by it, bounded by the moun- tains of the Thebaid on the fouth, by the Nile and Medi- terranean on the weft and north, and the Red Sea and de- fert of Arabia on the eaft. It was the Heliopolitan nome, its capital was On ; from predilection of the letter O, com- mon to the Hebrews, they called it Gofhen ; but its proper name was Cejben^ the country of Grafs, or Pafturage ; or of

the.-

s3o TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

the Shepherds; in oppofition to the reft of the land which \va^ fown, after having been overflowed by the Nile.

There were three ways by which the children of Ifrael, flying from Pharaoh, could have entered Paleftine. The fnil was by the fea-coafl by Gaza, Alkelon, and Joppa. This was the plaineft and neareft way; and, therefore, fitteft for people incumbered with kneading troughs, dough, cattle, and children. The fea-coaft was full of rich commercial cities, the mid-land was cultivated and fown with grain. The eaftern part, neareit the mountains, was full of cattle and fhepherds, as rich a country, and more powerful than the cities themfelves.

This narrow valley, between the mountains and the fea, ran all along the eaflern fhore of the Mediterranean, from Gaza northward, comprehending the low part of Paleitine and Syria. Now, here a fmall number of men might have paffed, under the laws of hofpitality ; nay, they did con- stantly pafs, it being the high road between Egypt, and Tyre, and Sidon. But the cafe was different with a multi- tude, fuch as fix hundred thoufand men having their cattle along with them. Thefe muft have occupied the whole land of the Philiftines, deftroyed all private property, a: d undoubtedly have occafioned fome revolution; and as they were not now intended to be put in pofTeffion of the land of promife, the meafure of the iniquity of the nations be- ing not yet full, God turned them afkle from going that way, though the neareft, leaft they "mould fee war*/' that

2 isa

* Gen. chap, xiii.ver. 17th.

THE SOURCE OE TEIE NILE. 231

is, leaft the people mould rife againfl them, and deftroy them.

There was another way which led fouth-weft, upon Becr- lheba and Hebron, in the middle, between the Dead Sea and the Mediterranean. This was the direetiqn in which Abra- ham, Lot, and Jacob, are fuppofed to have reached Egypt. But there was neither food nor water there to fuftain the Ifrael- ites. When Abraham and Lot returned out of Egypt, they were obliged to feparate by confent, becaufe Abraham faid to his brother, "The land will not bear us both*."

The third way was ftraight eail into Arabia, pretty much the road by which the Pilgrims go at this day to Mecca, and the caravans from Suez to Cairo. In this track they would have gone round by the mountains of Moab, eail of the Dead Sea, and patted Jordan in the plain oppofite to Jeri- cho, as they did forty years afterwards. But it is plain from fcripture, that God's counfels were to make Pharaoh and his Egyptians an example of his vengeance ; and, as none of thefe roads led to the fea, they did not aniwer the Divine intention.

About twelve leagues from the fea, there was a narrow road which turned to the right, between the mountains, through a valley called Badeab, where their courfe was near- ly fouth-eaft ; this valley ended in a pafs, between two con- fiderable mountains, called Geivoube on the fouth; andjibbel Attakah on the north, and opened into the low ftripe of

country

* Gen. chap. xiiLvor. 6ch, Exod. chap. xiii. ver. 1 7th,

<ty.

TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

country which runs all along the Red Sea ; and the IfraeliteS were ordered to encamp at Pihahiroth, oppofite to Baal-zeph- on, between Migdol and that fea.

It will be necefiary to explain thefe names. Badeab, Dr Shaw interprets,^ Valley of the Miracle, but this is forcing an etymology, for there was yet no miracle wrought, nor was there ever any in the valley. But Badeab, means barren, barct and uninhabited ; fuch as we may imagine a valley between ftony mountains, a defert valley. Jibbel Attakab,\\o. tranflates alfo, the Mountain of Deliverance. But fo far were the Israelites from being delivered on their arrival at this mountain, that they were then in the greateft diflrefs and danger. Attakah, means, however, to arrive or come up -with, either becaufe there they arrived within fight of the Red Sea; or, as I am rather inclined to think, this place took its name from the arrival of Pharaoh, or his coming in light of the Ifraelites, when encamped between Migdol and the Red Sea,

Pihahiroth is the mouth of the valley, opening to the flat country and the fea, as I have already laid, fuch are called Mouths; in the Arabic, Fum; as I have obferved in my journey to Coffeir, where the opening of the valley is called Fum el Beder, the mouth of Beder; Fum el Terfowey, the mouth of "Terfowey. Hhoreth, the flat country along the Red Sea, is fo called from Hhor, a narrow valley where torrents run, occafioned by fudden irregular fhowers. Such we have al- ready defcribed on the eail fide of the mountains, border- ing upon that narrow flat country along the Red Sea, where temporary fhowers fall in great abundance, while none of them touch the welt fide of the mountains or valley of

Egypt,

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. &m

Egypt Pihahiroth then is the mouth of the valley Badcah; which opens to Hhoreth, the narrow fcripe of land where mowers fall.

Baal-Zephon, the God of the watch-tower, was, paroba* bly, fome idol's temple, which ferved for. a fjgoal-houfe up- on the Cape which forms the north entrance of the bay op* pofite to Jibbel Attakah, where there is Hill a mofque, or faint's tomb. It was probably a light-houfe, for the direc- tion of mips going to the bottom of the Gulf, to prevent miftaking it for another foul bay, under the high land$ where there is alio a tomb of a faint called Abou Derage.

The laft rebuke God gave to Pharaoh, by flaying ail the firit-born, feems to have made a ilrong impreffion upon the Egyptians. Scripture fays, that the people were now urgent with the Ifraelites to be gone, for they faid, " We be all dead men *." And we need not doubt; it was in order to keep up in their hearts a motive of refentment, Itrong e- nough to make them purfue the Ifraelites, that God caufed the Ifraelites to borrow, and take away the jewels of the Egyptians ; without fome new caufe of anger, the late ter- rible challifement might have deterred them. While, there- fore, they journeyed eastward towards the defert, the Egyp- tians had no motive to attack thenij becaufe they went with permiifion there to facriiice, and were on their return to reftore them their moveables. But when the Ifraelites were obferved turning to the fouth, among the mountains, they Vol. I. G g were

Exod. ch. xii. 33,

234 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

were then fuppofed to flee without a view of returning, be- caufe they had left the way of the defert ; and therefore Pharaoh, that he might induce the Egyptians to follow them, tells them that the Ifraelites were now entangled a- mong the mountains, and the wildernefs behind them, which was really the cafe, when they encamped at Pihahi- roth, before, or fouth of Baal-Zephon, between Migdol and the fea. Here, then, before Migdol, the fea was divided, and they paffed over dry fhod to the wildernefs of Shur, which was immediately oppofite to them; a fpace fome- thing lefs than four leagues, and fo eaiily accomplifhed in one night, without any miraculous interpofition.

Three days they were without water, which would bring them to Korondel, where is a fpring of brackifh, or bitter water, to this day, which probably were the waters ofMarah *.

The natives ftill call this part of the fea Bahar Kolzum, or the Sea of Deftru&ion ; and juft oppofite to Pihahiroth is a bay, where the North Cape is called Ras Mufa, or the Cape ofMofes, even now. Thefe arc the reafons why I believe the paffage of the Ifraelites to have been in this direction. There is about fourteen fathom of water in the channel, and about nine in the fides, and good anchorage every where ; the fartheft fide is a low fandy coaft, and a very eafy landing-place. The draught of the bottom of the Gulf given by Doctor Pococke is very erroneous, in every part of it.

It was propofed to Mr Niebuhr, when in Egypt, to in- quire, upon the fpot, Whether there were not fome ridges

of

* Such is the tradition among the Natives.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 235

of rocks, where the water was fhallow, fo that an army at particular times might pafs over? Secondly, Whether the Etefian winds, which blow ftrongly all Summer from the north weft, could not blow fo violently againft the fea, as to keep it back on a heap,fo that the Ifraelites might havepaffed without a miracle ? And a copy of thefe queries was left for me, to join my inquiries like wife.

But I mull confefs, however learned the gentlemen were who propofed thefe doubts, I did not think they me- rited any attention to folve them. This paffage is told us, by fcripture, to be a miraculous one; and, if fo, we have no- thing to do with natural caufes. If we do not believe Mofes, we need not believe the tranfa&ion at all, feeing that it is from his authority alone we derive it. If we be- lieve in God that he made the fea, we mull believe he could divide it when he fees proper reafon, and of that he muft be the only judge. It is no greater miracle to divide the Red. Sea, than to divide the river of Jordan,

If the Etefian wind blowing from the north-well in fum— mer, could heap up the fea as a wall, on the right, or to the fouth, of fifty feet high, ftill the difficulty would remain, of building the wall on the left hand, or to the north. Be- fides, water Handing in that pofition for a day, muft have loft the nature of fluid. Whence came that cohefion of particles, that hindered that wall to efcape at the fides ? This is as great a miracle as that of Mofes. If the Etefian winds had done this once, they muft have repeated it many a time before and fince, from the fame caufes. Yet, * Dio-

G g 2 dorus

* Died. Sic. Lib, 3. p. izz. .

c36 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

-dorus Siculus fays, the Troglodytes, the indigenous inhabi- tants of that very fpot, had a tradition from father to Ion, •from their very earlieft and remoteft ages, that once this .divifion of the fea did happen there, and that after leaving its bottom fometimes dry, the fea again came back, and co- hered it with great fury. The words of this author are of the mod remarkable kind. We cannot think this heathen is writing in favour of revelation. He knew not Moles, nor fays a word about Pharaoh, and his hoft ; but records the miracle of the diviiion of the fea, in words nearly as ftrong as thole of Mofes, from the mouths of unbiafTed, un- deligning Pagans.

Were all thefe difficulties furmounted, what could we .do with the pillar of lire ? The anfwer is, We mould not believe it. Why then believe the pallage at all? We have no authority for the one, but what is for the other; it is alto- gether contrary to the ordinary nature of things, and if not a miracle, it mull be .a fable.

The caufe of the feveral names of the Red Sea, is a fub- je£t of more liberal inquiry. I am of opinion, that it cer- tainly derived its name from Edom, long and early its powerful mailer, that word Signifying Red in Hebrew. It formerly went by the name of Sea of Edom, or Idumca; fmcc, by that of the Red Sea.

It has been obferved, indeed, that not only the Arabian Gulf, but part of the Indian Ocean *, went by this name,

though

* Dionyfii PeriegqSs, v. ":. et Comment. Euftathii in eundem. Strabo, lib. xvL jj. 765. Agatheuisri Geographic, lib. ii. cap. u.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. *37

•though far diftant from Idumea. This is true, but when we confider, as we fhall do in the courfe of this hiftory, that the matters of that fea were ftill the Edomites, who went from the one fea directly in the fame voyage to the other, we fhall not difpute the propriety of extending the name to .part of the Indian Ocean alfo. As for what fanciful people* have faid of any rednefs in the fea itfelf, or colour in the bottom, the reader may allure himfelf all this is fiction, the Red Sea being in colour nothing different from the Indian, or any other Ocean.

There -is greater difficulty in affigning a reafon for the Hebrew name, Yam Suph ; properly fo called, fay learned authors, from the quantity of weeds in it. But I muft con- fefs, in contradiction to this, that I never in my life, (and I have feen the whole extent of it) faw a weed of any fort in it ; and, indeed, upon the flighted consideration, it will oc- cur to any one, that a narrow gulf, under the immediate influence of monfoons, blowing from contrary points fix months each year, would have too much agitation to pro- duce fuch vegetables, feldom found, but in ftagnant waters, and feldomer, if ever, found in fait ones. My opinion then is, that it is from the f large trees, or plants of white coral, fpread every where over the bottom of the Red Sea, per- fectly in imitation of plants on land, that the fea has ob- tained this name. If not, I fairly conrefs I have not any -other conjecture to make.

No

* Jerome Lofo, the 5reateft liar of the Jefuits, ch. iv. p. 46. Englifh tranflation. t I fav one of thefe, which, from a root nearly central, threw out ramifications in a 'nearly circular form, meafuring twenty-fix feet diameter cvtry way.

238 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

No fea, or fhores, I believe, in the world, abound more in fubjects of Natural Hiftory than the Red Sea. I fuppofe I have drawings and fubjects of this kind, equal in bulk to the journal of the whole voyage itfelf. But the vaft ex- pence in engraving, as well as other confiderations, will probably hinder for ever the perfection of this work in this particular.

g§s^ . ^^sS

CHAR

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 239

**#53&fc^

CHAP. X.

Sail from Tor—Pafs the Elanitic Gulf- — See Raddna— -Arrive at Tambo ^-Incidents there — Arrive at jfidda.

OUR Rais, having difpatched his bufinefs, was eager to depart ; and, accordingly, on the 1 ith of April, at day- break, we Hood out of the harbour of Tor. At firft, we were becalmed in, at the point of the Bay fouth of Tor town, but the wind frefhening about eight o'clock, we Hood through the channels of the firft four fhoals, and then be- tween a fmaller one. We made the mouth of a fmall Bay, formed by Cape Mahomet, and a low fandy point to the eaft- ward of it. Our vefTel feemed to be a capital one for fail- ing, and I did every thing in my power to keep our Rais in good humour.

About half a mile from the fandy point, we ftruck upon a coral bank, which, though it was not of any great con- fidence or folidity, did not fail to make our mart nod. As I was looking out forward when the vefTel touched, and the Rais by me, I cried out in Arabic, " Get out of the way you dog !" the Rais, thinking my difcourfe directed to him, -feemed very much furprifed, and afked, " what I meant ?"

£ " Why

24a TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

" Why did you not tell me, faid I, when I hired you, .that -ail the rocks in the fea would get out of the way or" your vef- fel ? This ill-mannered fellow here did not know bis duly, he was fleeping I fuppofe, and has given us a hearty jolt, and I was abufing him for it, till you mould chaftife him fome other way." He fhook his head, and faid, " Well ! you do not believe, but God knows the truth ; well now where is the rock ? Why he is gone." However, very pru- dently, he anchored foon afterwards, though we had recei- ved no damage.

At night, by an obfervation of two fears in the meridian, I concluded the latitude of Cape Mahomet to be if 54', N. It muft be underftood of the mountain, or high land, which forms the Cape, not the low point. The ridge of rocks that run along behind Tor, bound that low fandy country, called the Defert of Sin, to the eaftward, and end in this Cape, which is the high land obferved at fea ; but the lower part, or fouthermoft extreme of the Cape, runs a-i bout three leagues off from the high land, and is fo low, that it cannot be feen from deck above three leagues. It. was called, by the ancients, Pharan Promontorium ; not be- caufe there was a light-houfe * upon the end of it, (though: this may have perhaps been the cafe, and a very neceffary and. proper fituation it is) but from the Egyptian and Arabic word Farek t, which fignifies to divide, as heingthe point, or high land that divides the Gulf of Suez from the Eianitic Gulf.

I WENT

* Anciently called Pharos.

■j-The Koran is, therefore, called El F.idan, or die Divider,, or DHtinguifli a truO

faith and herefy.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 24r

I went afhore here to gather fhells, and fhot a fmall ani- mal among the rocks, called Daman Ifrael, or Ifrael's Lamb; I do not know why, for it has no refemblance to the flieep kind. I take it to be the faphan of the Hebrew Scripture, which we tranflate by the coney. I have given a drawing, and defcription of it, in its proper place *. I fhot, likewife, feveral dozens of gooto, the leall beautiful of the kind I had feen, being very fmall, and coloured like the back of a part- ridge, but very indifferent food.

The i 2th, we failed from Cape Mahomet, juft as the fun appeared. We palled the ifland of Tyrone, in the mouth of the Elanitic Gulf, which divides it near equally into two ; or, rather the north-weft fide is narroweft. The direction of the Gulf is nearly north and fouth. I judge it to be about fix leagues over. Many of the Cairo fhips are loft in miftaking the entry of the Elanitic for that of the Heroo- politic Gulf, or Gulf of Suez ; for, from the ifland of Tyrone, which is not above two leagues from the Main, there runs a firing of iflands, which feem to make a femicircular bar acrofs the entry from the point, where a fhip, going with a fouth wind, would take its departure ; and this range of iflands ends in a fhoal with funken rocks, which reaches near five leagues from the Main. It is probable, that, upon thefe iflands, the fleet of Rehoboam perifhed, when failing for the expedition of Ophir f.

Vol. I. Hh I take

See the article Aflikoko in the Appendix. f 2 Ghron. chap. xx. ver. 37th,

24a TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

I take Tyrone to be the ifland of Safpirene of Ptolemy, though this geographer has erred a little, both in its lati- tude and longitude.

We paned the fecond of thefe iflands, called Senaffer, about three leagues to the northward, fleering with a frefh gale at fouth-eaft, upon a triangular ifland that has three pointed eminences upon its fouth-flde. We palled another fmall ifland which has no name, about the fame diftance as the former ; and ranged along three black rocks, the fouth-weft of the ifland, called Sufange el Babar, or the Sea- Spimge. As our veffel made fome water, and the wind had been very ftrong all the afternoon, the Rais wanted to bring up to the leeward of this ifland, or between this, and a cape of land called RasSelab; but, not being able to find foundings here, he fet fail again, doubled the point, and came to an- chor under the fouth cape of a fine bay, which is a ftation of the Emir Hadje, called Kalaat el Moilab, the Caftle, or Sta- tion of Water.

We had failed this day about twenty-one leagues ; and, as we had very fair and fine weather, and were under no lort of concern whatever, I could not neglect attending to rhe difpofition of thefe iflands, in a very fplendid map late- ly publiflied. They are carried too far into the Gulf.

The 13th, the Rais having, in the night, remedied what was faulty in his veffel, fet fail about feven o'clock in the morning. We paffed a conical hill on the land, called Abou Jubbe, where is the fepulchre of a faint of that name. The mountains here are at a confiderable diflance ; and no- thing can be more defolate and bare than the coaft. In

the

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 243

the afternoon, we came to an anchor at a place called Kel- la Clarega, after having patted an ifland called Jibbel Nu- man, about a league from the more. By the fide of this flioal we caught a quantity of good fifh, and a great num- ber alfo very beautiful, and perfectly unknown, but which, when roafted, fhrank away to nothing except fkin, and when boiled, dillblved into a kind of blueifh glue.

On the 14th, the wind was variable till near ten o'clock, after which it became a little fair. At twelve it was as fa- vourable as we could wifli ; it blew however but faintly. We patted firil by one ifland furrounded by breakers, and then by three more, and anchored clofe to the more, at a place called Jibbel Shekh, or the Mountain of the Saint. Here I refolved to take a walk onfhore to ftretch my limbs, and fee if I could procure any game, to afford us fome va- riety of food. I had my gun loaded with ball, when a vaft flock of gooto got up before me, not live hundred yards from the fhore. As they lighted very near me, I lay down among the bent grafs, to draw the charge, and load with fmall jfliot. While I was doing this, I faw two antelopes, which, by their manner of walking and feeding, did not feem to be frightened. I returned mv balls into the gun, and refolved to be clofe among the bent, till they fhould appear before me.

T had been quiet for fome minutes, when I heard behind me fomething like a perfon breathing, on which I turned about, and, not without great furprife, and fome little fear, faw a man, {landing jufl over me. I ftarted up, while the man, who had a little {tick only in his hand, ran two or three tteps backwards, and then flood. He was almoft per-

H h 2 fectly

244 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

fectly naked: he had half a yard of coarfe rag only wrapt round his middle, and a crooked knife ftuck in it, I afked him who he was ? He faid he was an Arab, belonging ta Shekh Abd el Macaber. I then defired to know where his- mafter was ? He replied, he was at the hill a little above, with camels that were going to Yambo. He then, in his turn, afked who I was ? I told him I was an Abyflinian Have of the Sherriffe of Mecca, was going to Cairo by fea, but wifh- ed much to fpea-k to his mailer, if he would go and bring him. The favage went away with great willingnefs, and he no fooner difappeared, than I fet out as quickly as poffi- ble to the boat, and we got her hauled out beyond the fhoals, where we palled the night. We faw afterwards dif- tin&ly about fifty men, and three or four camels ; the men made feveral figns to us, but we were perfectly content with the diilance that was between us, and fought no more to. kill antelopes in the neighbourhood of Sidi Abd el Maca- ber.

I would not have it imagined, that my cafe was abfo-- lutelydefpcrate, even if I had been known as a Chriftian, and fallen into the hands of thefe Arabs, of Arabia Deferta, or Arabia Petrea, fuppofed to be the moll barbarous people in the world, as indeed they probably are. Hofpitality, and. attention to one's word, feem in thefe countries to be in pro- portion to the degree in which the people are favage. A very- eafy method is known, and followed with conflant fucccfs, by all the Chriftians trading to the Red. Sea from Suez to jidda, to fave themfelves if thrown on the coaft of Arabia. Any man of consideration from any tribe among the Arabs, comes to Cairo, gives his name and delignation to the Chrif- tian failor, and receives a very fmall prefent, which is re- peated

THE SOURCE OF THE NTLE. ^$

peated annually if he performs fo often the voyage. And for this the Arab promifes the Chriftian his protection,, fhould he ever be fo unfortunate as to be fhipwrecked on their coaft.

The Turks are very bad feamen, and lofe many mips,- the greateil part of the crew are therefore Chriftians ; when a veffel ftrikes, or is afhore, the Turks a,re all maflacred if they cannot make their way good by force ; but the Chrif- tians prefent themfelves to the Arab, crying Fiwduc, which means, ' we are under immediate protection.' If they are afk~ ed, who is their Gaffeer, or Arab, with whom they are in friendfhip ? They anfwer, Mahomet Abdelcader is our Gaf- feer, or any other. If he is not there, you are told he is abfent fo many days journey off, or any diftance. This ac- quaintance or neighbour, then helps you, to fave what you have from the wreck, and one of them with his lance draws a circle, large enough to hold you and yours. He then flicks his lance in the fand, bids you abide within that circle, and goes and brings your Gaffeer, with what camels you want, and this Gaffeer is obliged, by rules known only to themfelves, to carry you for nothing, or very little, where- ever you go, and to furnifli you with provifions all the way. Within that circle you are as fafe on the defert coaft of Ara- bia, as in a citadel ; there is no example or exception to the contrary that has ever yet been known. There are many Arabs, who, from fituation, near dangerous fhoals or places, where mips often perifh (as between Ras Mahemet and Ras Selah, *Dar el Hamra, and fome others) have perhaps fifty

or

* See- the Map,

246 tRAVELS TO DISCOVER

or a hundred Christians, who have been fo protected: So that when this Arab marries a daughter, he gives perhaps his revenue from four or five protected Chriflians, as part of his daughter's portion. I had, at that very time, a Gaf- eer, called Ibn Talil, an Arab of Harb tribe, and I fhould have been detained perhaps three days till he came from near Medina, and carried me (had I been fb.ipwreck.ed) to Yambo, where I was going.

On the 15th we came to an anchor at El Har*, where we faw high, craggy, and broken mountains, called the Mountains of Ruddua. Thefe abound with fprings of wa- ter ; all fort of Arabian and African fruits grow here in per- fection, and every kind of vegetable that they will take the pains to cultivate. It is the paradife of the people of Yambo ; thofe of any fubftance have country houfes there ; but, ftrange to tell, they Hay there but for a fhort time, and prefer the bare, dry, and burning fands about Yambo, to one of the fineft climates, and nioft verdant pleafant countries, that exifts in the world. The people of the place have told me, that water freezes there in winter, and that there are fome of the inhabitants who have red hair, and blue eyes, a thing fcarcely ever fecn but in the coldcit mountains in the Eall.

The 1 6th, about ten o'clock, we pafTed a mofque, or Shekh's tomb on the main land, on our left hand, called Kubbet Yambo, and before eleven we anchored in the mouth

of

* El Har fignifks extreme heat.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 247

of the port in deep water. Yambo, corruptly called Imbo, is an ancient city, now dwindled to a paultry village. Ptolemy calls it Iambia Vicus, or the village Yambia; a proof it was of no great importance in his time. But after the conqueft of Egypt under Sultan Selim, it became a valuable nation, for fupplying their conquefls in Arabia, with warlike ftores, from Suez, and for the importation of wheat from Egypt to their garrifons, and the holy places of Mecca and Medina. On this account, a large caftle was built there by Sinan Ba- fha ; for the ancient Yambo of Ptolemy is not that which is called fo at this day. It is fix miles farther fouth ; and is called Yambo el Nachel, or, Yambo among the palm-trees,' a great quantity of ground being there covered with this fort of plantation.

Yambo, in the language of the country, fignifies a foun- tain or fpring, a very copious one of excellent water being found there among the date trees, and it is one of the na- tions of the Emir Hadje in going to, and coming from Mec- ca. The advantage of the port, however, which the other has not, and the prote&ion of the caftle, have carried tra- ding veflels to the modern Yambo, where there is no water, but what is brought from pools dug on purpofe to receive the rain when it falls.

There are two hundred janiflaries in the caftle, the def- cendents of thofe brought thither by Sinan Bafha ; who have fucceeded their fathers, in the way I have obferved they did at Syene, and, indeed, in all the conquefls in Arabia, and Egypt, The inhabitants of Yambo are defervedly reck-

4 oned

245 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

oned * the mod barbarous of any upon the Red Sea, and the janiiTaries keep pace with them, in every kind of malice and violence. We did not go afhore all that day, becaufe we had heard a number of ihots, and had received intelli- gence from fhore, that the janiflaries and town's people, for a week, had been fighting together ; I was very unwil- ling to interfere, wifhing that they might have all leifure to extirpate one another, if poflible ; and my Rais feemed moll heartily to join .me in my wifhes.

In the evening, the captain of the port came on board, and brought two janiflaries with him, whom, with lbme dif- ficulty, I fuffered to enter the vefTel. Their nrft demand was gun-powder, which I pofitively refufed. I then afked them how many were killed in the eight days they had been engaged ? They anfwered, with fome indifference, not many, about a hundred every day, or a few lefs or more, chiefly Arabs. We heard afterwards, when we came on fhore, one only had been wounded, and that a foldier, by a fall from his horfe. They infilled upon bringing the vef- fel into the port ; but I told them, on the contrary, that ha- ving no bufinefs at Yambo, and being by no means under the guns of their caflle, I was at liberty to put to fea with- out coming afhore at all ; therefore, if they did not leave us, as the wind was favourable, I would fail, and, by force, carry them to Jidda. The janiflaries began to talk, as their cuflom is, in a very blufiering and warlike tone; but I, who knew my interefl at Jidda, and the force in my own hand ; that my

vefTel

* Vide Irvine's letters.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 249

vefTel was afloat, and could be under weigh in an inftant, never was lei's difpofed to be bullied, than at that moment. They alked me a thoufand queftions, whether I was a Ma- maluke, whether I was a Turk, or whether I was an Arab, and why I did not give them fpirits and tobacco ? To all which I anfwered, only, that they mould know to-morrow who I was ; then I ordered the Emir Bahar, the captain of the port, to carry them afhore at his peril, or I would take their arms from them, and confine them on board all night.

The Rais gave the captain of the port a private hint, to -take care what they did, for they might lofc their lives ; and that private caution, underftood in a different way per- haps than was meant, had effect upon the foldiers, to make them withdraw immediately. When they went away, I begged the Emir Bahar to make my compliments to his mailers, Haifan and Huffein, Agas, to know what time I fhould wait upon them to-morrow ; and dcfired him, in the mean time, to keep his foldiers afhore, as I was not dif- pofed to be troubled with their infolence.

Soon after they went, we heard a great firing, and faw lights all over the town ; and the Rais propofed to me ro flip immediately, and fet fail, from which meafure I was not at all averfe. But, as he laid, we had a better anchoring place under the mofque of the Shekh, and, befides, tint there we would be in a place of fxfety, by reafon of the ho- linefs of' the faint, and that at our own choice might even put to fea in a moment, or flay till to-morrow, as we were in no fort of doubt of being able to repel, force by force, if attacked, we got under weigh for a few hundred yards, Vol. I. I i and

2so TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

and dropt our anchor under the flirine of one of the great- eft faints in the world.

At night the firing had abated, the lights diminifhed, and the captain of the port again came on board. He was furprifed at miffing us at our former anchoring place, and flill more fo, when, on our hearing the noife of his oars, we hailed, and forbade him to advance any nearer, till he fhould tell us how many he had on board, or whether he had foldiers or not, otherwife we mould fire upon them : to this he anfwered, that there were only himfelf, his boy, and three officers, fervants to the Aga. I replied, that three flrangers were too many at that time of the night, but, fince they were come from the Aga, they might advance.

All our people were fitting together armed on the fore- part of the vefTel ; I foon divined they intended us no harm, for they gave us the falute Salam Alicum ! before they were within ten yards of us. I anfwered with great com- placency ; we handed them on board, and fet them down upon deck. The three officers were genteel young men, of a fickly appearance, drefTed in the fafhion of the count- ry, in long burnoofes loofely hanging about them, ftrip- ed with red and white ; they wore a turban of red, green, and white, with ten thoufand taffels and fringes hang- ing down to the fmall of their backs. They had in their hand, each, a fhort javelin, the fhaft not above four feet and a half long, with an iron head about nine inches, and two >r three iron hooks below the fhaft, which was bound round with brafs-wire, in feveral places, and fhod with iron at the farther end*

They.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 251

They afked me where I came from ? I faid, from Conftan- tinople, lafl from Cairo ; but begged they would put no more queftions to me, as I was not at liberty to anfwer them. They faid they had orders from their mailers to bid me wel- come, if I was the perfon that had been recommended to them by the Sherriffe, and was Ali Bey's phyfician at Cairo. I faid, if Metical Aga had advifed them of that, then I was the man. They replied he had, and were come to bid me welcome, and attend me on fhore to their mafters, when- ever I pleafed. I begged them to carry my humble refpects to their mafters ; and told them, though I did not doubt of their protection in any fhape, yet I could not think it confid- ent with ordinary prudence, to rifk myfelf at ten o'clock at night, in a town fo full of diforder as Yambo appeared to have been for fome time, and where fo little regard was paid to difcipline or command, as to fight with one another. They faid that was true, and I might do as I pleafed ; but the firing that I had heard did not proceed from fighting, but from their rejoicing upon making peace.

In fhort, we found, that, upon fome difcuffion, the gar- rifon and townfmen had been fighting for feveral days, in which diforders the greateft part of the ammunition in the town had been expended, but it-had fince been agreed on by the old men of both parties, that no body had been to blame on either fide, but the whole wrong was the work of a Camel. A camel, therefore, was feized, and brought with- out the town, and there a number on both fides having met, they upbraided the camel with every thing that had been either faid or done. The camel had killed men, be had threatened to fet the town on fire ; the camel had threatened to burn the Aga's houfe, and the caftle ; he had curfed the

I i s Grand

252 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

Grand Siguior, and the SherrifTe of Mecca, the fovereigns of the two parties ; and, the only thing the poor animal was interefled in, he had threatened to deftroy the wheat that was going to Mecca. After having fpent great part of the afternoon in upbraiding the camel, whofe meafure of in- iquity, it feems, was near full, each man thruft him through with a lance, devoting him Diis manibus^ Diris, by a kind of prayer, and with a thoufand curfes upon his head. After which, every man retired, fully fatisned as to the wrongs. he hadreceived from the cameL

The reader will eafily obferve in this, fome traces of the *azazel, or fcape-goat of the Jews, which was turned out into the wildernefs, loaded with the fins of the people.

Next morning I went to the palace, as we call it, in which were fome very handfome apartments. There was a guard of janifTaries at the door, who, being warriors, lately come from the bloody battle with the camel, did not fail to fhew marks of infolence, which they wilhed to be miflaken for courage.

The two Agas were fitting on a high bench upon Periiarj carpets; and about forty well-dreffedand well-looking men, (many of them old) fitting on carpets upon the floor, in a femi-circle round them. They behaved with great polite* nefs and attention, and afked no queftions but general ones ; as, How the fea agreed with me ? If there was plenty at Cairo?

till

* Levit. chap, xvi, vcr. 5,

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 253

till I was going away, when the youngeft of the Agas in- quired, with a feeming degree of diffidence, Whether Ma- homet Bey Abou Dahab, was ready to march? As I knew well what this queftion meant, I anfwered, I know not if he is ready, he has made great preparations. The other Aga faid, I hope you will be a meffenger of peace ? I anfwered, I intreat you to afk me no queftions ; I hope, by the grace of God, all will go well. Every perfon prefent applauded the fpeech ; agreed to refpeet my fecret, as they fuppofed I had one, and they all were inclined to believe, that I was a man in the confidence of Ali Bey, and that his hoftile defigns againft Mecca were laid afide: this was juft what I wifhed them to fuppofe ; for it fecured me againft ill-ufage all the time I chofe to ftay there ; and of this I had a proof in the inftant, for a very good houfe was provided for me by the Aga, and a man of his fent to fhew me to it.

I wondered the Rais had not come home with me; who, in about half an hour after I had got into my houfe, came and told me, that, when the captain of the boat came on board the firft time with the two foldiers, he had put a note, which they call tijkcra, into his hand, preffing him into the Sherriffe's fervice, to carry wheat to Jidda, and, with the wheat, a number of poor pilgrims that were going to Mecca at the Sherriffe's expence. Finding us, however, out of the harbour, and, fufpecfting from our manners and carriage towards the janiflaries, that we were people who knew what we had to truft to, he had taken the two foldiers a-fhore with him, who were by no means fond of their reception, or inclined to ftay in fuch company ; and, indeed, our drefTes and appearances in the boat were fully as likely to make ftrangers believe we mould rob them, as theirs were to im-

2. prefs

^34 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

prefs us with an apprehenfion that they would rob us. The Rais faid alfo, that, after my audience, the Aga had called upon him, and taken away the tifkera^ telling him he was free, and to obey nobody but me ; and fent me one of his fervants to fit at the door, with orders to admit nobody but whom I pleafed, and that I might not be troubled with the people of Yambo.

Hitherto all was well; but it had been with me an ob- fervation, which had constantly held good, that too profper- ous beginnings in thefe countries always ended in ill at the laft. I was therefore refolved to ufe my profperity with great temperance and caution, make myfelf as ftrong, and ufe my flrength as little, as it was poffible for me to do.

There was a man of confiderable weight in Aleppo, named *Sidi Ali Taraboloufli, who was a great friend of Dr Ruilel, our phyfician, through whom I became acquainted with him. He was an intimate friend and acquaintance of the cadi of Medina, and had given me a letter to him, recommending me, in a very particular manner, to his pro- tection and fervices. I inquired about this perfon, and was told he was in town, directing the diftribution of the corn to be fent to his capital. Upon my inquiry, the news were carried to him as foon almofl as his name was uttered ; on which, being defirous of knowing what fort of man I was, about eight o'clock in the evening he fent me a menage, and, immediately after, I received a vifit from him.

I WAS

* Native of Tripoli ; it is Turkifli.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 255

I was putting my telefcopes and time-keeper in order, and had forbid admittance to any one ; but this was fo holy and fo dignified a perfon, that all doors were open to him. He obferved me working about the great telefcope and quadrant in my fhirt, for it was hot beyond conception upon the fmalleft exertion. Without making any apology for the intrufion at all, he broke out into exclamation, how lucky he was ! and, without regarding me, he went from telefcope to clock, from clock to quadrant, and from that to die ther- mometer, crying, Ah tibe, ah tlbe ! This is fine, this is fine ! He fcarcely looked upon me, or feemed to think I was worth his attention, but touched every thing fo carefully, and handled fo properly the brafs cover of the alidade, which inclofed the horfe-hair with the plummet, that he feemed to be a man more than ordinarily verfed in the ufe of aftro- nomical inftruments. In fhort, not to repeat ufelefs matter to the reader, I found he had ftudied at Conftantinople, un- derftood the principles of geometry very tolerably, was ma- iler of Euclid fo far as it regarded plain trigonometry ; the demonftrations of which he rattled off fo rapidly, that it was impoffible to follow, or to underftand him. He knew nothing of fpherics, and all his aftronomy refolved itfelf at laft into maxims of judicial aftrology, firft and fecond houfes of the planets and afcendancies, very much in the ftvle of common almanacks.

He defired that my door might be open to him at all times, efpecially when I made obfervations ; he alio knew perfectly the diviiion of our clocks, and begged he might count time for me. All this was eafily granted, and I had from him, what was mod ufeful, a hiftory of the fituation ©£ the government of the place, by which I learned,

3 that.

256 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

that the two young men (the governors) were Haves of the SherrifFe of Mecca ; that it was inipofiible for any one, the rnoft intimate with them, to tell which of the two was moll bafe or profligate; that they would have robbed us all of the lafl farthing, if they had not been reflrained by fear; and that there was a foreigner, or a frank, very lately going to India, who had -disappeared, but, as he believed, had been privately put to death in prifon, for he had never after been heard of.

Though I cannot fay I relifhed this account, yet I put on the very bed face poiliblc, " Here, in a garrifon town, laid I, with very worthlefs foldiers, they might do what they pleafed with fix or feven ftrangers, but I do not fear them ; I now tell them, and the people of Yambo, all and each of them, they had better be in their bed lick of the plague, than touch a hair of my dog, if I had one." " And fo, fays he they know, therefore reil and rejoice, and flay as long with us as you can." " As Short time as poffible, faid I, Sidi Ma- homet ; although I do not fear wicked people, I don't love them fo much as to flay long with them."

He then afkcd me a favour, that I would allow my Rais to carry a quantity of wheat for him to Jidda ; which I wil- lingly permitted, upon condition, that he would order but one man to go along with it ; on which he declared Solemn- ly, that none but one fliould go, and that I might throw him even into the 'fea, if he behaved improperly. How- ever, afterwards he fent three ; and one who deferved of- ten to be thrown into the fai, as he had permitted. " Now friend, faid I, I have done every thing that you have deli- red, though favours Should have begun with you upon

your

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 257

your own principle, as I am the ftranger. Now, what I have to afk you is this,— Do you know the Shekh of Beder Hu- nein ? Know him ! fays he, I am married to his filler, a daughter of Harb ; he is of the tribe of Harb." " Harb be it then (faid I) your trouble will be the lefs; then you are to fend a camel to your brother-in-law, who will procure me the largefl, and mofl perfect plant poflible of the Balfam of Mecca. He is not to break the Item, nor even the branches, but to pack it entire, with fruit and flower, if poflible, and wrap it in a mat." He looked cunning, flirugged up his moulders, drew up his mouth, and putting his finger to his nofe, faid, " Enough, I know all about this, you fhall find what fort of a man I am, I am no fool, as you fhall fee."

I received this the third day at dinner, but the flower (if there had been any) was rubbed off. The fruit was in feveral flages, and in great perfection. The drawing, and dcfcription from this *plant, will, I hope, for ever obviate all difficulty about its hiflory. He fent me, likewife, a quart bottle of the pure balfam, as it had flowed that year from the tree, with which I have verified what the old botanifts in their writings have faid of it, in its feveral flages. He told me alfo the circumflances I have related in my defcription of the balfam, as to the gathering and preparing of the feveral kinds of it, and a curious anecdote as to its origin. He faid the plant was no part of the creation of God in the fix days, but that, in the lafl of three very bloody battles, which Ma- homet fought Avith the noble Arabs of Harb, and his kinf-

Vol. I. Kk men

See the article BaleiTan in the Appendix.

253 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

men the Beni Koreifh, then Pagans at Beder Hunein, thai Mahomet prayed to God, and a grove of balfam-trees grew up from the blood of the flain upon the field of battle ; and, that with the balfam that flowed from them he touched the wounds even of thofe that were dead, and all thofe pre- deftined to be good Mujfulmen afterwards, immediately came to life. " I hope, faid I, friend, that the other things you told me of it, are fully as true as this, for they will other- wife laugh at me in England." " No, no, fays he, not half lb true, nor a quarter fo true, there is nothing in the world lb certain as this." But his looks, and his laughing very heartily, fhewed me plainly he knew better, as indeed moft of them do..

In the evening, before we departed, about nine o'clock,, I had an unexpected vifit from the youngeft of the two Agas ; who, after many pretended complaints of ficknefs, and injunctions of lecrecy, at laft modejlly requefled me to give him i<mvzJlow poifon, that might kill bis brother, without fufpicion, and after lbme time mould elapfe. I told him, fuch propofals were not to be made to a man like me ; that all the gold, and all the filver in the world, would not en- gage me to poifon the pooreft vagrant in the ftreet, fuppo- iing it never was to be fufpected, or known but to my own heart. All he faid, was, " Then your manners are not the fame as ours."— I anfwered, dryly, " Mine, I thank God, are not," and fo we parted.

Yam bo, or at lead the prefent town of that name, I found, by many obfervations of the fun and ftars, to be in latitude 240 3' 35" north, and in long. 3 8° 16' 30'' eaft from the meri- dian of Greenwich, The barometer, at its highefl, on the 23d-

of

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 259

of April, was 270 8', and, the loweft on the 27th, was 26° n'. The thermometer, on the 24th of April, at two o'clock in the afternoon, flood at 91°, and the loweft was 6(5° in the morning of the 26th of fame month. Yambo is reputed very unwholefome, but there were no epidemical difeafes when I was there.

The many delays of loading the wheat, the defire of doubling the quantity I had permitted, in which both the Rais and my friend the cadi confpired for their mutual intereft, detained me at Yambo all the 27th of April, very much a- gainft my inclination. For I was not a little uneafy at thinking among what banditti I lived, whofe daily wifh was to rob and murder me, from which they were reftrained by fear only ; and this, a fit of drunkenncfs, or a piece of bad news, fuch as a report of Ali Bey's death, might remove in a moment. Indeed we were allowed to want nothing. A fheep, fome bad beer, and fome very good wheat-bread were delivered to us every day from the Aga, which, with dates and honey, and a variety of prefents from thofe that I attended as a phyfician, made us pafs our time comfort- ably enough; we went frequently in the boats to fifh at fea, and, as I had brought with me three fizgigs of differ- ent fizes, with the proper lines, I feldom returned without killing four or five dolphins. The fport with the line was likewife excellent. We caught a number of beautiful fifh from the very houfe where we lodged, and fome few o-ood ones. We had vinegar in plenty at Yambo; onions, arid feveral other greens, from Raddua ; and, being all cooks, we lived well.

K k 2 On

26a TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

On the 28th of April, in the morning, I failed with a car- go of wheat that did not belong to me, and three pafTengers,, inftead of one, for whom only I had undertaken. The wind was fair, and I faw one advantage of allowing the Rais to load, was, that he was determined to carry fail to make a- mends for the delay. There was a tumbling, difagreeable fwell, and the wind feemed dying away. One of our paf- fengers was very fick. At his requeft^ wc anchored at Djar, a round fmall port, whofe entrance is at the north-eafl. It is about three fathoms deep throughout, unlefs juft upon the fouth fide, and perfectly fheltered from every wind. We faw here, for the firfl time, feveral plants of rack tree, grow- ing confiderably within the fea-mark, in fome places with two feet of water upon the trunk. I found the latitude of Djar to be 230 36' 9" north. The mountains of Beder Hu- nein were S. S. W. of us.

The 29th, at five o'clock in the morning, we failed from Djar. At eight, we palled a fmall cape called * Ras el Him- ma ; and the wind turning flill more frefh, we paiTed a kind ©f harbour called Maibeed, where there is an anchoring place named El Horma. The fun was in the meridian when we paffed this ; and I found, by obfervation, El Horma was in lat. 230 o* 30" north. At ten we patted a mountain on land called Soub ; at two, the fmall port of Muftura, under a mountain whofe name is Hajoub; at half paft four we came to an anchor at a place called Harar. The wind had been contrary all the night, being fouth-eafl, and rather

frefh ;

* Cape Fever*.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE, 261

frcfh; we thought, too, we perceived a current fetting ftrong- ly to the we ft ward.

On the 30th we failed at eight in the morning, but the wind was unfavourable, and we made little way. We were furrounded with a great many fharks, fome of which feem- ed to be large. Though I had no line but upon the fmall fizgigs for dolphins, I could not refrain from attempting one of the largeft, for they were fo bold, that fome of them, we thought, intended to leap on board. I ftruck one of the moft forward of them, juft at the joining of the neck ; but as we were not practifed enough in laying our line, fo as to run out without hitching, he leaped above two feet out of the water, then plunged down with prodigious violence, and our line taking hold of fome thing Handing in the way, the cord mapped afunder, and away went the mark. All the others difappeared in an inftant ; but the Rais faid, as foon as they fmelled the blood, they would not leave the wounded one, till they had torn him to pieces. I was truly forry for the lofs of my tackle, as the two others were real- ly liker harpoons, and not io manageable. But the Rais, whom I had ftudied to keep in very good humour, and had befriended in every thing, was an old harpooner in the Indian Ocean, and he pulled out from his hold a compleat apparatus. He not only had a fmall harpoon like my firft, but better conftructed. He had, likewife, feveral hooks with long chains and lines, and a wheel with a long hair line to it, like a fmall windlafs, to which he equally fixed the line of the harpoon, and thofe of the hooks. This was a compliment he faw I took very kindly, and did not doubt it would be rewarded in the proper time.

The

262 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

The wind frefhening and turning fairer, at noon we brought to, within fight of Rabac, and at one o'clock an- chored there. Rabac is a fmall port in lat. 220 35' 30" north. The entry is E. N. E. and is about a quarter of a mile broad. The port extends itfelf to the eaft, and is about two miles long. The mountains are about three leagues to the north, and the town of Rabac about four miles north by eaft from the entrance to the harbour. We remained all day, the firft of May, in the port, making a drawing of the harbour. The night of our anchoring there, the Emir Hadje of the pilgrims from Mecca encamped about three miles off. We heard his evening gun.

The paffengers that had been fick, now infilled upon go- ing to fee the Hadje ; but as I knew the confequence would be, that a number of fanatic wild people would be down upon us, I told him plainly, if he went from the boat, he mould not again be received ; and that we would haul out of the port, and anchor in the offing ; this kept him with us. But all next day he was in very bad humour, repeat- ing frequently, to himfelf, that he deferved all this for em- barking with infidels.

The people came down to us from Rabac with water melons, and fkins full of water. All mips may be fup- plied here plentifully from wells near the town ; the wa- ter is not bad.

The country is level, and feemingly uncultivated, but has not fo defert a look as about Yambo. I fhould fufpeel: by its appearance, and the fremnefs of its water, that it

rained

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 1G3

rained at times in the mountains here, for we were now confiderably within the tropic, which paffes very rear Ras el Himma, whereas Rabac is half a degree to the fouth- ward.

On the 2d, at five o'clock in the morning, we failed from Rabac, with a very little wind, fcarcely making two knots an hour.

At half paft nine, Deneb bore eaft and by fouth from us. This place is known by a few palm-trees. The port is fmall, and very indifferent, at leaft for fix months of the year, becaufe it lies open to the fouth, and there is a pro- digious fwell here.

At one o'clock we paffed an ifland called Hammel, a- bout a mile off ; at the fame time, another ifland, El Me- mifk, bore eaft of us, about three miles, where there is good anchorage.

At three and three quarters, we paffed an ifland called Gawad, a mile and a quarter fouth-eaft of us. The main bore likewife fouth-eaft, diftant fomething more than a league. We here changed our courfe from fouth to W. S. W.. and at four o'clock came to an anchor at the fmall ifland of Lajack.

The 3d, we failed at half paft four in the morning, our courfe W. S. W. but it fell calm ; after having made about a league, we found ourfelves off Ras Hateba, or the Woody Cape, which bore due eaft of us. After doubling the cape,

4- the

4&f TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

the wind frefhening, at four o'clock in the afternoon we anchored in the port of Jidda, clofe upon the key, where the officers of the cuftomJioufe immediately took poffeflion of our baggage.

3B£j*-t i ' ■ . ^"Ofe

CHAP,

J,amii"i J'uiii'til,:.' Di . ' > ■''/;■*'■/ iy './,, ■/■<.:••. m x 6>

'

SOURCE OF THE NILE. 265

~V£3Sfc—

CHAP. XI.

Occurrences at Jidda — V'tfit of the Vizir — Alarm of the Factory — -Gredt Civility of the Englifh trading from India — Polygamy — Opinion of Dr Arbuthnot ill-founded — Contrary to Reafon and Experience—— Leave Jidda.

TH E port of Jidda is a very extenfive one, confuting of numberlefs flioals, fmall iilands, and funken rocks, with channels, however, between them, and deep water. You are very fafe in Jidda harbour, whatever wind blows, as there are numberlefs flioals which prevent the water from ever being put into any general motion; and you may moor head and ftern, with twenty anchors out if you pltaie. But the danger of being loft, I conceive, lies in the going in and coming out of the harbour. Indeed the obfervation is here verified, the more dangerous the port, the abler the pi- lots, and no accidents ever happen.

There is a draught of the harbour of Jidda handed about among the Engli'ui for many years, very inaccurately, and very ill laid down, from what authority I know not, often condemned, but never corrected ; as alfo a pretended chart of the upper part of the Gulf, from Jidda to Mocha, full of foundings. As I was fome months at Jidda, kindly enter-

VoL- L L 1 tamed,

266 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

tained, and had abundance of time, Captain Thornhill, and' fomc other of the gentlemen trading thither, wifhed me to make a furvey of the harbour, and promifed me the afliilance of their officers, boats, and crews. I very wil- lingly undertook it to oblige them. Finding afterwards, however, that one of their number, Captain Newland, had, undertaken it, and that he would be hurt by my interfering,, as he was in fome manner advanced in the work, I gave up all further thoughts of the plan. He was a man of real ingenuity and capacity, as well as very humane, well beha- haved, and one to whom I had been indebted for every fort of attention.

God forgive thofe who have taken upon them, very lately, to ingraft a number of new foundings upon that miferable bundle of errors, that Chart of the upper parr of the Gulf from Jidda to Mocha, which has been toffed about the Red Sea thefe twenty years and upwards. One of thefe, fince my return to Europe, has been fent to me new dreffed like a bride, with all its original and mor- tal fins upon its head. I would beg leave to be under- ftood, that there is not in the world a man more averfe than I am to give offence even to a child. It is not in the fpirit of criticifm I fpeak this. In any other cafe, I would not have made any observations at all. But, where the lives and properties of fo many are at flake yearly, it is a fpecies of treafon to conceal one's fentiments, if the publishing of them can any way contribute to fafety, whatever offence it may give to unreafonable individuals.

Of all the veffels in Jidda, two only had their log 1 properly divided, and yet all were fo fond of their fuppofe

accur;

THE SOURCE OF THE NIL IS. 2c :

accuracy, as to aver they had kept their courfe within five leagues, between India and Babelmandeb. Yet they had made no eftimation of the currents without the * Babs, nor the different very ftrong ones foon after palling Socotra ; their half-minute glaffes upon a medium ran 57"; they had made no obfervation on the tides or currents in the Red Sea, either in the channel or in the inward pafTage ; yet there is delineated in this map a courfe of Captain Newland's, which he kept in the middle of the channel, full of iharp angles and fhort ftretches ; you would think every yard was meafured and founded.

To the fpurious catalogue of foundings found in the old chart above mentioned, there is added a double proportion of new, from what authority is not known; fo that from Mocha, to la*. 170 you have as it were foundings every mile, or even lefs. No one can caft his eyes on the upper part of the map, but mull think the Red Sea one of the mod frequented places in the world. Yet I will aver, without fear of being contradicted, that it is a charadteriftic of the Red Sea, fcarcc to have foundings in any part of the channel, and often on both fides, whilft alhore foundings are hardly found a boat-length from the main. To this I will add, that there is fcarce one ifland upon which I ever was, where the boltfprit was not over the land, while there were no found- ings by a line heaved over the Hern. I muft then proteft againft making thefe old molt erroneous maps a founda- tion for new ones, as they can be of no ufe, but mull be of

LI2 detriment.

*.Tijis is a common failor's phrifs for the Straits of Babelmandetj.

203 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

detriment. Many good feanien of knowledge and enter- prife have been in that fea, within tliei'e few years. Let them fay, candidly, what were their inltruments, what their dif- ficulties were, where they had doubts, where they fucceed- cd, and where they were difappointed ? Were thefe acknow- ledged by one, they would be fpeedily taken up by others, and reclined by the help of mathematicians and good ob- fcrvers on more.

Mr Niebuhr has contributed much, but we mould reform the map on both fides ; though there is a great deal done, yet much remains ftill to do. I hope that my friend Mr Dalrymple, when he can afford time, will give usafounda-- tion more proper to build upon, than that old rotten one, however changed in form, and fuppofed to have been im- proved, if he really has a number of obfervations by him that can be relied on, otherwife it is but continuing the delufion and the danger.

If fhips of war afterwards, that keep the channel, mail come, manned with flout and able feamen, and expert young officers, provided with lines, glafles, good compafles, and a number of boats, then we fhall know thefe foundings, at leaft in part. And then alfo we fh all know the truth of what I now advance, viz. that mips like thole employed hitherto in trading from India (planned and provided as the befl of them are) were incapable, aniidfl unknown tides and currents, and going before a monfoon, whether fouth- ern or northern, of knowing within three leagues where any. one of them had ever dropt his founding line, unlefs he was clofe on board fome ifland, fhoal, remarkable point, or in a harbour.

2 Till.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 26§

Till that time, I would advifc every man failing in the Red Sea, especially in the channel, where the pilots know no more than he, to trull to his own hands for fafety in the minute of danger, to heave the lead at leait every hour, keep a good look-out, and Ihorten fail in a frefh wind, or in the night-time, and to confider all maps of the channel of the Arabian Gulf, yet made, as matters of mere curioiity, and not fit to trull a man's life to. Any captain in the India fervice, who had run over from Jidda into the mouth of the river Frat, and the neighbouring port Rillit, which might every year be done for L. 10 Sterling extra expences, would do more meritorious fervice to the navigation of that fea, than all the foundings that were ever yet made from Jib*- bel Zekir to the illand of Shcduan.

From Yambo to Jidda I had flcpt little, making my me- moranda as full upon the fpot as poflible. I had, beiides, an aguifh diforder, which very much troubled me, and in drefs and cleanlinefs was fo like a Galiongy (or Turkifh fea- man) that the * Emir Bahar was aftonifhed at hearing my fervants fay I was an Englifhman, at the time they carried away all my baggage and initruments to the cuftom-houfe. He fent his fervant, however, with me to the Bengal-houfe, who promifed me, in broken Englilli, all the way, a very magnificent reception from ,my countrymen. Upon his naming all the captains for my choice, I deiired to be car- ried to a Scotchman, a relation of my own, who was then acci- dentally leaning over the rail of the flair-cafe, leading up

to

Captain of the- port.

e7o TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

to his apartment. I faluted him by his name ; he fell into a violent rage, calling me villain, thief, cheat, an&renegado rofcal; and declared, if I offered to proceed a tlep further, he would throw me over flairs. I went away without reply, his cur- fes and abufe followed me long afterwards. The fervant, my conductor, fcrewed his mouth, and fhrugged up his moulders. " Never fear, fays he, I will carry you to the left of them all." We went up an oppofite flair-cafe, whilfl I thought within myfelf, if thofe are their India manners, I fhall keep my name and fituation to myfelf while 1 am at Jidda. I flood in no need of them, as I had credit for iooo fequins and more, if I fhould want it, upon Youfef Cabil, Vizir or Gover- nor of Jidda.

I was conducted into a large room, where Captain Thorn- hill was fitting, in a white callico waiflcoat, a very high- pointed white cotton night-cap, with a large tumbler of water before him, feemingly very deep in thought. The Emir Bahar's fervant brought me forward by the hand, a little within the door; but I was not defirous of advam ng much farther, for fear of the falutation of being thrown down flairs again. He looked very fleadily, but not flern- ly, at me ; and defired the fervant to go away and fLut the door. " Sir, fays he, are you an Englifhman ?" — I bowed. — *' You furely are fick, you fhould be in your bed, have you been long fickr" — I faid, " long Sir," and bowed. — " Are you wanting a paflage to India?" — I again bowed. — " Well, fays he, you look to be a man in diflrefs ; if you have a fecret, I fhall refpecl: it till you pleafe to tell it me, but if you want apafTage to India, apply to no one butThornhill of the Bengal merchant. Perhaps you are afraid of fomebody, if fo, afk for Mr Greig, my lieutenant, he will carry you on board my fl ip

directly?

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 271:

directly, where you will be fafe." — " Sir, faid I, I hope you will find me an honefl man, I have no enemy that I know, either in Jidda or elfewhere, nor do I owe any man any thing." — " I am fure, fays he, I am doing wrong, in keeping a poor man Handing, who ought to be in his bed. Here! Philip! Philip!" — Philip appeared. " Boy," fays he, in Portu- guefe, which, as I imagine, he fuppofed I did not under- Hand, " here is a poor Englifhman, that mould be either in his bed or his grave ; carry him to the cook, tell him to give him as much broth and mutton as he can eat ; the fellow feems to have been flarved, but I would rather have the feeding of ten to India, than the burying of one at Jidda."

Philip de la Cruz was the fon of a Portuguefe lady, whom Captain Thornhill had married ; a boy of great talents, and excellent difpofition, who carried me with great willingnefs to the cook. I made as aukward a bow as I could to Capt. Thornhill, and faid, " God will return this to your honour fome day." Philip carried me into a court-yard, where they ufed to expofe the famples of their India goods in large bales. It had a portico along the left-hand fide of it, which feemed deligned for a liable. To this place I was introduced^ and thither the cook brought me my dinner. Several of the Englifli from the veffels, lafcars, and others, came in to look at me ; and I heard it, in general, agreed among them, that I was a very thief-like fellow, and certainly a Turk, and d n them if they mould like to fall into my hands.

I fell fall afleep upon the mat, while Philip was order- ing me another apartment. In the mean time, fome of my people had followed the baggage to the Cuflom-houfe,, and fome of them flaid on board the boat, to prevent the

. 3 Bitfemtg;

2,72 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

pilfering of what was left. The keys had remained with me, and the Vizir had gone to fleep, as is ufual, about mid- day. As foon as he awaked, being greedy of his prey, he fell immediately to my baggage, wondering that fuch a quantity of it, and that boxes in fuch a curious form, fhould belong to a mean man like me ; he was therefore full of hopes, that a fine opportunity for pillage was now at hand. He afked for the keysof the trunks, my fervant faid, they were with me, but he would go inilantly and bring them. That, however, was too long to ftay ; no delay could poffi- bly be granted. Accuftomed to pilfer, they did not force the locks, but, very artiil like, took off the hinges at the back, and in that manner opened the lids, without opening the -locks.

The firft thing that prefented itfelf to the Vizir's fight, was the firman of the Grand Signior, magnificently written and titled, and the inscription powdered with gold duft, and wrapped in green taffeta. After this was a white fattin bag, addreffed to the Khan of Tartary, with which Mr Peyffonel, French conful of Smyrna, had favoured me, and which I had not delivered, as the Khan was then prifoner at Rhodes. The next was a green and gold iilk bag, with letters directed to the Sherriffe of Mecca ; and then came a plain crimfon-fattin bag, with letters addreffed to Metical Aga, f word bearer (or Scholar, as it is called) of the Sherriffe, or his great minifter and favourite. He then found a letter from Ali Bey to him- felf, written with all the fuperiority of a Prince to a Have.

In this letter the Bey told him plainlv, that he heard the governments of Jidda, Mecca, and other States of the Sher- liffe, were difoxderly, ami that merchants., coming about

their

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE.

273

their lawful bufinefs, were plundered, terrified, and detain- ed. He therefore intimated to him, that if any fuch thing happened to me, he fhould not write or complain, but he would fend and punifh the affront at the very gates of Mec- ca. This was very unpleafant language to the Vizir, be- caufe it was now publicly known, that Mahomet Bey Abou Dahab was preparing next year to march againft Mecca, for fome offence the Bey had taken at the Sherriffe. There was alfo another letter to him from Ibrahim Sikakeen, chief of the merchants at Cairo, ordering him to furnifh me with a thoufand fequins for my prefent ufe, and, if more were needed, to take my bill.

These contents of the trunk were fo unexpected, that Ca- bil the Vizir thought he had gone too far, and called my fervant in a violent hurry, upbraiding him, for not telling who I was. The fervant defended himfelf, by faying, that neither he, nor his people about him, would fo much as re- gard a word that he fpoke ; and the cadi of Medina's prin- cipal fervant, who had come with the wheat, told the Vizir plainly to his face, that he had given him warning enough, if his pride would have fuffered him to hear it.

All was now wrong, my fervant was ordered to nail up the hinges, but he declared it would be the laft action of his life ; that nobody opened baggage that way, but with Intention of ftealing, when the keys could be got ; and, as there were many rich things in the trunk, intended as prefents to the Sherriffe, and Metical Aga, which might have been taken out, by the hinges being forced off before he came, he warned his hands of the whole procedure, but Vol. I. Mm knew

^74 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

knew his mailer would complain, and loudly too, and would be heard both at Cairo and Jidda. The Vizir took his refo- lution in a moment like a man. He nailed up the baggage, ordered his horfe to be brought, and attended by a num- ber of naked blackguards (whom they call foldiers) he came down to the Bengal houfe, on which the whole fadory took alarm.

About twenty-fix years before, the Englifli traders from India to Jidda, fourteen in number, were all murdered, fit- ting at dinner, by a mutiny of thefe wild people. The houfe has, ever fince, lain in ruins, having been pulled down and forbidden to be rebuilt.

Great inquiry was made after the Englifli noblemany whom nobody had feen; but it was faid that one of his fervants was there in the Bengal houfe ; I was fitting drink- ing coffee on the mat, when the Vizir's horfe came, and the whole court was filled. One of the clerks of the cuf- tom-houfe afked me where my matter was ? I faid, " In. heaven." The Emir Bahar's fervant new brought forward the Vizir to me, who had not difmounted himfclf. He re- peated the lame queflion^ where my mailer was ? — I told him, I did not know the purport of his queflion, that I was the perfon to whom the baggage belonged, which he had. taken to the cuftom-houfe, and that it was in my favour the Grand Signior and Bey. had written. He feemed very much furprifed, and afked me how I could appear in fuch a drefs? -*-" You cannot aik that ferioufly, faid I ; I believe no pru- dent man would drefs better, confide ring the voyage I iUve made.. But, befides, you did not leave it in my power,

as

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. w

as every article, but what I have on me, has been thefe four hours at the cuftom-houfe, waiting your pleafure."

We then went all up to our kind landlord, Captain Thornhill, to whom I made my excufe, on acount of the ill ufage I had firft met with from my own relation. He laugh- ed very heartily at the narrative, and from that time we lived in the greateft friendfhip and confidence. All was made up, even with Youfef Cabil ; and all heads were em- ployed to get the ftrongeft letters poflible to the Naybe of Mafuah, the king of Abymnia, Michael Suhul the minifter, and the king of Sennaar.

Metical Aga, great friend and protector of the Englifh at Jidda, and in effect, we may fay, fold to them, for the great prefents and profits he received, was himfelf originally an Abyffinian flave, was the man of confidence, and directed the fale of the king's, and Michael's gold, ivory, civet, and fuch precious commodities, that are paid to them in kind; he furnifhed Michael, likewife, with returns in fire-arms ; and this had enabled Michael to fubdue Abyflinia, murder the king his mafter, and feat another on his throne.

On the other hand, the Naybe of Mafuah, whofe iiland belonged to the Grand Signior, and was an appendage of the government of the Baiha of Jidda, had endea- voured to withdraw himfelf from his allegiance, and fet up for independency. He paid no tribute, nor could the Bafha,who had no troops, force him, as he was on the Abyf- finian fide of the Red Sea. Metical Aga, however, and the Bafha, at laft agreed ; the latter ceded to the former the iiland and territory of Mafuah, for a fixed fum annually;

M m 2 and

276 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

and Metical Aga appointed Michael, governor of Tigre, re- ceiver of his rents. The Naybe no fooner found that he was to account to Michael, than he was glad to pav his tribute, and give prefents to the bargain ; for Tigre was the province from which he drew his fuftcnance, and Mi- chael could have over-run his whole territory in eight days, which once, as we fhall fee hereafter, belonged to Abyfli- nia. Mctical's power being then univerfally acknowledg- ed and known, the next thing was to get him to make ufe; of it in my favour.

We knew of how little avail the ordinary futile recom- mendations of letters were. We were veteran travellers,, and knew the ftyle of the Eaft too well, to be duped by let- ters of mere civility. There is no people on the earth more perfectly polite in their correspondence with one another, than are thofe of the Eaft ; but their civility means little • more than the fame fort of expreffions do in Europe, to ihew you that the writer is a well-bred man. But this would by no means do in a journey fo long, fo dangerous^ and fo ferious as mine.

We, therefore, fet about procuring effective letters, letters of bufmefs and engagement, between man and man ; and we all endeavoured to make Metical Aga a very good man, but no great head-piece, comprehend this per- fectly. My letters from Ali Bey opened the affair to him, and firft commanded his attention. A very handfome pre- sent of piftols, which I brought him, inclined him in my favour, becaufe, as I was bearer of letters from his fuperior, I might have declined bellowing any prefent upon him.

3 The,

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 277

The Englifh gentlemen joined their influence, powerful enough, to have accomplifhed a much greater end, as every one of thefe have feparate friends for their own affairs, and all of them were delirous to befriend me. Added to thefe was a friend of mine, whom I had known at Aleppo, Ali Zimzimiah, /. e. ' keeper of the holy well at Mecca,' a poll of great dignity and honour. This man was a mathematician, and an aftronomer, according to their degree of knowledge in that fcience.

All the letters were written in a ftyle fuch as I could have defired, but this did not fuffice in the mind of a very friendly and worthy man, who had taken an attachment to me fmce my firft arrival. This was Captain Thomas Price, of the Lion of Bombay. He firft propofed to Metical Aga, to fend a man of his own with me, together with the letters, and I do firmly believe, under Providence, it was to this laft meafure I owed my life. With this Captain Thorn- hill heartily concurred, and an Abyflinian, called Mahomet Gibberti, was appointed to go with particular letters be- fides thofe I carried myfelf, and to be an eye-witnefs of my reception there.

There was fome time neceffary for this man to make ready, and a coniiderable part of the Arabian Gulf ftill re- mained for me to explore. I prepared, therefore, to fet out from Jidda, after having made a confiderable flay in it.

Of all the new things I yet had feen, what mofl afbonifh- ed me was the manner in which trade was carried on at this place. Nine fhips were there from India; fome of them worth, I fuppofe, L. 200,000. One merchant, a Turk, living

at

278 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

at Mecca, thirty hours journey off, where no Chriflian dares go, whilil the whole Continent is open to the Turk for cfcape, offers to purchafe the cargoes of four out of nine of theie fliips himfelf ; another, of the fame caft, comes and fays, he will buy none, unlefs he has them all. The fam- ples are fhewn, and the cargoes of the whole nine (hips are carried into the wildeft part of Arabia, by men with whom one would not wifli to truft himfelf alone in the field. This is not all, two India brokers come into the room to fettle the price. One on the part of the India captain, the other on that of the buyer the Turk. They are neither Mahometans nor Chriftians, but have credit with both. They fit down on the carpet, and take an India Ihawl, which they carry on their moulder, like a napkin, and fpread it over their hands. They talk, in the mean time, indifferent converfation, of the arrival of fhips from India, or of the news of the day, as if they were employed in no ferious bufinefs whatever. After about twenty minutes fpent in handling each others fingers below the fliawl, the bargain is concluded, fay for nine fhips, without one word ever having been fpoken on the fubjecl, or pen or ink ufed in any fhape whatever. There never was one inftance of a difpute happening in thefefaks.

But this is not yet all, the money is to be paid. A pri- vate Moor, who has nothing to fupport him but his cha- racter, becomes refponfible for the payment of thefe car- goes ; his name was Ibrahim Saraf when I was there, u e. Ibrahim the Broker. This man delivers a number of coarfe hempen bags, full of what is fuppofed to be money. He marks the contents upon the bag, and puts his feal upon the firing that ties the mouth of it. This is received for what is marked upon it, without any one ever having open- ed

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 27^

ed one of the bags, and, in India, it is current for the value marked upon it, as long as the bag lafls.

Jidda is very unwholefome, as is, indeed, all the eaft coaft of the Red Sea. Immediately without the gate of that town, to the eaftward, is a defert plain filled with the huts of the Bedoweens, or country Arabs, built of long bundles of fpartum, or bent grafs, put together like fafcines. Thefe Bedoweens fupply Jidda with milk and butter. There is no ftirring out of town, even for a walk, unlefs for about half a mile, in the fouth fide by the fea, where there is a number of ftinking pools of ftagnant water, which contri- butes to make the town very unwholefome.

Jidda, befides being in the moil unwholefome part of Arabia, is, at the fame time, in the mofl barren and defert lituation. This, and many other inconveniencies, under which it labours, would, probably, have occafioned its being abandoned altogether, were it not for its vicinity to Mecca, and the great and fudden influx of wealth from the India trade, which, once a-year, arrives in this part, but does not continue, paffing on, as through a turnpike, to Mecca; whence it is difperfed all over the eaft. Very little advan- tage however accrues to Jidda. The cuftoms are all-imme-- diately fent to a needy fovereign, and a hungry fet of re- lations, dependents and miniflers at Mecca. The gold is re- turned in bags and boxes, and pafTes on as rapidly to the fhips as the goods do to the market, and leaves as little profit behind. In the mean time, provifions rife to a prodi- gious price, and this falls upon the townfmen, while all the profit of the traffic is in the hands of ftrangers ; mofl of whom, after the market is over, (which does not lafl fix

weeks)

s8o TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

weeks) retire to Yemen, and other neighbouring countries, which abound in every fort of provifion.

Upon this is founded the obfervation, that of all Maho- metan countries none are fo monogam as thofe of Jidda, and no where are there fo many unmarried women, altho' this is the country of their prophet, and the permimon of marrying four wives was allowed in this diftrict. in the firft inflance, and afterwards communicated to all the tribes.

But Mahomet, in his permimon of plurality of wives, feems conflantly to have been on his guard, againft fuffer- ing that, which was intended for the welfare of his people, from operating in a different manner. He did not permit a man to marry two, three, or four wives, unlefs he could maintain them. He was interested for the rights and rank of thefe women ; and the man fo marrying was obliged to fhew before the Cadi, or fome equivalent officer, or judge, that it was in his power to fupport them, according to their birth. It was not fo with concubines, with women who were purchafed, or who were taken in war. Every man enjoyed thefe at his pleafure, and their peril, that is, whether he was able to maintain them or not.

From this great fcarcity of provifions, which is the re- mit of an extraordinary concourfe to a place almoft desti- tute of the necefTaries of life, few inhabitants of Jidda can avail themfclves of the privilege granted him by Mahomet. He therefore cannot marry more than one wife, becaufe he cannot maintain more, and from this caufe arifes the want of people, and the large number of unmarried women.

When

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 281

When in Arabia Felix, where every fort of provifion is ex- ceedingly cheap, where the fruits of the ground, the gener- al food for man, are produced fpontaneoufly, the fupport- ing of a number of wives colls no more than fo many flaves or fervants ; their food is the fame, and a blue cotton fhirt, a habit common to them all, is |not more chargeable for the one than the other. The confequence is, that celi- bacy in women is prevented, and the number of people is increafed in a fourfold ratio by polygamy, to what it is in thofe that are monogamous.

I know there are authors fond of fyflem, enemies to free inquiry, and blinded by prejudice, who contend that polygamy, without diftinction of circumftances, is detri- mental to the population of a country. The learned Dr Arbuthnot, in a paper addrefled to the Royal Society*, has maintained this flrange doctrine, in a flill ftranger manner. He lays it down, as his firft pofition, that in ferrane mafculino of our firfl parent Adam, there was imprefied an original neceflity of procreating, ever after, an equal number of males and females. The manner he proves this, has received great incenfe from the vulgar, as containing un unanfwer- able argument. He fliews, by the calling of three dice, that the chances are almoft infinite, that an equal number of males and females mould not be born in any year ; and he pretends to prove, that every year in twenty, as taken from the bills of mortality, the fame number of males and females have conflantly been produced, or at leafl a greater proportion of men than of women, to make up for the ha- Vol. I. N n vock

Philofoph. Tranfatt. Vol. 27. p. 186.

282 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

vock occafioned by war, murder, drunkennefs, and all fpc- cies of violence to which women are not fiibjecl:.

I need not fay, that this, at leaft, fufficiently fhcws the weaknefs of the argument. . For, if the equal proportion had been in femine mafculino of our firfl parent, the confequence mull have been, that male and female would have been in- variably born, from the creation to the end of all things. And it is a fuppolition very unworthy of the wifdom of God, that, at the creation of man, he could make an allowance for any deviation that was to happen, from crimes, againfl the commiflion of which his pofitive precepts ran. Weak as this is, it is not the weakcll part of this artificial argu- ment, which, like the web of a fpider too finely woven, whatever part you touch it on, the whole falls to pieces. .

After taking it for granted, that he has proved the equa- lity of the two fexes in number, from the bills of mortality in London, he next fuppofes, as a confequence, that all the world is in the fame predicament ;. that is, that an equal number of males and females is produced every where. Why Dr Arbuthnot, an eminent phyfician (which furcly implies an informed naturalill) fliould imagine that this inference would hold, is what I am not able to account for. He mould know, let us fay, in the countries of the eafl, that fruits, flowers, trees, birds, fifh, every blade of grafs, is com- monly different, and that man, in his appearance, diet, ex- ercife, pleafure, government, and religion, is as widely dif- ferent ; why he mould found the ifTue of an Afiatic, how- ever, upon the bills of mortality in London, is to the full as abfurd as to affert, that they do not wear either beard or whifkers in Syria, becaufe that is not the cafe in London.

I AM

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. z83

I am well aware, that it maybe urged by thofe who per- mit themfelves to fay every thing, bccaufe they are not at pains to confider any thing, that the courfe of my argument will lead to a defence of polygamy in general, the fuppofed doctrine of the Thelypthora * Such reflections as thefe, unlefs introduced for merriment, are below my animadver- fion ; all I fhall fay on that topic is, that they who find en* couragcment to polygamy in MrMadan's book, the Thelyp- thora, have read it with a much more acute perception than perhaps I have done ; and I ihall be very much miflaken, if polygamy increafes in England upon the principles laid down in the Thelypthora.

England, fays Dr Arbuthnot, enjoys an equality of both fexes, and, if it is not fo, the inequality is fo imperceptible, that no inconvenience has yet followed. What we have now to inquire is, Whether other nations, or the majority of them, are in the fame fituation ? For, if we arc to decide by this, and if we mould happen to find, that, in other countries, there are invariably born three women to one man, the conclufion, in regard to that country, mult be, that three women to one man was the proportion of one fex to the other, impreiled at the creation infemne of our firft parent.

I confess I am not fond of meddling with the globe before the deluge. But as learned men feem inclined to think that Ararat and Euphrates are the mountain and river of antediluvian times, and that Mefopotamia, or Diarbekir, is the ancient fituation of the terreuriai paradife, I cannot give

N n 2 Dr

: A late publication of-Dr Madati's, little ur.derflood, as it would fe«m.

284 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

Dr Arbuthnot's argument fairer play*, than to tranfport my- felf thither ; and, in the fame fpot where the neceflity was impofed of male and female being produced in equal num- bers, inquire how that cafe Hands now. The pretence that climates and times may have changed, the proportion can- not be admitted, fince it has been taken for granted, that it exifts in the bills of mortality in London, and governs them to this day ; and, fince it was founded on neceflity, which muft be eternal.

Now, from a diligent inquiry into the fouth, and fcrip- ture-part of Mefopotamia, Armenia, and Syria, from Mouful (or Nineveh) to Aleppo and Antioch, I find the proportion to be fully two women born to one man. There is indeed a fraction over, but not a confiderable one. From Latikea, Laodicea ad mare, down the coaft of Syria to Sidon, the num- ber is very nearly three, or two and three-fourths to one man. Through the Holy Land, the country called Horan, in the Ifthmus of Suez, and the parts of the Delta, unfrequented by flrangers, it is fomething lefs than three. But, from Suez to the ftraits of Babelmandeb, which contains the three Arabias, the portion is fully four women to one man, which, I have reafon to believe, holds as far as the Line, and 300 beyond it.

The Imam of Sana* was not an old man when I was in Arabia Felix in 1769; but he had 88 children then alive, of whom 14 only were fons.— The prieil of the Nile had 70 and

odd

' Sovereign of Arabia Felix, whofe capital is Sana,

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 285

odd children ; of whom, as I remember, above 50 were daughters.

It may be objected, that Dr Arbuthnot, in quoting the bills of mortality for twenty years, gave moll unexception- able grounds for his opinion, and that my fmgle afTertion of what happens in a foreign country, without further foun- dation, cannot be admitted as equivalent teftimony ; and I am ready to admit this objection, as bills of mortality there are none in any of thefe countries. I mail therefore fay in what manner I attained the knowledge which I have jufl mentioned. Whenever I went into a town, village, or in- habited place, dwelt long in a mountain, or travelled jour- nies with any fet of people, I always' made it my bufinefs to inquire how many children they had, or their fathers, their next neighbours, or acquaintance. This not being a captious queftion, or what any one would fcruple to an- fwer, there was no intereft to deceive ; and if it had been poflible, that two or three had been fo wrong-headed among the whole, it would have been of little confequence.

I then afked my landlord at Sidon, (fuppofe him a wea- ver,) how many children he has had ? He tells me how many fons, and how many daughters. The next I afk is a fmith, a tailor, a filk-gatherer, the Cadi of the place, a cow- herd, a hunter, a fifher, in lhort every man that is not a ftranger, from whom I can get proper information. I fay, therefore, that a medium of both fexes ariling from three or four hundred families indiscriminately taken, mall be the proportion in which one differs from the other ; and this, I am confident, will give the remit to be three women

to

286 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

to one man in 500 out of the 900 under every meridian of the globe.

Without giving Mahomet all the credit for abilities that fome have done, we may furely fuppofe him to know what happened in his own family, where he mull have feen this great difproportion of four women born to one man ; and from the obvious confequences, we are not to wonder that one of his firft cares, when a legiflator, was to rectify it, as it flruck at the very root of his empire, power, and religion. With this view, he enacted, or rather revived, the law which gave liberty to every individual to marry four wives, each of whom was to be equal in rank and honour, without -my preference but what the predilec- tion of the hulband gave her. By this he fecured civil rights to each woman, and procured a means of doing a- way that reproach, of dying -without ijlie, to which the minds of the whole fex have always been fenfible, whatever their religion was, or from whatever part of the world they came.

Many, who are not converfant with Arabian hiflory, have imagined, that this permimon of a plurality of wives was given in favour of men, and have taxed one of the moll political, neceffary meafures, of that legiflator, arifing from mo- tives merely civil, with a tendency to encourage lewdnefs, from which it was very far diflant. But, if they had con- fidered that the Mahometan law allows divorce without any caufi affigned, and that, every day at the pleaiure of the man ; befides, that it permits him as many concubines as he can maintain, buy with money, take in war, or gain by the ordinary means of addrefs and l'olicitations, — they will think

fuch

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 287

ftich a man was before fufficiently provided, and that there was not the leafl reafon for allowing him to marry four wives at a time, when he was already at liberty to marry a new one every day.

DrArbuthnot lays it down as a felf-evident pofuion, that four women will have more children by four men, than the fame four women would have by one. This aflTer- tion may very well be difputed, but ftill it is not in point. For the queftion with regard to Arabia, and to a great part of the world befides, is, Whether or not four women and one man, married, or cohabiting at difcretion, mall produce more children, than four women and one man who is de- barred from cohabiting with any but one of the four, the others dying unmarried without the knowledge of man ? or, in other words, Which fhall have moft children, one man and one woman, or one man and four women ? This queftion I think needs no difcuilion.

Let us now confider, if there is any further reafon why England mould not be brought as an example, which Ara^ bia, or the Ealt in general, are to follow.

Women in England are commonly capable of child-bear- ing at fourteen, let the other term be forty-eight, when they bear no more ; thirty-four years, therefore, an Englifh wo- man bears children. At the age of fourteen or fifteen they are objects of our love; they are endeared by-bearing us - children after that time, and none I hope will pretend, that, at forty-eight and fifty, an Englifh woman is not an agree- able companion. Perhaps the Iaft years, to thinking minds, . are fully more agreeable than the firft. We grow old toge- -

theiy...

a88 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

ther, we have a near profpect of dying together; nothing can prefent a more agreeable picture of focial life, than mono- gamy in England.

The Arab, on the other hand, if flie begins to bear chil- dren at eleven, feldom or never has a child after twenty. The time then of her child-bearing is nine years, and four women, taken altogether •, have then the term of thirty-fix. So that the Englifh woman that bears children for thirty-four years, has only two years lefs than the term enjoyed by the four wives whom Mahomet has allowed; and if it be grant- ed an Englifh wife may bear at fifty, the terms are equal.

But there are other grievous differences. An Arabian girl, at eleven years old, by her youth and beauty, is the ob- ject of man's defire ; being an infant, however, in under- Handing, fhe is not a rational companion for him. A man marries there, fay at twenty, and before he is thirty, his wife, improved as a companion, ceafes to be an object of his de- fires, and a mother of children ; fo that all the beft, and moll vigorous of his days, are fpent with a woman he can- not love, and with her he would be deflined to live forty, or forty-five years, without comfort to himfelf by increafe of family, or utility to the public.

The reafons, then, againft polygamy, which fubfift in England, do not by any means fubfift in Arabia ; and that being the cafe, it would be unworthy of the wifdom of God, and an unevennefs in his ways, which we fhall never fee, to fubject two nations, under fuch different circumftances, abfolutcly to the fame obfervances.

I CONSIDER

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 289

I consider the prophecy concerning Ifhmael, and his def- cendants the Arabs, as one of the moll extraordinary that we meet with in the Old Teftament. It was alfo one of the earlieft made, and proceeded upon grounds of private repa- ration. Hagar had not finned, though flie had fled from Sarah with Ifhmael her fon into the wildernefs. In that defert there were then no inhabitants, and though Ifh- mael's * fucceinon was incompatible with God's promife to Abraham and his fon Ifaac, yet neither Hagar nor he ha- ving finned, juftice required a reparation for the heritage which he had loft. God gave him that very wildernefs which before was the property of no man, in which Ifh- mael was to ere<5t a kingdom under the moll improbable circumftances poffible to be imagined. His f hand was to be againft every man, and every man's hand againft him. By his fword he was to live, and pitch his tent in the face of his brethren.

Never has prophecy been fo completely fulfilled. It fub- fifted from the earlieft ages ; it was verified before the time of Mofes ; in the time of David and Solomon ; it fubfifted in the time of Alexander and that of Auguftus Csefar ; it fubfifl- ed in the time of Juftinian,— all very diftant, unconnecled periods ; and I appeal to the evidence of mankind, if, with- out apparent fupport or neceffity, but what it has derived from God's promife only, it is not in full vigour at this very day. This prophecy alone, in the truth of which all forts of Vol. I. o o religions

* Gen. xv. 1 8. J Gen. xvi. 12.

290

TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

religions agree, is therefore of itfelf a fufficient proof, with- out other, of the Divine authority of the fcripture.

Mahomet prohibited all pork, and wine ; two articles which rauft have been, before, very little ufed in Arabia. Grapes, here, grow in the mountains of Yemen, but never arrive at maturity enough for wine. They bring them down for this purpofe to Loheia, and there the heat of the climate turns the wine fourbefore they can clear it of its faeces fo as to make it drinkable ; and we know that, before the appearance of Mahomet, Arabia was never a wine country. As for fwine, I never heard of them in the peninfula, of Arabia, (unlefs perhaps wild in the woods about Sana,) and it was from early times inhabited by Jews before the com- ing of Mahomet. The only people therefore that ate fwine's flefh mull have been Chriftians, and they were a feci: of lit- tle account. Many of thefe, however, do not eat pork yet, but all of them were, opprefled and defpifed every- where, and there was no inducement for any other people to imi- tate them.

Mahomet then prohibiting only what was merely neu- tral, or indifferent to the Arabs, indulged them in that to which he knew they were prone.

At the feveral conversations I had with the Englifh mer- chants at Jidda, they complained grievoufly of the manner in \.-hich they were opprefled by the iherrifFe of Mecca and his officers. The duties and fees were increafed every voyage; their privileges all taken away, and a moft deflruclive mea- fure introduced of forcing them to give prefents, which was only an inducement to opprefs, that the gift might be the

greater

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 291

greater. I afked them if I mould obtain from the Bey of Cairo permiflion for their mips to come down to Suez, whi- ther there were merchants in India who would venture to undertake that voyage ? Captain Thornhill promifed, for his part, that the very feafon after fuch permiffion mould arrive in India, he would difpatch his fhip the Ben- gal Merchant, under command of his mate Captain Greig, to whofe capacity and worth all his countrymen bore very ready teftimony, and of which I myfelf had formed a very good opinion, from the feveral converfations we had to- gether. This fcheme was concerted between me and Cap- tain Thornhill only ; and tho' it mull be confeffed it had the appearance of an airy one, (fince it was not to be at- tempted, till I had returned through Abyffinia and Nubia, againft which there were many thoufand chances,) it was executed, notwithstanding, in the very manner in which it had been planned, as will be after ftated.

The kindnefs and attention of my ^countrymen did not leave me as long as I was on more. They all did me the honour to attend me to the water edge. If others have ex- perienced pride and premmption, from gentlemen of the Eaft-Indies, I was moll happily exempted from even the ap- pearance of it at Jidda. Happy it would have been for me,, if I had been more neglected.

All the quay of Jidda was lined with people to fee the Englifh falute, and along with my veffel there parted, at the fame time, one bound to Mafuah, which carried Mahomet Abd el cader, Governor of Dahalac, over to his government,

O o 2 Dahalac

a

292 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

Dahalac * is a large ifland, depending upon Mafuah, but which has a feparate firman, or commiffion, renewed every two years. This man was a Moor, a fervant of the Naybe of Mafuah, and he had been at Jidda to procure his firman from Metical Aga, while Mahomet Gibberti was to come with me, and was to bring it to the JSfaybe. This Abd el ca- der no fooner was arrived at Mafuah, than, following the turn of his country for lying, he fpread a report, that a great man, or prince, whom he left at Jidda, was coming fpeedily to Mafuah ; that he had brought great prefents to the Sherriffe and Metical Aga ; that, in return, he had received a large fum in gold from the Sherriffe's Vizir, Youfef Cabil; befides as much as he pleafed from the Englifh, who had done nothing but feafl and regale him for the feveral months he had been at Jidda; and that, when he departed, as this great man was now going to vint the Imam in Arabia Felix, all the Englifh fhips hoifled their colours, and fired their can- non from morning to night, for three days fucceflively, which was two days after he had failed, and therefore what lie could not poflibly have feen. The confequence of all this was, the Naybe of Mafuah expected that a man with immenfe treafures was coming to put himfelf into his bands. I look therefore upon the danger I efcaped there as fuperior to all thofe put together, that I have ever been expofed to : of fuch material and bad confequence is the moll contemp- tible of all weapons, the tongue of a liar and a fool !

Jidda

* The ifland of .the Shepherds.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 293

Jidda is in lat. 2S0 o' 1" north, and in long. 39e 16' 45" eaft of the meridian of Greenwich. Our weather there had few changes. The general wind was north-weft, or more northerly. This blowing along the direction of the Gulf -brought a great deal of damp along with it ; and this damp increafes as the feafon advances. Once in twelve or four- teen days, perhaps, we had a fouth wind, which was always dry. The higheft degree of the barometer at Jidda, on the 5th of June, wind north, was 26° 6', and the loweft on the 1 8th of fame month, wind north-weft, was 250 7'. The higheft degree of the thermometer was 970 on the 12th of July, wind north, the loweft was 780 wind north.

CHAP.

a^4 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

=«^g^i**=

CHAP. XII.

Sails from Jidda — Konfodah — Ras Hel'i. boundary of Arabia Felix — • Arrives at Loheia — Proceeds to the Straits of the Indian Ocean — Ar- rives there Returns by Azab to Loheia.

IT was on the 8th of July 1769 I failed from the harbour of Jidda on board the fame veffel as before, and I fuffer- ed the Rais to take a fmall loading for his own account, up- on condition that he was to carry no paflengers. The wind was fair, and we failed through the Englifh fleet at their anchors. As they had all honoured me with their regret at parting, and accompanied me to the fhore, the Rais was fur- prifed to fee the refped paid to his little veffel as it pafTed under their huge Herns, every one hoifting his colours, and faluting it with eleven guns, except the fliip belonging to my Scotch friend, who mewed his colours, indeed, but did not fire a gun, only Handing upon deck, cried with the

trumpet, " Captain wifhes Mr Bruce a good voyage."

I Hood upon deck, took my trumpet, and anfwered, " Mi- Bruce wifhes I aptain a fpeedy and perfed return of

his underflanding ;" a wifh, poor man, that has not yet been accomplifhed, and very much to my regret, it does not appear probable that ever it will, That night having pafT- ed

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 295

ed a clutter of fhoals, called the Shoals of Sana, we anchor- ed in a fmall bay, Merfa Gedan, about twelve leagues from the harbour of Jidda.

The 9th of July, we palTed another fmall road called Goofs, and at a quarter paft nine, Raghwan, eaft north-eafl two miles, and, at a quarter pall ten, the fmall Port of Sodi, bearing eaft north-eaft, at the fame diftance. At one and three quarters we palTed Markat, two miles diftant north- eaft by eaft; and a rock called Numan, two miles diftant to the fouth-weft. After this the mountain of Somma, and, at a quarter paft fix, we anchored in a fmall unfafe harbour, called Merfa Brahim, of which we had feen a very rough and incorrect defign in the hands of the gentlemen at Jidda. I have endeavoured, with that \ draught before me, to cor- rect it fo far that it may now be depended upon.

The 10th, we failed, at five o'clock in the morning, with little wind, our courfe fouth and by weft ; I fuppofe we were then going fomething lefs than two knots an hour. At half after feven we palled the ifland Abeled, and two other fmall mountains that bore about a league fouth-weft and by weft of us. The wind frefhened as it approached mid- day, fo that at one o'clock we went full three knots an hour, being obliged to change our courfe according to the lying of the iflands. It came to be about fouth fouth-eaft in the end of the day.

At a quarter after one, we palTed Ras el Afkar, meaning the Cape of the Soldiers, or of the Army. Here we faw fome . trees, and, at a confiderable diftance within the Main, moun- tains to the north-eaft of us. At two o'clock we palTed in

3 the

s96 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

the middle channel, between five fandy iflands, all covered with kelp, three on the eaft or right hand, and two on the weft. They are called Ghman el Abiad, or the White Gardens, I fuppofe from the green herb growing upon the white fand. At half after two, with the fame wind, we paffed an illand bearing eaft from us, the Main about a league dis- tant. At three we paffed clofe to an illand bearing fouth- weft of us, about a mile off. It is of a moderate height, and is called Jibbel Surreine. At half paft four our courfe was fouth-eaft and by fouth; we paffed two iflands to the fouth- eaft of us, at two miles^. and a fmaller, weft fouth-weft a quarter of a mile diftant. From' this to the Main will be about five miles, or fomething more. At fifty minutes after, four, came up to an ifland which reached to Konfodah. We faw to the weft, and weft fouth-weft of us, different fmall iflands, not more than half a mile diftant. We heaved the line, and had no foundings at thirty-two fathom, yet, if any where, I thought there we were to find fhoal water.. At five o'clock, our courfe being fouth-eaft and by fouth, we paffed an ifland a quarter of a mile to the weft of us, and afterwards a number of others in a row ; and, at half paft eight, we arrived at an anchoring-place, but which cannot, be called a harbour, named Merfa Hadotu

The nth, we left Merfa Hadou at four o'clock in the morning. Being calm, we made little way; our courfe was fouth fouth-eaft, which changed to a little more eaft- erly. At fix, we tacked to ftand in for Konfodah harbour, which is very remarkable for a high mountain behind it, whofe top is terminated by a pyramid or cone of very regu- lar proportion. There was no wind to carry us in ; we hoifted out the boat which I had bought at Jidda for my

2 pleafure

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 297

pleafure and fafety, intending it to be a prefent to my Rais at parting, as he very well knew. At a quarter pall eight, wc were towed to our anchorage in the harbour of Kon- fodah.

Konfodah means the town of the hedge-hog* It is afmall village, confifting of about two hundred miferable houfes, built with green wood, and covered with mats, made of the doom, or palm-tree ; lying on a bay, or rather a mallow bafon, in a defert wafte or plain. Behind the town are fmall hil- locks of white fand. Nothing grows on more excepting kelp, but it is exceedingly beautiful, and very luxuriant ; farther in, there are gardens. Fifli is in perfect plenty; but- ter and milk in great abundance; even the defert looks frefhcr than other deferts, which made me imagine that rain fell fometimes here, and this the Emir told me was the cafe.

Although I made a draught of the port, it is not worth the publifhing. For though in all probability it was once deep, fafe, and convenient, yet there is nothing now but a kind of road, under fhelter of a point, or ridge of land, which rounds out into the fea, and ends in a Cape, called Ras Mo- xeffa. Behind the town there is another fmall Cape, upon which there are three guns mounted, but with what h> tention it was not pofhble to guefs.

The Emir Ferhan, governor of the town, was an Abyfli-

nian flave, who invited me on fliore, and we dined together

Vol. I. P p on

Or Porcupine.

298 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

on very excellent provifion, dreffed according to their cuf- tom. He faid the country near the fhore was defert, but a little within land, or where the roots and gravel had fix- ed the fan d, the foil produced every thing, efpecially if they had any fhowers of rain. It was fo long fince I had heard mention of a fhower of rain, that I could not help laughing, and lie feemedto think that he had faidibmething wrong, and begged fo politely to know what I laughed at, that I was obliged to confefs. " The reafon, faid I, Sir, is an ab- furd one. What paffed in my mind at that time was, that J had travelled about two thoufand miles, and above twelve months, and had neither feen nor heard of a.J7jower of ram. till now, and though you will perceive by my converfation that I underfland your language well, for a ftranger, yet I declare to you, the moment you fpoke it, had you afked, what was the Arabic for a mower of rain, I could not have told you. I declare to you, upon my word, it was that which I laughed at, and upon no other account what- ever." " You are going, fays he, to countries where you will have rain and wind, fumciently cold, and where the water in the mountains is harder than the dry land, and people fland upon it *. We have only the remnant of their fhowers, and it is to that we owe our greateft happi- nefs."

I was very much pleafed with his converfation. He feemed to be near fifty years of age, was exceedingly well drefied, had neither gun nor piftol about him, not even a

knife,

* Yemen, or the high land of Arabia Felix, where water freezes,

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 299

knife, nor an Arab fervant armed, though they were all well dreffed ; but he had in his court-yard about threefcore of the fined horfes I had for a long time feen. We dined, juft oppofite to them, in a fmall faloon ftrowed with India carpets ; the walls were covered with white tiles, which I fuppofe he had got from India ; yet his houfe, without, was a very common one, diftinguifhed only from the reft in the village by its fize.

He feemed to have a more rational knowledge of things, and fpoke more elegantly than any man I had converfed with in Arabia. He faid he had loft the only feven fons he had, in one month, by the fmall-pox : And when I at- tempted to go away, he wifhed I would ftay with him fome time, and faid, that I had better take up my lodgings in his houfe, than go on board the boat that night, where I was not perfectly in fafety. On my feeming furprifed at this, he told me, that laft year, a veffel from Mafcatte, on the Indian Ocean, had quarrelled with his people ; that they had fought on the fhore, and feveral of the crew had been killed ; that they had obftinately cruized in the neighbour- hood, in hopes of reprifals, till, by the change of the mon- foon, they had loft their paffage home, and fo were necef- farily confined to the Red Sea for fix months afterwards ; he added, they had four guns, which they called patareroes, and that they would certainly cut us off, as they could not mifs to fall in with us. This was the very worft news that I had ever heard, as to what might happen at fea. Before this, we thought all llrangers were our friends, and only feared the natives of the coaft for enemies ; now, upon a bare defencelefs fhore, we found ourfelves likely to be a prey to both natives and ftrangers.

P p 2 Our

3oo TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

Our Rais, above all, was feized with a panic ; his country- was juft adjoining to Mafcatte upon the Indian Ocean, and they were generally at war. He faid he knew well who thev were, that there was no country kept in better order than Mafcatte ; but that thefe were a fet of pirates, belong- ing to the Bahareen ; that their veffels were ftout, full of men, who carried incenfe to Jidda, and up as far as Mada- gafcar ; that they feared no man, and loved no man, only were true to their employers for the time. He imagined (I fuppofe it was but imagination,) that he had feen a veffel in the morning, (a lug-fail veffel, as the pirate was defcribed to be,) and it was with difficulty we could prevail on the Rais not to fail back to Jidda. I took my leave of the Emir to return to my tent, to hold a confutation what was to be done.

Konfodah is in the lat. 190 7' North. It is one of the moft unwholefome parts on the Red Sea,provifion is very dear and bad, and the water, (contrary to what the Emir had told me) execrable. Goats neiTi is the only meat, and that very dear and lean. The anchorage, from the caftle, bears north-weft a quarter of a mile diftant, from ten to feven fathoms, in fand and mud.

On the 14th, our Rais, more afraid of dying by a fever than by the hands of the pirates, confented willingly to put to fea. The Emir's good dinners had not extended to the boat's crew, and they had been upon fhort commons. The Rais's fever had returned fince he left Jidda, and I gave him fome dofes of bark, after which he foon recovered. But he- was always complaining of hunger, which the black flefli of an old goat, the Emir had given us, did not fatisfy.

We

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 301

We failed at fix o'clock in the morning, having firft, by- way of precaution, thrown all our ballaft over-board, that we might run into fhoal water upon the appearance of the enemy. We kept a good look-out toward the horizon all around us, efpecially when we failed in the morning. I ob- ferved we became all fearlefs, and bold, about noon; but to- wards night the panic again feized us, like children that are afraid of ghofts ; though at that time we might have been fure that all ftranger veffels were at anchor.

We had little wind, and paffed between various rocks to the weftward, continuing our co.urfe S. S. E. nearly, fome- what more eafterly, and about three miles diftant from the fhore. At four o'clock, noon, we paffed Jibbel Sabeia, a fandy ifland, larger than the others, but no higher. To this ifland the Arabs of Ras Heli fend their wives and chil- dren in time of war; none of the reft are inhabited. At five we paffed Ras Heli, which is the boundary between Yemen, or Arabia Felix, and the * Hejaz, or province of Mecca, the firft belonging to the Imam, or king of Sana, the other to- the Sherriffe lately fpoken of.

I desired my Rais to anchor this night clofe under the Cape, as it was perfectly calm and clear, and, by taking a mean of five obfervations of the paffage of fo many ftars, the moft proper for die purpofe, over the meridian,. I determined the latitude of Ras Heli, and confequently the boundary of

the

* Arabia Dsferta,

J

02

TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

the two ftates, Hejaz and Yemen, or Arabia Felix and Arabia Deferta, to be i8° 36' north.

The mountains reach here nearer to the fea. We an- chored a mile from the more in 15 fathoms, the banks were fand and coral ; from this the coaft is better inhabited. The principal Arabs to which the country belongs are Co- trufhi, Sebahi, Helali, Mauchlota, and Menjahi. Thefe are not Arabs by origin, but came from the oppofite coaft near Azab, and were Shepherds, who were ftubborn enemies to Mahomet, but at laft converted ; they are black, and woolly- headed. The mountains and fmall iflands on the coaft, far- ther inland to the eaftward, are in poffeflion of the Habib. Thefe are white in colour, rebellious, or independent Arabs, who pay no fort of obedience to the Imam, or the Sherriffe of Mecca, but occafionally plunder the towns on the coaft.

All the fandy defert at the foot of the mountains is call- ed Tehama, which extends to Mocha. But in the maps it is marked as a feparate country from Arabia Felix, whereas it is but the low part, or fea-coaft of it, and is not a feparate jurifdidion. It is called Tema in fcripture, and derives its name from Taami in Arabic, which fignifies the fea-coaft. There is little water here, as it never rains ; there is alfo no animal but the gazel or antelope, and but a few of them. There are few birds, and thole which may be found are ge- nerally mute.

The 15th, we failed with little wind, coafting along the fhore, fometimes at two miles diftance, and often lefs. The mountains now feemed high. I founded feveral times, and found no ground at thirty fathoms, within a mile of the

» fhore.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 303

more. We pafTed fevcral ports or harbours ; firft Mcrfa Amec, where there is good anchorage in eleven fathom of water, a mile and a half from the fhore ; at eight o'clock, No- houde, with an ifland of the fame name; at ten, a harbour and village called Dahaban. As the fky was quite overcaft, I could get no obfervation, though I watched very attentive- ly. Dahaban is a large village, where there is both water and proviiion, but I did not fee its harbour. It bore E. N. E. of us about three miles diitant. At three quarters paft eleven we came up to a high rock, called Koti/mbal, and I lay to, for obfervation. It is of a dark-brown, approaching to red ; is about two miles from the Arabian more, and produces nothing. I found its latitude to be 17° 57' north. A fmall rock ftands up at one end of the bafe of the moun- tain.

We came to an anchor in the port of Sibt, where I went afhore under pretence of feeking provifions, but in reality to fee the country, and obferve what fort of people the in- habitants were. The mountains from Kotumbal ran in an even chain along the coaft, at no great diftance, but of iiich a height, that as yet we had feen nothing like them. Sibt is too mean, and too fmall to be called a village, even in Arabia. It confilts of about fifteen or twenty mifcrablc huts, built of ftraw; around it there is a plantation of doom- trees, of the leaves of which they make mats and fails, which is the whole manufacture of the place.

Our Rais made many purchafes here. The Cotrufoi, the inhabitants of this village, feem to be as brutifh a people as any in the world. They are perfectly lean, but mufcu- lar, and apparently ftrong; they wear all their own hair,

\ which

3o4 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

which they divide upon the crown of their head. It is black and bufhy, and, although fufficiently long, feems to partake of the woolly quality of the Negro. Their head is bound round with a cord or fillet of the doom leaf, like the ancient diadem. The women are generally ill-favour- ed, and go naked like the men. Thole that are married have, for the moft part, a rag about their middle, fome of them not that. Girls of all ages go quite naked, but feem not to be confcious of any impropriety in their ap- pearance. Their lips, eye-brows, and foreheads above the eye-brow, are all marked with ftibium, or antimony, the common ornament of favages throughout the world. They feemed to be perfectly on an equality with the men, walk- ed, fat, and fmoked with them, contrary to the pra&ice of all women among the Turks and Arabs.

We found no provifions at Sibt, and the water very bad.

We returned on board our veffel at fun-fet, and anchored

in eleven fathom, little lefs than a mile from the more.

About eight o'clock, two girls, not fifteen, fwam off from

the fhorc, and came on board. They wanted ftibium for

their eye-brows. As they had laboured fo hard for it, I gave

them a fmall quantity, which they tied in a rag about their

neck. I had killed three marks this day ; one of them, very

large, was lying on deck. I aiked them if they were not

afraid of that lifli ? They faid, they knew it, but it would

not hurt them, and dclired us to eat it, for it was good,

and made men ftrong. There appeared no fymptoms of

jealoufy among them. The harbour of Sibt is of a femi-

circular form, fcreened between N. N. F.. and S. S. W. but

to the foutli, and fouth weft, it is exoofed, and therefore is

good only in fummei\

4 The

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 305

The 1 6th, at five in the morning, we failed from the port of Sibt, but, the wind being contrary, were obliged to fteer to the W. S. W. and it was not till nine o'clock we could re fume our true courfc, which was fouth-eaft. At half pall four in the afternoon the main bore feven miles eaft, when we paffed an ifland a quarter of a mile in length, called Jibbd Foran, the Mountain of Mice. It is of a rocky quality, with fome trees on the fouth end, thence it rifes infenlibly, and ends in a precipice on the north. At fix, we paffed the ifland * Derege, low and covered with grafs, but round like a fhield, which is the reafon of its name. At half paft fix Ras Tarfa bore E. S. E. of us, diftant about two miles ; and at three quarters after fix we paffed feve- ral other iflands, the largeft of which is called Saraffer. It is covered with grafs, has fmall trees upon it, and, probably, therefore water, but is uninhabited. At nine in the even- ing we anchored before Djezan.

Djezan is in lat. 160 45' north, fituated on a cape, which forms one fide of a large bay. It is built, as are all the towns on the coafl, with ftraw and mud. It was once a very confiderable place for trade, but fince coffee hath been fo much in demand, of which they have none, that commerce is moved to Loheia and Hodeida. It is an ufur- pation from the territory of the Imam, by a Sherriffe of the family of Beni Haffan, called BooariJJj. The inhabitants are all Sherriffes, in other terms, troublefome, ignorant fanatics. Djezan is one of the towns mod fubjecT: to fevers. The Vol. I. Q^q Faren-

/, * Der.ge, from that worj -in Hebrew.

3o6 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

Farenteit *, or worm, is very frequent here. They have great abundance of excellent fifh, and fruit in plenty, which is brought from the mountains, whence alfo they are fup- plied with very good water,

The 17th, in the evening, we failed from Djezan; in the night we paffed feveral fmall villages called Dueime, which I found to be in lat. 160 12' 5" north. In the morning, be- ing three miles diflant from the more, we palled Cape Cof- ferah, which forms the north fide of a large Gulf. The- mountains here are at no great diftance, but they are not . high. The whole country feems perfectly bare and defert, without inhabitants. It is reported to be the moft unwhole- fome part of Arabia Felix.

On the iSth, at feven in the morning, we firft difcovered the mountains, under which lies the town of Loheia. Thefe mountains bore north north-ealt of us, when anchored in three- fathom water, about five miles from the more. The bay is fo fhallow, and the tide being at ebb, we could get no nearer ; the town bore eaft north-eaft of us. Loheia is built upon the fouth-weft fide of a peninfula, furrounded every where, but on the eaft, by the fea. In the middle of this neck there is a fmall mountain which ferves for a for- trefs, and there are towers with cannon, which reach acrofs on each fide of the hill to the more. Beyond this is a plain, where the Arabs intending to attack the town, generally affemble. The ground upon which Loheia Hands is black

earth,

* It figiu&s Pharaoh's worm.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 30?

■earth, and fecms to have been formed by the retiring of the fea. At Loheia we had a very uneafy fenfation, a kind of prickling came into our legs, which were bare, occafion- cd by the fait effluvia, or fleams, from the earth, which all about the town, and further to the fouth, is flrongiy impreg- nated with that mineral.

Fish, and butcher meat, and indeed all forts of provi- fion, are plentiful and reafonable at Loheia, but the water is bad. It is found in the fand at the foot of the mountains, down the fides of which it has fallen in the time of the rain, and is brought to the town in fkins upon camels. There is alfo plenty of fruit brought from the mountains by the Bedowe, who live in the fkirts of the town, and fupply it with milk, firewood, and fruit, chiefly grapes and bananas,

The government of the Imam is much more gentle than any Moorifh government in Arabia or Africa; the people too are of gentler manners,, the men, from early ages, being accuftomed to trade. The women at Loheia are as folicitous to pleafe as thofe of the moll polifhed nations in Europe ; and, though very retired, whether married or unmarried, they are not lefs careful of their drefs and perfons. At home they wear nothing but a long fliift of line cotton-cloth, fuitable to their quality. They dye their feet and hands with * henna, not only for ornament, but as an aftringent, to keep them dry from fweat : they wear their own hair, which is plaited, and falls in long tails behind.

Qji 2 The

' * Lvguftrum ^Egyptiacum Lstifolium.

*o8 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER,

The Arabians confider long and flraight hair as beauth. - 'full The Abymnians prefer the fhort and curled. The Arabians perfume themfelves and their fhifts with a com*- pofition of mufk, ambergreafe, incenfe, and benjoin, which they, mix with the marp horny nails that are at the extre- mity of the fifh furrumbac ; but why.this ingredient is added I know not, as the fmell of it, when burnt, does not at all differ from that of horn. They put all thefe ingredients into a kind of cenfer on charcoal, and ftand over the fmoke of it. The fmell is very agreeable ; but, in Europe, it would be a very expenfive article of luxury. ,

The Arab women are not black, there are even fome ex- - ceedingly fair. They are more corpulent than the men, but are not much efteemed.--The Abyflinian girls:, who are bought for money, are greatly preferred ; among other reafons, becaufe their time of bearing children is longer; few Arabian women have children after ,the age of twenty.

At Loheia we received a- letter from Mahomet Gibberti, telling us, that it would yet be ten days before he could join us, and defiring us to be ready by that time. This hur- ried us extremely, for we were much afraid we mould not have time to fee the remaining part of the Arabian Gulf, to where, it joins, with the Indian Ocean.

On the 2 7th,. in the .evening, we parted from Loheia, but were obliged to tow the boat out. About nine, we anchor- ed between an ifland called Ormook, and the land ; about eleven we fet fail with a wind.' at north-eait, and palled a .duller of iflands on our left.

The

77.

•Ar , V )r/// • '/o/'f/.j// '.

Zand "i /'uitt//i</ /Av'/.''/7/.y ,bp 6 'Jtotauon. ,v to .

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 3^9'

The 28th, at five o'clock in the morning, we faw the fmall illand of Rafab ; at a quarter after fix \vc palled be- tween it and a: large illand called Camanan, where there is a Turkiih garrifon and town, and plenty of good water. At twelve we palled a low round illand, which feemed to confilt of white fand. The weather being cloudy, I could get no obfervation. At one o'clock-we were off Cape Ifrael.

As the weather was fair, and the wind due north and Heady, though little. of it, my Rais laid that w^e had better ftretch over to Azab, than run along the coaft in the direc- tion we were now? going, becaufe, fomewhere between Ho- deida and Cape Nummel, there was foul ground, with which he mould not like to engage in the night. Nothing could be more agreeable to me. For, though I knew the people of Azab were not to be fruited, yet there were two things I thought I might accomplifh, by being on my guard. The one was, to learn what thofe ruins were thatT had heard fo much fpoken of in Egypt and at Jidda, and which are fuppofed to have been works of the Queen of Shcba,whofe country this was. The other was, to obtain the myrrh and frankincenfe-tree, which grow upon that coaft only, but neither of which had as yet been defcribed by any author. -

At four o'clock we pane d a dangerous fh'oal, which is the one I fuppofe our Rais was afraid of If fo,he could not have adopted a worfe meafure, than by ftretching over from Cape Ifrael to Azab in the night; for, had the wind come weiterly, as it foon after did, we mould have probably been on the bank ; as it was, we palled it fomething lefs than a mile, the wind was north, and we were going at a great rate. At fun^fet we faw Jibbel Zekir, with three fmr.M

illands,

5ro TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

illands, on the north fide of it. At twelve at night the wind failing, we found ourfelves about a league from the weft end of Jibbel Zekir, but it then began to blow frefh from the weft; fo that the Rais begged liberty to abandon the voyage to Azab, and to keep our firft intended one to Mocha. For my part, I had no defire at all to land at Mocha. Mr Niebuhr had already been there before us ; and I was fure every ufeful observation had been made as to the coun- try, for he had ftaid there a very considerable time, and was ill ufed. We kept our courfe, however, upon Mocha town.

The 29th, about two o'clock in the morning, we paned fix illands, called Jibbel el Ouree ; and having but indiffer- ent wind, we anchored about nine off the point of the Ihoal, which lies immediately eaft of the north fort of Mocha.

The town of Mocha makes an agreeable appearance from the fea. Behind it there is a grove of palm-trees, that -do not feem to have the beauty of thofe in Egypt, probably owing to their being expofed to the violent fouth-wefters that blow here, and make it very uneafy riding for veftels ; there is, however, very feldom any damage done. The port is formed by two points of land, which make a femi-circle. Upon each of the points is a fmall fort ; the town is in the middle, and if attacked by an enemy, thefe two forts are fo detached that they might be made of more ufe to annoy the town, than they could ever be to defend the harbour. The ground for anchorage is of the very belt kind, fand without coral, which laft chafes the cables all over the Red Sea.

On the 30th, at feven o'clock in the morning, with a gen- tle but Heady wind at weft, we failed for the mouth of the

Indian

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 311

Indian Ocean. Our Rais became more lively and bolder as he approached his own coaft, and offered to carry me for nothing, if I would go home with him to Sheher, but I had already enough upon my hand. It is, however, a voyage fome man of knowledge and enterprife mould attempt, as the country and the manners of the people are very little known. But this far is certain, that there all the precious gums grow ; all the drugs of the galenical fchool, the frankincenfe, myrrh, benjoin, dragons-blood, and a multitude of others, the natural hiftory of which no one has yet given us.

The coaft of Arabia, all along from Mocha to the Straits, is a bold coaft, clofe to which you may run without danger night or day. We continued our courfe within a mile of the more, where in fome places there appeared to be fmall woods, in others a flat bare country, bounded with moun- tains at a confiderable diftance. Our wind frefhened as we advanced. About four in the afternoon we faw the moun- tain which forms one of the Capes of the Straits of Babcl- mandcb, in fhape refembling a gunner's quoin. About fix o'clock, for what reafon I did not know, our Rais infill- ed upon anchoring for the night behind a fmall point. I . thought, at firft, it had been for pilots, ..

The 31ft, at nine in the morning, wexame to-an anchor r above Jibbel Raban, or Pilots Ifland, jufl under the Cape which, on the Arabian fide, forms the north entrance of the Straits. We now faw a fmall veilel enter a round harbour, divided from us by the Cape. The Rais faid he had a de- iign to have anchored there laft night; but as it was trouble- ibme to get out in the morning by the wefterly wind, he intended to run over to Perim ifland to pafs the night,

% and

3i2 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

and give us an opportunity to make what obfervations we pleafed in quiet.

"We caught here a prodigious quantity of the finefl fifh that I had ever before feen, but the filly Rais greatly trou- bled our enjoyment, by telling us, that many of the fifh in that part were poifonous. Several of our people took the alarm, and abftained ; the rule I made ufe of in choofing mine, was to take ail thofe that were likefl the fifh of our own northern feas, nor had' I ever any reafon to complain.

At noon, I made an obfervation of the fun, juft under the Cape of the Arabian more, with a Hadley's quadrant, and found it to be in lat. 120 38' 30", but by many paflages of the flars, obferved by my large aflronomical quadrant in the ifland of Perim, all dedu&ions made, I found the vrue latitude of the Cape mould be rather 1 20 39' 20" north.

Peium is a low ifland, its harbour good, fronting the

Abyffinian more. It is a barren, bare rock, producing, 011

fome parts of it, plants of abfynthium, or rue, in others kelp,

that did not feem to thrive ; it was at this time perfectly

{torched by the heat of the fun, and had only a very faint

appearance of having ever vegetated. The ifland itfelf

is about five miles in length, perhaps more, and about

•two miles in breadth. It becomes narrower at both

ends. Ever fmce we anchored at the Cape, it had begun to

blow ftrongly from the weft, which gave our Rais great

apprehenfion, as, he laid, the wind fumetimes continued in

that point for fifteen days together. This alarmed me not

a little, leaft, by miffing Mahomet Gibberti, we mould lofe

£>ur vovare. We had rice and butter, honey and flour,

2 The

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 313

The fea afforded us plenty of fifli, and I had no doubt but hunger would get the better of our fears of being poilbn- ed : with water we were likewife pretty well fupplied, but all this was rendered ufelefs by our being deprived of lire. In Ihort, though we could have killed twenty turtles a-day, all we could get to make lire of, were the rotten dry roots of the rue that we pulled from the clefts of the rock, which, with much ado, ierved to make fire for boiling our coffee.

The 1 ft of Auguft we ate drammock, made with cold water and raw flour, mixed with butter and honey, but we foon found this would not do, though I never was hungry, in my life, with To much good provifion about me ; for, befides the articles already fpoken of, we had two fkins of wine from Loheia, and a fmall jar of brandy, which I had kept exprefsly for a feaft, to drink the King's health on ar- riving in his dominions, the Indian Ocean. I therefore pro- pofed, that, leaving the Rais on board, myfelf and two men mould crofs over to the fouth fide, to try if we could get any wood in the kingdom of Adel. This, however, did not pleafe my companions. We were much nearer the Arabian ihore, and the Rais had obferved fevcral people on land, who feemed to be fifliers.

If the AbyfTmian more was bad by its being defert, the danger of the Arabian fide was, that we fhould fall into the hands of thieves. But the fear of wanting, even coffee, was fo prevalent, and the repetition of the drammock dofe {o difgufling, that we refolved to take a boat in the even- ing, with two men armed, and fpeak to the people we had feen. Here again the Rais's heart failed him. He faid the inhabitants on that coaft had fire-arms as well as we,

Vol, I. R r and

3i4 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

and they could bring a million together, if they wanted them, in a moment ; therefore we fhould forfake Perim ifland for the time, and, without hoifting in the boat, till we faw further, run with the veflel clofe to the Arabian more. There, it was conceived, armed as we were, with ammunition in plenty, we mould be able to defend our- felves, if thofe we had feen were pirates, of which I had not any fufpicion, as they had been eight hours in our fight,, without having made one movement nearer us ; but I was the only perfon on board that was of that opinion.

Upon attempting to get our veffel out, we found the wind ftrong againft us ; fo that we were obliged, with great difficulty and danger, to tow her round the weft point, at the expence of many hard knocks, which fhe got by the way. During this operation, the wind had calmed confi- derably; my quadrant, and every thing was on board; all our arms, new charged and primed, were laid, covered with a cloth, in the cabbin, when we found happily that 'the wind became due eaft, and with the wind our refolution chan- ged. We were but twenty leagues to Mocha, and not a- bove twenty-fix from Azab, and we thought it better, rather to get on our return to Loheia, than to ftay and live upon drammock, or fight with the pirates for firewood. About fix o'clock, we were under weigh. The wind be- ing perfectly fair, we carried as much fail as our veffel would bear, indeed, till her mafls nodded again. But be- fore we begin the account of our return, it will be neceflary to fay fomething of thefe famous Straits, the commu- nication between the Red Sea and Indian Ocean.

a. This

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 315

This entrance begins to fhew itfelf, or take a fhape be- tween two capes ; the one on the continent of Africa, the other on the peninfula of Arabia. That on the African fide is a high land, or cape, formed by a chain of mountains, which run out in a point far into the fea. The Portuguefe, or Venetians, the firft Chriftian traders in thofe parts, have called it Gardefui, which has no fignification in any language. But, in that of the country where it is fituated, it is called Gardefa/i, and means the Straits of Burial, the reafon of which will be feen afterwards. The oppofite cape is Fartack, on the eait coaft of Arabia Felix, and the diilance between them, in a line drawn acrofs from one to another, not above fifty leagues. The breadth between thefe two lands diminifhes gradually for about 150 leagues, till at laft it ends in the Straits, whofe breadth does not feem to me to be above fix leagues.

After getting within the Straits, the channel is divided into two, by the iiland of Perim, otherwife called Mehun. The inmoft and northern channel, or that towards the Arabian ihore, is two leagues broad at moll, and from twelve to feventeen fathom of water. The other entry is three leagues broad, with deep water, from twenty to thirty fathom. From this, the coait oh both fides runs nearly in a north-weft di- rection, widening as it advances, and the Indian Ocean grows ftraiter. The coaft upon the left hand is part of the king- dom of Adel, and, on the right, that of Arabia Felix. The. paffage on the Arabian fhore, though the narrowed and fhal- loweft of the two, is that moil frequently failed through, and efpecially in the night ; becaufe, if you do not round the fouth-point of the iiland, as near as poilible, in attempt- ing to enter the broad one, but are going large with the

R r 2 wind

W6 TRAVELS TO DiuCOVER

j

wind favourable, you fall in with a great number of low - imail iilands, where there is danger. At ten o'clock, with the wind fair, our -comic altnoft north-eaft, we palled three rocky iilands about a mile on our left.

On the 2d, at fun-rife, we faw land a-head, which we took to be the Main, but, upon nearer approach, and the day becoming clearer, we found two low iilands to the leeward ; one of which we fetched with great difficulty. We found- there the ftock of an old acacia-tree, and two or three bundles of wreck, or rotten fticks, which we gathered with great care ; and all of us agreed, we would eat breakfaft, dinner, and fupper hot, inftead of the cold repafl we had made up- on the drammock in the Straits. We now made fevcral large fires ; one took the charge of the coffee, another boil- ed the rice; we killed four turtles, made ready a dolphin ; got beer, wine, and brandy, and drank the King's health in earneft, which our regimen would not allow us to do in the Straits of Babelmandeb. While this good chear was preparing, I faw with my glafs, firft one man running along the coaft weftward, who did not ftop ; about a. quarter of an hour after, another upon a camel, walking at the ordinary pace, who difmounted juft oppofite to us, and, as I thought, kneeled down to fay his prayers upon the fand. We had launched our boat immediately upon feeing the trunk of the tree on the ifland; fo we were ready, and I ordered two of the men to row me on fhore, which they did.

It is a bay of but ordinary depth, with ftraggling trees, and fome flat ground along the coaft. Immediately behind is a row of mountains of a brownifh or black colour. The man remained modonlefs, fitting on the ground, till the

boat

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 317-

fo'oat was amore, when I jumped out upon the fan J, being armed with a fhort double-barrelled gun, a pair of piilols, and a crooked knife. As foon as the lavage law me amore, he made the bell; of his way to his camel, and got upon his- back, but did not offer to go away.

I sat down on the ground, after taking the white tur- ban off my head, and waving it fevcral times in token of peace, and feeing that he did not ftir,T advanced to him a- bout a hundred yards. Still he flood, and after again wav- ing to him with my hands, as inviting him to approach, 1 made a iign as if 1 was returning to the more. Upon fee- ing this, he advanced feveral paces, and flopt. I then laid my gun down upon the land, thinking that had frightened him, and walked up as near him as he would fufFer me ; that is, till I law he was preparing to go away. I then wav- ed my turban, and cried, Salam, Salam: He Haiti till I was within ten yards of him. He was quite naked, was black, and had a fillet upon his head, either of a black or blue rag, and bracelets of white beads upon both his arms. He ap- peared as undetermined what to do. I fpoke as diitinctly to him as I could, Salam, Allcum. — He anfwered fome thing like Salam, but what it was I know not. I am, faid I, a flranger from India, who came laft from Tajoura in the bay of Zeyla, in the kingdom of Adel. He nodded his head, and . faid fomething in an unknown language, in which I heard the repetition of Tajoura and Adel. I told him I wanted water, and made a fign of drinking. He pointed up the coaft to the eaftward, and faid, Rahecda, then made a iign of drinking, and faid Tybe. I now found that be underftood me, and afked him. where Azab was ? he pointed to a mountain

juii

si8 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

D

jufl before him, and faid, Eh owah Azab Tybe, flill with a reprefcntation of drinking.

I debated with myfelf, whether I mould not take this favage prifoner. He had three fliort javelins in his hand, and was mounted upon a camel. I was on foot, and above the ancles in fand, with only two piflols, which, whether they would terrify him to furrender or not, I did not know ; I mould, otherwife, have been obliged to have fliot him, and this" I did not intend. After having invited him as cour- teoufly as I could, to the boat, I walked towards it my- felf, and, in the way, took up my firelock, which was ly- ing hid among the fand. I faw he did not follow me a flep, but when I had taken the gun from the ground, he fet off at a trot as fafl as he could, to the weftward, and we prefent- ly loft him among the trees.

I returned to the boat, and then to dinner on the ifland, which we named Traitor's Ifland, from the fufpicious beha- viour of that only man we had feen near it. This excurfion loll me the time of making my obfervation ; all the ufe I made of it was to gather fome flicks and camel's dung, which I heaped up, and made the men carry to the boat, to ferve us for firing, if we mould be detained. The wind was very fair, and we got under weigh by two o'clock.

About four we paffed a rocky ifland with breakers on its fouth end, we left it about a mile to the windward of us. The Rais called it Crab-ifland. About five o'clock we came to an anchor clofe to a cape of no height, in a finall bay, in three fathom of water, and leaving a fmall ifland jufl on pur flern. We had not anchored here above ten minutes,

before

THE SOURCE OF HE NILE. 319

before an old man and a boy came down to us. As they had no arms, I went afhore, and bought a fkin of water. The old man had a very thievifh appearance, was quite na- ked, and laughed or fmiled at every word he faid. He fpoke Arabic, but very badly ; told me there was great plenty of every thing in the country whither he would carry me. He faid, moreover, that there was a king there, and a people that, loved ftrangers.

The murder of the boat's crew of the Elgin Eaft-India- man, in that very fpot where he was then fitting and praif- ing his countrymen, came prefently into my mind. I found my hand involuntarily take hold of my piftol, and I was, for the only time in my life, ftrongly tempted to com- mit murder. I thought I faw in the looks of that old vag- rant, one of thofe who had butchered fo many Englifhmen in cold blood..

From his readinefs to come down, and being fo near the place, it was next to impoflible that he was not one of the party. A little reflection, however, faved his life; and I afked him if he could fell us a fheep, when he faid they were coming. Thefe words put me on my guard, as I did not know how many people might accompany them. I therefore delired him to bring me the water to the boat, which the boy accordingly did, and we paid him, in cohol, or flibium, to his wifhes.

Immediately upon this I ordered them to put the boat afloat, demanding, all the time, where were the fheep ? A few minutes afterwards, four ftout young men came down, dragging after them two lean goa.ts, which the old man

main-

j2o TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

maintained to me were fheep. Each man had three light javelins in his hand, and they began to wrangle exceeding- ly about the animals, whether they were Iheep or goats, though they did not feem to underftand one word of our language, but the words peep and goat in Arabic. In five minutes after, their number increafed toeleven, and I thought it was then full time for me to go on board, for every one of them feemed, by his difcourfe and geftures, to be violently agitated, but what they faid I could not comprehend. I drew to the fhore, and then put myfelf on board as foon as poffi- ble. They feemed to keep at a certain diflance, crying out Belled, helled I and pointing to the land, invited me to come aihore ; the old hypocrite alone feemed to have no fear, but followed me clofe to the boat. I then refolved to have a free difcourfe with him. " There is no need, faid I to the old man, to fend for thirteen men to bring two goats. Wc bought the water from people that had no lances, and we can do without the fheep, though we could not want the water, therefore, every man that has a lance in his hand let him go away from me, or I will fire upon him."

They feemed to take no fort of notice of this, and came rather nearer. " You old-grey headed traitor, faid I, do you think I don't know what you want, by inviting me on fhore ; let all thofe about you with arms go home about their bufmefs, or I will in a minute blow them all off the face of the earth. He then jumped up, with rather more agility than his age feemed to promifc, and went to where the others were fitting in a clutter, and after a little con- verfation the whole of them retired.

The

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 321

The old fellow and the boy now came down without fear to the boat, when I gave them tobacco, fome beads, and antimony, and did every thing to gain the father's confidence. But he ftill fmiled and laughed, and I faw clearly he had taken his refolution. The whole burden of his fong was, to per- fuade me to come on more, and he mentioned every induce- ment, and all the kindnefs that he would mew me. " It is fit, you old rogue, faid I, that, now your life is in my hands, you fhould know how much better men there are in the world than you. They were my countrymen, eleven or twelve of whom you murdered about three years ago, in the very place where you are now fitting, and though I could have killed the fame number to-day, without any danger to myfelf, I have not only let them go away, but have bought and fold with you, and given youprefents, when, according to your own law, I mould have killed both you and your fon. Now do not imagine, knowing what I know, that ever you fhall decoy me afhore ; but if you will bring me a branch of the myrrh tree, and of the incenfe tree to- morrow, I will give you two fonduclis for each of them." He faid, he would do it that night. " The fooner the bet- ter, faid I, for it is now becoming dark." Upon this he fent away his boy, who in lefs than a quarter of an hour came back with a branch in his hand.

Icould not contain my joy, I ordered the boat to be drawn upon the fliore, and went out to receive it ; but, to my great difappointment, I found that it was a branch of Acacia, or Sunt, which we had every where met with in Egypt, Sy- ria, and Arabia. I told him, this was of no ufe, repeating the word Gerar, Saiel, Sunt. He anfwered Eh owah Saiel; but being afked for the myrrh (mour), he faid it was far up

Vol. I S f in

322

TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

in the mountains, but would bring it to me if I would go to the town. Providence, however, had dealt more kindly with us in the moment than we expected. For, upon go- ing afhore out of eagernefs to get the myrrh, I faw, not a quarter of a mile from us, fitting among the trees, at leafl thirty men, armed with javelins, who all got up the mo- ment they faw me landed. I called to the boatmen to fet the boat afloat, which they immediately did, and I got quickly on board, near up to the middle in water ; but as I went by the old man, I gave him fo violent a blow upon the face with the thorny branch in my hand, that it felled him to the ground. The boy fled, and we rowed off; but before we took leave of thefe traitors, we gave them a dif- charge of three blunderbufles loaded with piflol-fhot, in the direction where, in all probability, they were lying to fee the boat go off.

I directed the Rais to Hand out towards Crab-ifland, and there being a gentle breeze from the fhore, carrying an eafv fail, we flood over upon Mocha town, to avoid fomc rocks or iilands, which he faid were to the wcflward. While lying at Crab-ifland, I obferved two flars pafs the meridian, and by them I concluded the latitude of that ifland to be if 2 '45" North.

The wind continuing moderate, but more to the fouth- ward, at three o'clock in the morning of the $d, we paffed Jibbel el Ouree, then Jibbel Zekir; and having a fleady gale, with fair and moderate weather, pafling to the wefl- ward of the ifland Rafab, between that and fomc other iilands to the north-eaft, where the wind turned contrary, 1 .' arrived at Lolieia, the 6th, in the morning, being the

third

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 323

third day from the time we quitted Azab. We found every thing well on our arrival at Loheia ; but no word of Ma- homet Gibberti, and I began now to be uneafy. The rains in Abyflinia were to ceafe the 6th of next month, Septem- ber, and then was the proper time for our journey to Gon- dar.

The only money in the country of the * Imam, is a fmall piece lefs than a iixpence, and by this the value of all the different denominations of foreign coin is afcertained. It has four names, Commefh, Loubia, Muchfota, and Harf, but the fh-ft two of thefe are molt commonly ufed.

This money is very bafe adulterated fdver, if indeed there is any in it. It has the appearance of pewter ; on the one fide is written Olmafs, the name of the Imam ; on the o- ther, Emir el Moumcneen, Prince of the Faithful, or True Be- lievers ; a title, firfl taken by Omar after the death of Abou Beer ; and fince, borne by all the legitimate Caliphs. There are likewife Half-commeflies, and thefe are the fmallcft fpecie current in Yemen.

I VENETIAN SEQUIN, <)0

I FONDUCLI, -------- Jjo

n > COMMESHES. I BARBARY SEQUIN, ----- go |

I PATAKA, (/r IMPERIAL DOUAR, 40 J

When the Indian merchants or vefTels are here, the fon- dueli is raifed three eommemes more, though all fpecie is

S f 2 fcarce

Arabia Felix, or Yemen.

324

TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

fcarce in the Imam's country, notwithflanding the quantity continually brought hither for coffee, in filver patakas, that is, dollars, which is the coin in which purchafes of any amount are paid. When they are to be changed into com- meflies, the changer or broker gives you but 39 inftead of 40, fo he gains %L per cent, for all money he changes, that is, by giving bad coin for good.

The long meafure in Yemen is the peek of Stamboul, as they call it ; but, upon meafuring it with a flandard of a Stamboul peek, upon a brafs rod made on purpofe, I found it 26! inches, which is neither the Stambouline peek, the Hendaizy peek, nor the el Belledy peek. The peek of Stam- boul is 23} inches, fo this of Loheia is a diftinc~t peek, which may be called *Yemani.

The weights of Loheia are the rotolo, which are of two forts, one of 140 drachms, and ufed in felling fine, the other 160 drachms, for ordinary and coarfer goods. This laft is divided into 16 ounces, each ounce into 10 drachms ; 100 of thefe rotolos are a kantar, or quintal. The quintal of Yemen, carried to Cairo or Jidda, is 1 1 3 rotolo, becaufe the rotolo of thefe places is 144 drachms. Their weights appear to be of Italian origin, and were probably brought hither when the Venetians carried on this trade. There is another weight, called furanzala, which I take to be the native one of the country. It is equal to 20 rotolo, of 160 drachms each.

The

* That is, the Peek of Arabia Felix, or Yemen.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 325

The cuftoras, which at Mocha are three per cent, upon In- dia goods, are five here, when brought directly from India ; but all goods whatever, brought from Jidda by merchants, whether Turks or natives, pay feven per cent, at Loheia.

Loheia is in lat. i5°4o' 52" north, and in long. 420 58-' 15" eaft of the meridian of Greenwich. — The barometer, at its higheft on the 7th day of Augud, was 260 9', and its lowed 26° 1', on the 30th of July. — The thermometer, when at its higheft, was 990 on the 30th of the fame month, wind nonh- ead ; and its lowed was 8 1° on the 9th of Augud, wind fouth by ead.

On the 3 id of Augud, at four o'clock in the morning, I faw a comet for the fird time. The head of it was fcarce- ly vifible in the telefcope, that is, its precife form, which was a pale indidincl: luminous body, whofe edges were not at all defined. Its tail extended full 200. It feemed to be a very thin vapour, for through it I didinguifhed feveral dars of the fifth magnitude, which feemed to be increafed in fize. The end of its tail had lod all its fiery colour, and was very thin and white. I could didinguifh no nucleus, nor any part that feemed redder or deeper than the red ; for all was a dim-ill-defined fpot. At 4hrs' 1/ 24", on the morning of the 3 id, it was didant 200 40.' from Rigel ; its tail extended to three dars in Eridanus.

The id of September Mahomet Gibberti arrived, bring- ing with him the firman for the Naybe of Mafuah, and let- ters from Metical Aga to *Ras Michael. He alfo brought

a letter

* Governor of the Province of Tigre in Abyjlinia.,

326 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

a letter to me, and another to Achmet, the Naybe's nephew, and future fucceflbr, from Sidi Ali Zimzimia, that is, ' the keeper of IfhmaeFs well at Mecca, called Zim-zim? In this letter, Sidi Ali defires me to put little truft in the Naybe, but to keep no fecret from Achmet his nephew, who would cer- tainly be my friend.

5^ =- ^ffig

CHAP.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 327

=*^S&*

CHAP. XIII.

Sails for Mafuah — Paffes a Volcano — Comes to Dahalac— Troubled with a Chojl — Arrives at Mafuah.

AL L being prepared for our departure, we failed from Loheia on the 3d of September 1 769, but the wind failing, we were obliged to warp the veflel out upon her an- chors. The harbour of Loheia, which is by much the largeft. in the Red Sea, is now fo mallow, and choked up, that, unlefs by a narrow canal through which we enter and go out, there is no where three fathom of Avater, and in many places not half that depth. This is the cafe with all the harbours on the eaft-coaft of the Red Sea, while thofe on the weft are deep, without any banks or bars before them, which is probably owing, as I have already faid, to the vio- lence of the north-weft winds, the only conftant ftrong winds to be met with in this Gulf. Thefe occafion ftrong cur- rents to fet in upon the caft-coaft, and heap up the land and. gravel which is blown in from Arabia.

All next day, the 4th, we were employed at warping out our veiiel againft a contrary wind. The jih, at three quar- ters pail live in the morning, we got under fail with little

wind-

328 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

wind. At half pall nine, Loheia bore eall north-eaft about four leagues diftant ; and here we came in light of feveral fmall, barren, and uninhabited hlands. Booarilh bore fouth- well two miles off; Zebid one mile and a half diftant, eaft and by north ; Amar, the fmalleft of all, one mile fouth ; and Ormook, fouth-eaft by eall two miles.

The Arabs of the mountain, who had attempted to furprife Loheia in the fpring, now prepared for another attack againll it, and had advanced within three days journey. This obli- ged the Emir to draw together all his troops from the neigh- bourhood ; all the camels were employed to lay in an ex- traordinary Hock of water.

Our Rais, who was a Granger, and without connections in this place, found himfelf under great difficulties to pro- vide water enough for the voyage, for we had but a fcanty provifton left, and though our boat was no more than fixty feet long, we had about forty people on board of her. I had indeed hired the veffel for myfelf, but gave the Rais leave to take fome known people paffengers on board, as it was very dangerous to make enemies in the place to which I was going, by fruftrating any perfon of his voyage home, even though I paid for the boat, and Hill as dangerous to take a perfon unknown, whofe end in the voyage might be to defeat my defigns. We were refolved, therefore, to bear away for an illand to the northward, where they faid the water was both good, and in plenty.

In the courfe of this day, we paned feveral fmall hlands, and, in the evening, anchored in feven fathom and a half of water, near a fhoal diftant four leagues from Loheia. We

o there

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 329

there obferved the bearings and diftances of feveral iflands, with which we were engaged; Foofht, W.b.N.^ north, four leagues ; Baccalan N.W.b.W. three leagues ; Baida, a large high rock above the water, with white fteep cliffs, and a great quantity of fea-fowl ; Djund, and Mufracken, two large rocks off the weft point off Baccalan, W.N.W.^ weft, eleven miles ; they appear, at a diftance, like a large heap of ruins : Umfegger, a very fmall ifland, nearly level with the water, W.N.W.i weft four miles diftant ; Nachel, S.E.|E. one league off; Ajerb S.E.b.E.i fouth, two leagues ; Sur- bat, an ifland S.E.b.E.| fouth, diftant ten miles ; it has a marabout or Shekh's tomb upon it : Dahu and Dee, two fmall iflands, clofe together, N.W-i weft, about eleven miles diftant ; Djua S.E.i fouth; it is a fmall white ifland four leagues and a half off: Sahar, W-i north, nine miles off.

On the 6th, we got under fail at five o'clock in the morn- ing. Our water had failed us as we forefaw, but in the evening we anchored at Foofht, in two fathoms water eaft of the town, and here ftaid the following day, our failors being employed in filling our Ikins with water, for they make no ufe of calks in this fea.

Foosht is an ifland of irregular form. It is about live miles from fouth to north, and about nine in circumference. It abounds in good fifh. We did not ufe our net, as our lines more than fupplied us. There were many kinds, paint- ed with the moft beautiful colours in the world, but I al- ways obferved, the more beautiful they were, the worfe for eating. There were indeed none good but thofe that re- fembled the fiih of the north in their form, and plainnefs of their colours. Foofht is low and fandy on the fouth, and Vol. I. T t on

33o TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

on the north is a black hill or cape of. no confiderable height, that may be feen at four leagues off. It has two watering-places; one on the eafb of . the ifland, where we now were, the other on. the well. The water there is bitter,,, but it had been troubled by a. number of little barks, that had been taking in water juft before us.. The manner of filling their goat fkins being a very llovenly one, they take up much of the mud along with it, but we found the water excellent, after it had fettled two or three days ; when it came on board, it was as black as ink... It was incompara- bly the belt water we had drank fmce that of the Nile.

This ifland is covered with a kind of bent grafs, which want of rain, and the conftant feeding of the few goats that are kept here, prevent from growing to any height. The end of the ifland, near the north cape, founds very hollow, underneath, like Solfaterra, near Naples ; and as quantities of pumice ftones are found here, there is great appearance that the black hill was once a volcano. Several large fhclis from the fiih called Biflcr, fome of them twenty inches long, are feen turned upon their faces, on the furface of large flones, of ten or twelve ton weight. Thefe fhells are funk into the ftones, as if they were into paftc, and the ftone raifed round about, fo as to conceal the edge of the Ihell ; a proof that this ftone has, fome time lately, been foft or liquified. For, had it been long ago, the weather and fun would have worn the furface of the ihell, but it feems perfectly entire, and is fet in that hard brown rock, as the ftone of a ring is in a golden chafing.

The inhabitants of Foofht are poor fifhermen, of the fame degree of blac-knefs as thofe between Heli and Djezan ; like

them.

THE SOURCE OE THE NILE. 331

them too, they were naked, or had only a rag about their waift. Their faces are neither ftaincd nor painted. They catch a quantity of fifh called Seajan, which they carry to Loheia, and exchange for Dora and Indian corn, for they have no bread, but what is procured this way. They alfo have a flat fifh, with a long tail to it, whofe fkin is a fpecies of fhagreen, with which the handles of knives and fwords are made. Pearls too are found here, but neither large nor of a good water, on the other hand, they are not dear ; they are the produce of various fpecies of fhells, all Bivalves *

The town confifts of about thirty huts, built with fag- gots of bent grafs or fpartum, and thei e are f iipported with- in with a few flicks, and thatched with the grafs, of which they are built. The inhabitants fecmed to be much terri- fied at feeing us come a-fhore all armed ; this was not done out of fear of them, but, as we intended -to flay on fhorc all night, we wifhed to be in a fituation to defend ourfelves againfl boats of flrollers from the main. The faint, or Ma- rabout, upon feeing me pafs near him, fell flat upon his face, where he lay for a quarter of an hour ; nor would he get up till the guns, which I was told had occafioned his fears, were ordered by me to be immediately fent on board.

On the 7th, hy an obfervation of the meridian altitude of the fun, I found the latitude of Foofht to be 150 59' 43" north. There are here many beautiful fhell-fifh; the con- cha veneris, of ieveral fizes and colours, as alfo fea urchins,

T t 2 or

Sec the article Pearl in the Appendix.

33z TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

or fea-eggs. I found, particularly, one of the pentaphylloid kind, of a very particular form. Spunges of the common fort are likewife found all along this coaft. The bearings and distances of the principal iflands from Foofht are :

Baccalan, and the two rocks Djund 7 m^es

and Mufracken, E. N. E. J

Baida rock, E. by N. 4 miles. Sahar, - - S. E. 3 do. Ardaina, - W.N.W. 8 do, Aideen, - - N.^E. 9 do.

Baccalan is an ifland, low, long, and as broad as Foofht, inhabited by fifhermen ; without water in fummer, which is then brought from Foofht, but in winter they preferve the rain-water in ciflerns. Thefe were built in ancient timeSj when this was a place of importance for the fifhing of pearls, and they are in perfect repair to this day ; neither the ce- ment of the' work, nor the llucco within, having at all fuf- fered. Very violent fhowers fall here from the end of Oc- tober to the beginning of March, but at certain intervals.

All the iflands on this eaft-fide of the channel' belong to the SherrifFe Djezan Booarifh, but none are inhabited ex- cept Baccalan and Foofht. This lad ifland is the raoft con- venient watering-place for mips, bound up the channel from' Jibbel Teir, from which it bears N. E. by E. f E. by the com- pafs, nineteen leagues diftant. It fhould be remembered, however, that the weftern watering-place is mofl eligible,, becaufe, in that cafe, navigators need not engage themfelves among the iflands to the eaflward, where they will have uneven foundings two leagues from the land ; but, though

they

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 33$

they fhould fall to the eaftward of this illand, they will have good anchorage, from nine to eighteen fathoms wa- ter ; the bottom being good fand, between the town and the white rock Baida.

Having fupplied our great and material want of water, we all repaired on board in the evening of the 7th ; we then found ourfelves unprovided with another neceflary, namely fire ; and my people began to remember how cold our ftomachs were from the drammock at Babelmandeb. Firewood is a very fcarce article in the Red Sea. It is, never- thelefs, to be found in fmall quantities, and in fuch only it is ufed. .Zimmer, an ifland to the northward, was known to afford fome ; but, from the time I had landed at Foofht, on the 6th, a trouble of a very particular kind had fallen upon our veffel, of which I had no account till I had return- ed on board.

An Abymnian, who had died on board, and who had been buried upon our coming out from Loheia bay, had been feen upon the boltfprit for two nights, and had ter- rified the failors very much ; even the Rais had been not a little alarmed ; and, though he could not direclly fay that he had feen him, yet, after I was in bed on the 7th, he complained ferioufly to me of the bad confequences it would produce if a gale of wind was to rile, and the ghoft was to keep his place there, and defired me to come forward and fpeak to him. " My good "Rais," laid I, " I am exceedingly tired, and my head achs much with the fun, which hath been violent to-day. You know the Abyflinian paid for his paffage, and, if he does not overload the fhip, (and I appre- hend he fhould be lighter than when we took him on board)

4 I do

334 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

i do not think, that in juflice or equity, either you or I can hinder the ghofl from continuing his voyage Jo Abyffinia, as we cannot judge what ferious bufinefs he may have there." The Rais began to blefs himfelf that he did not know any thing of his affairs. — " Then, faid I," " if you do not find he makes the veffel too heavy before, do not molefl him ; becaufe, certainly if he was to come into any other part of the fhip, or if he was to infill to fit in the middle of you (in the difpolition that you all are) he would be a great- er inconvenience to you than in his prefent poll." The Rais began again to blefs himfelf, repeating a verfe of the Koran; " bifmil'la fheitan rejem," in the name of God keep the devil far from me. " Now, Rais," faid I, " if he does us no harm, you will let him ride upon the boltfprit till he is tired, or till he comes to Mafuah, for I fwear to you, unlefs he hurts or troubles us, I do not think I have any obliga- tion to get out of my bed to moleft him, only fee that he carries nothing off with him.

The Rais now feeined to be exceedingly offended, and faid, for his part he did not care for his life more than any other man on board ; if it was not from fear of a gale of

wind, he might ride on the boltfprit and be d n'd ; but

that he had always heard learned people could fpeak to ghoils. Will you be fo good, Rais, faid I, to flep forward, and tell him, that I am going to drink coffee, and fhould be glad if he would walk into the cabbin, and fay any thing lie has to communicate to me, if he is a Chriftian, and if not, to Mahomet Gibberti. The Rais went out, but, as my fervant told me, he would neither go himfelf, nor could get any perfon to go to the ghofl for him. He came back, however, to drink coffee with me. I was very ill, and ap-

2 prchenllve

THE SOTJTRCE OF THE NILE; J35-

prclicnfive of what the French call a Coup defiled. " Go, laid I to the Rais, to Mahomet Gibberti, who was lying juft before us, tell him that I am a Chriflian, and have no jurif, diclion over ghofls in thefe feas."

A moor called Yafinc, well known to me afterwards, now came forward, and told me, that Mahomet Gibberti had been very bad ever fmce we failed, with fea-fickncfs, and begged that I would not laugh at the fpirit,,or fpeakfo fa- miliarly of him, becaufe it might very poffibly be the devil, who often appeared in thefe parts. The Moor alio defired I would fend Gibberti fome coffee, and order my fervant to boil him fome rice with frefh water from Foolht ; for hi- therto our fifli and our rice had been boiled in fea water, which I conftantly preferred. This bad news of my friend Mahomet banifhed all merriment, J gave therefore the ne- ceffary orders to my fervant to wait upon him, and at the fame time recommended to Yafme to go forward with the Koran in his hand, and read all night, or till we mould get. to Zimmer, and then, or in the morning, bring me an ac- count of what he had feen. .

The 8th, early in- the morning, we failed fromFoomr; but the wind being contrary, we did not arrive at our del tination till near mid-day, when we anchored in an open road about half a mile from the ifland, for there is no har- bour in Baccalan, Foofht, nor Zimmer. I then took my quadrant, and went with the boat afhore, to gather wood. Zimmer is a much fmaller iffand than Foofht, without in- habitants, and without water; though, by the citterns which ftill remain, and are fixty yards fquare, hewed out of the folid rock, we may imagine this was once a place of confe-

quence; :

336 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

quence : rain in abundance, at certain feafons, ftill falls there. It is covered with young plants of rack tree, whofe property it is, as I have already faid, to vegetate in fait wa- ter. The old trees had been cut down, but there was a confiderable number of Saiel, or Acacia trees, and of thefe we were in want.

Although Zimmer is laid to be without water, yet there are antelopes upon it, as alfo hyaenas in number, and it is therefore probable that there is water in fome fubterrane- ous caves or clefts of the rocks, unknown to the Arabs or fimermen, without which thefe animals could not fubfift. It is probable the antelopes were brought over from Arabia for the Sherriffe's pleafure, or thofe of his friends, if they did not fwim from the main, and an enemy afterwards brought the hyaena to difappoint that amufement.. Be that as it will, though I did not myfelf fee the animals, yet I obferved the dung of each of them upon the fand, and in the citterns ; fo the facl does not reft wholly upon the ve- racity of the boatman. We found at Zimmer plenty of the large fhell fifh called Bitter and Surrumbac, but no other. I found Zimmer, by an obfervation of the fun at noon, to be in lat. i6° f North, and from it we obferved the follow- ing bearings and diftances.

Sahaanah, - -	dift.	9	miles,	- - S. by W.
Foolht, - - -	do.	8	do. -	- N.W.byN.i'W.
Aideen, - - -	do.	7	do.	- E.
Ardaina, -	do.	2	do. -	- E. by S.
Rahha.	do.	6	do. -	- N. W.i N.
Doohaarab	do.	21	do,	- W. N. W4 W. We

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE.

337

We failed in the night from Zimmer. When we came nearer the channel, the iflands were fewer, and we had ne- ver lefs than twenty-five fathom water. The wind was conftantly to the north and weft, and, during all the heat of the day, N. N. W. At the fame time we had vifibly a flrong current to the northward.

-*■<

The 9th, at fix o'clock in the morning, the ifland Rapha bore N. E. by eaft, diftant about two leagues, and' in the fame direction we faw the tops of very high mountains in Arabia Felix, which we imagined to be thofe above Djezan; and though thefe could not be lefs than twenty-fix leagues diftance, yet I diftinguifhed their tops plainly, fome mi- nutes before fun-rife. At noon I obferved our latitude to be 1 6° 10' 3" north, fo we had made very little way this day, it being for the moll part calm. Rapha then bore E.| north, diftant thirteen miles, and Doohaarab N. N. W. five miles off. We continued under fail all the evening, but made little way, and ftill lefs during the night.

On the 10th, at feven in the morning, I firft faw Jibbel Teir, till then it had been covered with a mift. I ordered the pilot to bear down directly upon it. All this forenoon our veflcl had been furrounded with a prodigious number of marks. They were of the hammer-headed kind, and two large ones feemed to vie with each other which mould come neareft our venel. The Rais had fitted a large, harpoon with a long line for the large fifli in the channel, and I went to the boltfprit to wait for one of the marks, after having begged the Rais, firft to examine if all was tight there, and if the ghoft had done it no harm by fitting fo many nights upon it. He ihook his head, laughing, and Vol. I, U u faid,

338 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

faid, " The marks feek fomething more fubftantial'tnan ghofts." " If I am not miftaken, Rais, faicl I, this ghoft feeks fomething more fubftantial too, and you fliall fee the end of it."

I struck the largeff fhark about a foot from the head with fuch force, that the whole iron was buried in his bo- dy. He fhuddered, as a perfon does when cold, and fhook the fhaft of the harpoon out of the focket, the weapon being made fo on purpofe ; the fhaft fell acrofs, kept fixt to the line, and ferved as a float to bring him up when he di- ved, and impeded him when he fwam. No falmon fifher ever faw finer fport with a lilh and a rod. He had thirty fathom of line out, and we had thirty fathom more ready to give him. He never dived, but failed round the vefiel like a fliip, always keeping part of his back above water. The Rais, who directed us, begged we would not pull him, but give him as much more line as he wanted; and indeed we faw it was the weight of the line that galled him, for he went round the veffcl without feeking to go farther from us. At laft he came nearer, upon our gathering up the line, and upon gently pulling it after, we brought him along- fide, till we fattened a ftrong boat-hook in his throat : a. man fwung upon a cord was now let down to cut his tail, while hanging on the fliip's fide, but he was, if not abfolute- ly dead, without the power of doing harm. He was eleven feet feven inches from his fnout to his tail, and nearly four feet round in the thickeft part of him. He had in him a dolphin very lately fwallowcd, and about half a yard of blue cloth. He was the largeft, the Rais faid, he had ever, feen, either in the Red Sea or the Indian Ocean.

3. About

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 339

About twenty minutes before twelve o'clock we were about four leagues diftant from the ifland, as near as I .could judge upon a parallel. Having there taken my ob- fervation, and all deductions made, I concluded the latitude of the north end of Jibbel Teir to be 15° 38' north ; thirty- two leagues weft longitude from Loheia, fifty-three eaft longitude fro£i; Mafuah, and forty-fix leagues eaft of the meridian of Jidda. Jibbel Teir, or the Mountain of the Bird, is called by others, Jibbel Douhan, or the Mountain of Smoke. I imagine that the fame was the origin of our name of * Gibraltar, rather than from Tarik, who iirft landed in Spain ; and one of my reafons is, that fo confpicuous a mountain, near, and immediately in the face of the moors of Barbary, muft have been known by fome name, long be- fore Tarik with his Arabs made his defcent into Spain.

The reafon of its being called Jibbel Douhan, the Mountain of Smoke, is, that though, in the middle of the fea, it is a volcano, which throws out fire, and though nearly cxtinguifhed, (mokes to this day. It probably has been the occalion of the creation of great part of the neighbouring iflands. Did it burn now, it would be of great ufe to fhipping in the night, but in the earlieft hif- tory of the trade of that fea, no mention is made of it, as in a ftate of conflagration. It was called Qrrieon in Ptolemy, the Bird-Ifland, the fame as Jibbel Teir. It is likewife call- ed Sheban, from the white fpot at the top of it, which fe#ms to be fulphur, and a part feems to have fallen in, and to

U u 2 have

' Jibbel Teir, the Mountain of the Bird ; corruptly, Gibraltar.

34o TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

have enlarged the crater on this fide. The ifland is four miles from fouth to north, has a peek in form of a pyramid in the middle of it, and is about a quarter of a mile high. It defcends, equally, on both fides, to the fea; has four open- ings at the top, which vent fmoke, and fometimes,in ftrong foutherly winds it is faid to throw out fire. There was no fuch appearance when we pafled it. The -^and is perfect- ly defert, being covered with fulphur and pumice ftones.

Some journals that I have {een are full of indraughts, whirlpools, and unfathomable depths, all around this ifland; I muft however take the liberty of faying to thefe gentle- men, who are otherwife fo very fond of foundings as to diftribute them all over the channel, that they have been unfortunate in placing their unfathomable depths here, and even foundings. It is probable thefe are occafioned by the convulfions in the earth made by this volcano ; but the only indraught we faw was a ftrong current fetting northward, and there are foundings as far as three leagues eaft of it, in $$ fathom water, with a fandy bottom. Between this and the ifland Rafab you have foundings from 20 to $5 fathom, with fand and rocks ; and on the north-eaft fide you have good anchoring, from a league's diftance, till within a cable's length of the more, and there is anchorage five leagues S. \V. by. \V. in twenty-five fathoms, and I believe alfo, in the line from Loheia to Dahalac, the effects of the convulfions of this vulcano. Such, at leaft, is the informa- tion I procured at Mafuah from the pilots ufed to this na- vigation in fearch of fulphur; fuch was the information al- fo of my Rais, who went twice loaded with that comma* dity to his own country at Mafcatte ; no other people go there. Both Abyflinians and Arabians believe that this is-

the

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 341

the entry or paflage by which the devil comes up to this world.

Six leagues E. by S. of this ifland there is a dangerous flioal with great overfalls, on which a French Ihip ftruck in the year 1 75 1 , and was faved with very great difficulty. Jibbel Teir is the point from which all our lhips, going to Jidda, take their departure, after failing from Mocha, and palling the iflands to the fouthward.

We left Jibbel Teir on the i ith with little wind at weft, but towards mid-day it frefhened as ufual, and turned northward to N.N. eaft. We were now in mid-channel, fo that we flood on ftraight for Dahalac till half pall four, when a boy, who went aloft, faw four iflands in a direction N. W. by W.^r weft. We were flanding on with a frefh breeze, and all our fails full, when I faw, a little before fun-fet, a white- fringed wave of the well-known figure of a breaker. I cried to the Rais for God's fake to fhorten fail, for I faw a breaker a-head, ftraight in our way. He faid there was no. fuch thing ; that I had miftaken it, for it was a fea-gull. A- bout feven in the evening we ftruck upon a reef of coral rocks. Arabs arc cowards in all fudden dangers, which they confider as particular directions or mandates of pro- vidence, and therefore not to be avoided. Few uncultiva- ted minds indeed have any calmnefs, or immediate refource in themfclves when in unexpected danger. The Arab fai- lors were immediately for taking the boat, and failing to the iflands the boy had feen. The Abyflinians were for cut- ting up the planks and wood of the infide of the vefTel, and making her a. raft.,

A VIOLENT

342 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

A violent difpute enfued, and after that a battle, when night overtook us, ftill faft upon the rock. The Rais and Yafme, however, calmed the riot, when I begged the paf- feno-ers would hear me. I told them, "You all know, or ihould know, that the boat is mine, as I bought it with my money, for the fafety and accommodation of myfelf and fer- vants ; you know, likewife, that I and my men are all well armed, while you are naked ; therefore do not imagine that we will fuffer any of you to enter that boat, and fave your lives at the expence of ours. On this veffel of 'the Rais is your dependence, in it you are to be faved or to perifh; therefore all hands to work, and get the veffel off, while it is calm ; if me had been materially damaged, flie had been funk before now." They all feemed on this to take cou- rage, and faid, they hoped I would not leave them. I told them, if they would be men, I would not leave them while there was a bit of the veffel together.

The boat was immediately launched, and one of my fervants, the Rais, and two failors, were put on board. They were foon upon the bank, where the two failors got out, who cut their feet at firft upon the white coral, but after- wards got firmer footing. They attempted to pufh the fhip backwards, but Ihe would not move. Poles and handfpikes were tried in order to ftir her, but thefe were not long enough. In a word, there was no appearance of getting her off before morning, when we knew the wind would rife, and it was to be feared me would then be dallied to pieces.. Mahomet Gibberti, and Yafme, had been reading the Koran aloud ever fmce the veffel ftruck. I faid to them in pafiing, "Sirs, would it not be as wife for you to leave your books till you get a-ihore, and lend a hand to the

people f

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 343

people ?" Mahomet anfwered, " that he was fo weak and ficfc, that he could not ftand." But Yafine did not flight the rebuke, he flrippcd himfelf naked, went forward on the veffel, and then threw himfelf into the fea. He, firft , very judicioufly, felt what room there was for Handing, and found the bank was of confidcrable breadth, and that we were fluck upon the point of it ; that it rounded, flaming away afterwards, and feemed very deep at the fides, fo the people, flanding on the right of it, could not reach the vef- fel to pufh it, only thofe upon the point. The Rais and Yafine now cried for poles and handfpikes, which were given them ; two more men let thcmfelvcs down by the fide, and flood upon the bank. I then defired the Rais to get out a line, come a-ftern with the boat, and draw her in the fame direction that they puflied.

As foon as the boat could be towed a-ftern, a great cry- was fet up, that me began to move. A little after, a gentle wind juit made itfelf felt from the eaft, and the cry from the Rais was,Hoift the fore-fail and put it a-back. This being immediately done, and a gentle breeze filling the fore-fail at the time, they all primed, and the vcffel flid gently off, free from the fhoal. I cannot fay I partook of the joy fo fuddenly as the others did. I had always fome fears a plank might have been ftarted ; but we faw the advantage of a veffel being fewed, rather than nailed together, as ihe not only was unhurt, but made very little water, The people were all exceedingly tired, and nobody thought they could enough praife the courage and readinefs of Yafine. From, that day he grew into confideration with me, which increar. fed ever after, till my departure from Abyffinia,-

Thf

344 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

The latitude of our place, at noon, had been 150 32' 12", I reclined my quadrant, and hung it up. Seeing the clear of the Lyre not far from the meridian, I was willing to be certain of that dangerous place we had fallen upon. By- two observations of Lucida Lyra, and Lucida Aquila, and by a mean of both, I found the bank to be in lat. 150 28' 15" north.

There was a circumitance, during the hurry of this transaction, that gave us all reafon to be furprifed. The ghoft was fuppoled to be again feen on the boltfprit, as if pufhing the veflel afhore ; and as this was breaking cove- nant with me, as a paffenger, I thought it was time fome nonce fliould be taken of him, fmce the Rais had referred it entirely to me. I inquired who the perfons were that had feen him. Two moors of Hamazen were the firft that perceived him, and afterwards a great part of the crew had been brought to believe the reality of this vifion. I called them forward to examine them before the Rais, and Mahomet Gibberti, and they declared that, during the night, they had feen him go and come feveral times ; once, he was pufhing againfl the boltfprit, another time he was pulling upon the rope, as if he had an anchor afhore ; after this he had a very long pole, or flick, in his hand, but it fcemed heavy and ftiflT, as if it had been made of iron, and when the vefTel began to move, he turned into a fmall blue flame, ran along the gunnel on the larboard fide of the fhip, and, upon the veflel going off, he disappeared. " Now, faid I, " it is plain by this change of fhape, that he has left us for ever, let us therefore fee whether he has done us any harm or not. Hath any of you any baggage flawed for- wards ?" The flrangers anfwered, " Yes, it is all there. Then

laid

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 345

faid I, go forward, and fee if every man has gothis own. They all did this without lofs of time, when a great noife and con- fufion enfucd ; every one was plundered of fomething, ftibi- um, nails, brafs wire, incenfe and beads ; in fhort, all the precious part of their little flores was flolen.

All the paflengers were now in the utmoft defpair, and began to charge the failors. " I appeal to you, Yafme and Mahomet GibbertL faid I, whether thefe two moors who faw him ofteneft, and were moll intimate with him, have not a chance of knowing where the things are hid ; for in my country, where ghofls are very frequent, they are always affifted in the thefts they are guilty of, by thofc that fee and converfe with them. I fuppofe therefore it is the lame with Mahometan ghofls." " The very fame, faid Mahomet Gibbcrti and Yafme, as far as ever we heard," " Then go, Yafme, with the Rais, and examine that part of the fhip where the moors flept, while I keep them here ; and take two failors with you, that know the fecret places." Before the fearch began, however, one of them told Yafme where every thing was, and accordingly all was found and reflored. I would not have the reader imagine, that I here mean to value myfelf, either upon any fupernatural know- ledge, or extreme fagacity, in fuppofing that it was a piece of roguery from the beginning, of which I never doubted- But while Yafme and the failors were bufy pufhing off the vefTcL and I a-flcrn at an obfervation, Mahomet Gibberti's fervant, fitting by his matter, faw one of the moors go to the repoiitory of the baggage, and, after flaying a little, come out with a box and package in his hand. This he told his mailer, who informed me, and the ghofl finding his aflbciates difcovered, never was feen any more.

Vol. L X x The

346 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

The i 2th, in the morning, we found that this fhoal was a fand bank, with a ridge of coral rocks upon it, which ilretches hither from Selma, and ends a little farther to the northward in deep water. At fun-rife the iflands bore as follow : —

Wowcan, - diflant 5 miles - - S. S. E. ^ E.

. - S.

- - S. W.|S.

- W. by S-i S..

. - N. N. W.

■ - N.W.byN.;N.-

These iflands lie in a femi-circle round this fhoal. There were no breakers upon it, the fea being fo perfectly calm. I fuppofe if there had been wind, it would have bro- ken upon it, as I certainly faw it do before we flruck ; be- tween Megaida and Zober is a fmall fharp rock above the furface of the fea.

We got under fail at fix in the morning, but the wind was very fafb decaying, and foon after fell dead-calm. To- wards eleven, as ufual, it frefhened, and almofl at due north. At noon I found our lat. to be 150 29' 33" north, from which we had the following bearings :■- —

Selma -	do.	- 3	do.
Megaida - -	do. -	■ 4	do.
Zober - - -	do. -	■ 4	do.
Racka	do. -	• 5	do.
Furfh	do, •	■ 4	do.

Selma, - diflant	- 5 miles,	- S.E.VS,
Megaida, - do. - -	4 do. - -	- S. S. E.
Zober, - do.	- 2 do.	S.
Dubia, - - do. - -	5 do* - -	- W.byS.^S,
Racka, - do.	1 do.	- N. W.
Beyoume, - do.	- 5 do. - -	- N.W.byN. Cigala,

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 347

Cigala, - diftant - 6 miles, - - N. Furfh, - do. - - 3 do. - - - N.E.byN.iN.

— and the rocks upon which we flruck, E. by S.|S. fome- thing lefs than five miles off.

At four o'clock in the afternoon we faw land, which our pilot told us was the fouth end of Dahalac. It bore well by ibuth, and was diftant about nine leagues. As our courfe was then well by north, I found that we were going whi- ther I had no intention to land, as my agreement was to touch at Dahalac el Kibeer, which is the principal port, and on the fouth end of the ifland, where the India mips for- merly ufed to refort, as there is deep water, and plenty of fea-room between that and the main. But the freight of four facks of dora, which did not amount to ten millings, was fufficient to make the Rais break his word, and run a rifk of cancelling all the meritorious fervices he had fo long performed for me. So certain is it, that none of thefe people can ever do what is right, where the fmalleft trifle is thrown into the fcale to bias them from their duty.

At fix in the evening we anchored near a fmall ifland called Racka Garbia, or Weft Racka, in four fathom of ftony- ground. By a meridian altitude of Lucida Aquila:, I concluded the lat. to be 1 5° 3 T 30" north, and our bearings as follow: —

Dallacken, - diftant - 3 miles, - - N.E.|E. Dalgroufht, - do. - 5 do. - - S.E.byE.{S. Dellefheb, - - do. - 6 do. - - E.N.E.|E. Dubia, - - do. - 11 do, - - E.byS.VS. Racka Garbia, - do. - 2 do. - - S.W.byW.^S.

Xx2 On

348 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

On the 13th, a little after fun-rife, we continued our courfe weft, and a very little foutherly, with little wind. At eight o'clock we palTed Dalgroufht, north by eaft about a league diftance^and a new ifland, Germ Malco^ weft by north. At noon, I obferved our latitude to be 15° $$' 13" north; and our bearings as follow :-—

Dallacken, -	- diftan	t - 6	mile	s, - - KbyS;
Racka,	do.	- 6	do.	S.E.by&,
Germ Malco,	do.	- 6.	do.	- - S.S.W.
Dalgroufht, -	- do.	- 4	do.	- - E.N. E.
Dennifarek,	do.	- 7	do.	- - N.N.W.
Seide el Arabi,	- do.	- 4	do.	- - W.byS.
Dahal Coufs, -	- do*	- 9	do.	N.W.byN.

The fouth cape of the ifland of Dahalac is called Ras Sboufo, which, in Arabic, means the Cape of Thorns, becaufe upon it are a quantity of funt, or acacia, the thorny-tree which bears the gum-arabic. We continued our courfe along the eaft fide of Dahalac, and, at four o'clock in the afternoon, faw Irwee, which is faid to anfvver to the centre of the ifland. It bore then fouth-weft of us four miles. We alfo faw two fmali iflands, Tarza and Siah el Sezan ; the firft, north bv weft three miles ; the fecond, north-eaft by eaft, but fomething farther. After having again violently ftruck on the coral rocks in the entry, at fun-let. we anchored in the harbour of Dobelew.

This harbour is in form circular, and- fufneiently defend- ed from all winds, but its entrance is too narrow, and with- in, it is full of rocks. The bottom of the whole port is co- vered with large ramifications of white coral, with huge

black

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 349

black ftones ; and I could no where obferve there were above three fathom water, when it was full fea. The pilot in- deed faid there were feven, or twelve at the mouth ; but fo violent a tide ruflied in through the entrance, that no veffel could efcape being driven upon the rocks, therefore I made no draught of it.

Dobelew is a village three miles fouth-weft of the har- bour. It confifts of about eighty houfes, built of Hone drawn from the fea ; thefe calcine like fhells, and make good enough morter, as well as materials for building before burning. All the houfes are covered with bent-grafs, like thofe of Arabia. The 17th, I got my large quadrant a-lhore, and obferved the fun in the meridian in that village, and determined the lat.-ef its fouth-weft extremity, to be 1 j° 42- 2 z" north;

Irwee is a village flill fmallcr than Dobelew, about four miles diftant. From this obfervation, compared with our account, we computed the fouthern cape of Dahalac, called Ras Sbouke, to be in lat. 150 27' 30" ; and Ras Antalou, or the north cape, to be in lat. 150 54' 50'' north.

The whole length of the ifland, whofe direction is from north-weft to fouth-eaft, is thirty-feven miles, and its great- eft breadth eighteen, which did within a very little agree with the account the inhabitants gave us, who made its length indeed fomething more.

Dahalac is by far the largeft ifland in the Red Sea, as none, that we had hitherto feen, exceeded five miles in length, It is low and even, the foil fixed gravel and white

land.-

350 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

fand, mixed with fliells and other marine productions. It is deflitute of all forts of herbage, at leafl in fummer, unlefs a fmall quantity of bent grafs, jufl fufficient to feed the few antelopes and goats that are on the ifland. There is a very beautiful fpecies of this laft animal found here, fmall, fhort- haired, with thin black fharp horns, having rings upon them, and they are very fwift of foot.

This ifland is, in many places, covered with large plan- tations of Acacia trees, which grow to no height, feldom a- bove eight feet, but fpread wide, and turn flat at top, pro- bably by the influence of the wind from the fea. Though in the neighbourhood of Abyffinia, Dahalac does not par- take of its feafons : no rain falls here, from the end of March to the beginning of October ; but, in the intermedi- ate months, efpecially December, January, and February, there are violent mowers for twelve hours at a time, which deluge the ifland, and fill the cifterns fo as to ferve all next fummer ; for there are no hills nor mountains in Dahalac, and eonfequently no fprings.. Thefe cifterns alone preferve the water, and of them there yet remain three hundred and feventy, all hewn out of the folid rock. They fay thefe were the works of the Perfians ; it is more probable they were thofe of the firil rtolemies. But whoever were the conftruetors of thefe magnificent refervoirs, they were a very different people from thofe that now poflefs them, who have not induflry enough to keep one of the three hundred and feventy clear for the ufe of man. All of them are open to every fort of animal, and half full of the filth they leave there, after drinking and waffling in them. The water of Dobelew, and Irwee, tafled flrong of mufk, from the dung of the goats and antelopes, and the fmell before

4 you

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 351

you drink it is more naufeous than the tafle ; yet one of thefe cifterns, cleaned and fliut up with a door, might afford them wholefome fweet water all the year over.

After the rains fall, a prodigious quantity of grafs im- mediately fprings up ; and the goats give the inhabitants milk, which in winter is the principal part of their fubfifl- ence, for they neither plow nor low. All their employ- ment is to work the veffels which trade to the different parts of the coaft. One half of the inhabitants is conftantly on the Arabian fide, and by their labour is enabled to fur- nilh with* dora, and other provifions, the other half who (lay at home ; and when their time is expired, they are re- lieved by the other half, and fupplied with neceffaries in their turn. But the fuflenance of the poorer fort is en- tirely fhell and other fifh. Their wives and daughters are very bold, and expert fiiher-women. Several of them, en- tirely naked, fwam off to our veffel before we came to an anchor, begging handfuls of wheat, 'rice, or dora. They are very importunate and llurdy beggars, and not cafily put off with denials. Thefe miferable people, who live in the villages not frequented by barks from Arabia, arc fome- times a whole year without tailing bread. Yet fuch is the attachment to the place of their nativity, they prefer living in this bare, barren, parched fpot, almofl in want of neceffa- ries of every kind, efpecially of thefe effential ones, bread and water, to thofe pleafant and plentiful countries on both fides of them. This preference we mull not call llrange, for it is univerfal: A flrong attachment to our native

country.

* Millet, or Indian corn.

ySZ TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

country, whatever is its condition, has been impreffed by Providence, for wife ends, in the breafts of all nations ; from Lapland to the Line, you find it written precifely in the fame character.

There are twelve villages, or towns, in Dahalac, little dif- ferent in fize from Dobelew ; each has a plantation of doom- trees round it, which furnifh the only manufacture in the ifland. The leaves of this tree, when dried, are of a gloffy white, which might very eafily be miftaken for fattin; of thefe they make bafkets of furprifmg beauty and neatnefs, ftaining part of the leaves with red or black, and working them into figures very artificially. I have known fome of thefe, refembling ftraw-balkets, continue full of water for twenty-four hours, without one drop coming through. They fell thefe at Loheia and Jidda, the largeft of them for four commefh, or fixpence. This is the employment, or rather amufement of the men who ftay at home ; for they work but very moderately at it, and all of them indeed take fpe- cial care, not to prejudice their health by any kind of fatigue from induftry.

People of the better fort, fu-ch as the Shekh and his rela- tions, men privileged to be idle, and never expofed to the fun, are of a brown complexion, not darker than the inha- bitants of Loheia. but the common fort employed in fifh- ing, and thofe who go conftantly to lea, are not indeed black, but red, and little darker than the colour of new mohogany. There are, befides, blacks among them, who come from Arkeeko and the Main, but even thefe, upon marrying, grow lefs black in a generation.

i The

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 333

The inhabitants of Dahalac feemed to be a fimple, fear- ful, and inoffenfive people. It is the only part of Africa, or Arabia, (call it which you pleafc) where you fee no one carry arms of any kind; neither gun, knife, nor fword, is to be feen in the hands of any one. Whereas, at Loheia, and on all the coaft of Arabia, and more particularly at Yambo, every perfon goes armed ; even the porters, naked, and groaning under the weight of their burden, and heat of the day, have yet a leather belt, in which they carry a crooked knife, fo monftrouily long, that it needs a particu- lar motion and addrefs in walking, not to lame the bearer. This was not always the cafe at Dahalac ; feveral of the Por- tuguefe, on their firft arrival here, were murdered, and the ifland often treated ill, in revenge, by the armaments of that nation. The men leem healthy. They told me they had no difeafes among them, unlefs fometimes in Spring, when the boats of Yemen and Jidda bring the fmall-pox among them, and very few efcape with life that are infected. I could not obferve a man among them that feemed to be fixty years old, from which I infer, they are not long livers, though the air mould be healthy, as being near the chan- nel, and as they have the north wind all fummer, which moderates the heat.

Of all the iflands we had paffed on this fide the channel, Dahalac alone is inhabited. It depends, as do all the reft, upon Mafuah, and is conferred by a firman from the Grand Signior, on the Baflia of Jidda; and, from him, on Metical Aga, then on the Naybe and his fervants. The prefent go- vernor's name was Hagi Mahomet Abd el cader, of whom I have before fpoken, as having failed from Jidda to Mafuah before me, where he did me all the dif-fervice in his power,

Vox.. I. Y y and

'354 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

and nearly procured my affaffmation. The revenue of this governor confifts in a goat brought to him monthly by each of the twelve villages. Every veflel, that puts in there for Mafuah, pays him alio a pound of coffee, and every one from Arabia, a dollar or pataka. No fort of fmall money is current at Dahalac, excepting Venetian glafs-beads, old and new, of all fizes and colours, broken and whole.

Although this is the miferable Hate of Dahalac at pre- fent, matters were widely different in former times. The pearl fifhery flourifhed greatly here, under the Ptolemies ; and even long after, in the time of the Caliphs, it produced a great revenue, and, till the fovereigns of Cairo, of the prefent miferable race of flaves, began to withdraw themfelves from their dependency on the port (for even after the reign of Selim, and the conquefts of Arabia, under Sinan Bafha, the Turkifh gallics were ftill kept up at Suez, whilft Ma- fuah and Suakem had Bafhas) Dahalac was the principal ifland that furnifhed the pearl fifhers, or divers. It was, indeed, the chief port for the fifhery on the fouthern part of the Red Sea, as Suakem was on the north ; and the Bafha of Mafuah paffed part of every fummer here, to avoid the heat at his place of refidence on the Continent.

The fifhery extended from Dahalac and its iflands nearly to lat. 2o°. The inhabited iilands furnifhed each a bark, and lb many divers, and they were paid in wheat, flour, &c. fuch a portion to each bark, for their ufe, and lb much to leave with their family, for their fubliftence ; fo that a few months employment furnifhed them with every thing necellary for the reft of the year. The fifhery was rented, in lattertimes, to the Baft a of Suakem, but there was a place

between

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 355

between Suakem, and the fuppofed river Frat, in lat. 21" 28' north, called Gungunnah, which was referved to the Grand Signior in particular, and a fpecial officer was appointed to receive the pearls on the fpot, and fend them to Conflanti- nople. The pearls found there were of the largeft fize, and inferior to none in water, or roundnefs. Tradition fays, that this was, exclufively, the property of the Pharaohs, by which is meant, in Arabian manufcrip's, the old kings of Egypt before Mahomet.

In the fame extent, between Dahalac and Suakem, was another very valuable nfhery, that of * tortoifes, from which the fineft fhells of that kind were produced, and a great trade was carried on with the Eaft Indies, (China ef- pecially) at little expence, and with very confiderable pro- fits. The animal itfelf (the turtle) was in great plenty, be- tween lat. 1 8° and 200, in the neighbourhood of thofe low fandy iflands, laid down in my chart.

The India trade nourifhed exceedingly at Suakem and Mafuah, as it had done in the profperous time of the Ca- liphs. The Banians, (then the only traders from the Eaft Indies) being prohibited by the Mahometans to enter the Holy Land of the Hejaz, carried all their veflels to Konfo- dah in Yemen, and from thefe two ports had, in return, at the firft hand, pearls, tortoife-fhell, which fold for its weight of gold, in China ; Tibbar, or pure gold of Sennaar, (that from Abyffinia being lefs fo) elephant's teeth, rhinoceros

Y y 2 horns

See the article Tortoife in the Appendix,

356 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

horns for turning, plenty of gum Arabic, caflia, myrrh, frankincenfe, and many other precious articles ; thefe were all bartered, at Mafuah and Suakem, for India goods. But nothing which violence and injuftice can ruin, ever can fubfift under Turkifh government. The Bafhas paying dear- ly for their confirmation at Conltantinople, and uncertain if they mould hold this office Long enough to make reim- burfements for the money they had already advanced, had not patience toilay till the courfe of trade gradually indem- nified them, but proceeding from extortion to extortion, they at laft became downright robbers, feizing the cargo of the mips wherever they could find them, and exercifing the moft mocking cruelties on the perfon they belonged to, flaying the fa&ors alive, and impaling thofe that remained: in their hands, to obtain, by terror, remittances from India. The trade was thus abandoned, and the revenue ceafed. There were no bidders at Conltantinople for the farm, no- body had trade in their heads when their lives were every hour in danger. Dahalac became therefore dependent on the Ballia of Jidda, and he appointed an * Aga, who paid him a moderate ium, and appropriated to himielf the pro- vifions and falary allowed for the pearl filliery, or the great- eft part of them.

The Aga at Suakem endeavoured, in vain, to make the Arabs and people near him work without falary, fo they abandoned an employment which produced nothing but punifhment; and, in time, they grew ignorant of the nihery

m

■* A Subaltern Governor.

THESOURCEOFTHENILE. 357

m which they once were fo well fkilled and had been edu- cated. This great nurfery of feamen therefore was loft, and the gallics, being no longer properly manned, were either given up to rot, or turned into merchant-fhips for carrying the coffee between Yemen and Suez, thefe veffels were un- armed, and indeed incapable of armament, and unfervice- able by their conftruction ; befides, they were ill-manned, and fo carelefsly and ignorantly navigated, that there was not a year, that one or more did not founder, not from ftrefs of weather, (for they were failing in a pond) or from any thing, but ignorance, or inattention.

Trade took again its ancient courfe towards Jidda. The Sherriffe of Mecca, and all the Arabs, were interefted to get it back to Arabia, and with it the government of their own countries. That the pearl fifhing might, moreover, no longer be an allurement for the Turkiih power to main- tain itfelf here, and opprefs them, they difcouraged the practice of diving, till it grew intodefuetude; this brought infenfibly all the people of the illands to the continent, where they were employed in coafting veflels, which con- tinues their only occupation to this day. This policy fuc- ceeded ; the princes of Arabia became again free from the Turkifli power, now but a fhadow, and Dahalac, Mafuah, and Suakem, returned to their ancient matters, to which they are fubjecl at this inftant, governed indeed by Shekhs of their own country, and preferving only the name of Turkifli government, each being under the command of a robber and affaffin..

The immenfe treafurcs in the bottom of the Red Sea3, have thus been abandoned for near two hundred years,

2- though;

35S TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

though they never were richer in all probability than at pre- fent. No nation can now turn them to any profit, but the Englifh Eaft India Company, more intent on multiplying the number of their enemies, and weakening themfelves by fpreading their inconfiderable force over new conquefls,than creating additional profit by engaging in new articles of commerce. A fettlement upon the river Frat, which never yet has belonged to any one but wandering Arabs, would open them a market both for coarfe and fine goods from the fouthern frontiers of Morocco, to Congo and Angola, and fet the commerce of pearls and tortoife ihell on foot again. All this fection of the Gulf from Suez, as I am told, is in their charter, and twenty fhips might be employed on the Red Sea, without any violation of territorial claims. The myrrh, the frankincenfe, fome cinnamon, and variety of drugs, are all in the poffeffion of the weak king of Adel, an ufurper, tyrant, and Pagan, without protection, and willing to trade with any fuperior power, that only would fecure him a miferable livelihood.

If this does not take place, I am perfuaded the time is not far off, when thefe countries mall, in fome fhape or other, be fubjects of a new mailer. Were another Peter, a- nother Elizabeth, or, better than either, another Catharine to fucceed the prefent, in an empire already extended to China; — were filch a fovereign, unfettered by European poli- tics, to profecute that eafy tafk of puihing thofe mounte- banks of fovereigns and ftatefmen, thefe itage-players of government, the Turks, into Afia, the inhabitants of the whole country, who in their hearts look upon her already as their fovereign, becaufe fhe is the head of their religion, would, I am perfuaded, fubmit without a blow that in-

ftant

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 3S9

ftant the Turks were removed on the other fide of the Hel- lefpont.

There are neither horfes, dogs, fheep, cows, nor any fort of quadruped, but goats, affes, a few half-flarved camels and antelopes at Dahalac, which laft are very numerous. The inhabitants have no knowledge of fire-arms, and there are no dogs, nor beads of prey in the ifland to kill them ;. they catch indeed fome few of them in traps.

On our arrival at Dahalac, on the 14th, we faw fwallows there, and, on the 16th, they were all gone. On our land- ing at Mafuah, on the 19th, we faw a few; the 21ft and 2 2d they were in great flocks ; on the 2d of October they were all gone. It was the blue long-tailed fwallow, with the flat head ; but there was, likewifc, the Englifh martin, black, and darkifh grey in the body, with a white breaft.

The language at Dahalac is that of the Shepherds; Arabic too is fpoken by moil: of them. From this ifland we fee the high mountains of HubeJJj, running in an even ridge like a wall, parallel to the coafl, and down to Suakem.

Before I leave Dahalac, I mufl obferve, that, in a wretch- ed chart, in the hands of fome of the Englifh gentlemen at Jidda, there were foundings marked all along the eafl- coafl of Dahalac, from thirteen to thirty fathoms, within two leagues of the more. Now, the iflands I have men- tioned occupy a much larger fpace than that ; yet none of them are fet down in the chart ; and, where the foundings are marked thirty, forty, and even ninety fathom, all is full of fhoals under water, with iflands and funken coral rocks,

3 fome

36o TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

fome of them near the furface, though the breakers do not appear upon them, partly owing to the waves being flea- died by the violence of the current, and fomewhat kept off by the ifland. This dangerous error is, probably, owing to the draughts being compofed from different journals, where the pilot has had different ways of meafuring his diflance ; fome ufmg forty-two feet to a thirty-fecond glafs, and fome twenty-eight, both of them being confidered as one com- petent divifion of a degree ; the diflances are all too fliort, and the foundings, and every thing elfe, confequently out of their places.

Whoever has to navigate in the Abyffinian fide of the channel, will do well to pafs the ifland Dahalac on the eafl fide, or, at lcail, not approach the outmott iiland, Wowcan, nearer than ten leagues ; but, keeping about twelve leagues meridian diftancc weft of Jibbel Teir, or near mid-channel between that and the ifland, they will then be out of dan- ger; being between lat. 150 20' and 150 40', which lafl is the latitude, as I obferved, of Saicl Noora, and which is the northern ifland, we faw, three leagues off Ras Antalou, the northmofl cape of Dahalac.

Both at our entering into the port of Dobelew on the 14th, and our going out of it on the 17th, we found a tide running like a fluke, which we apprehended, in fpite of our fails being full, would force us out of our courfe upon the rocks. I imagine it was then at its greateft ftrength, it now being near the equinoctial full moon. The channel be- tweenTerra rirma and the ifland being very narrow, and the influence of the fun and moon then nearly in the equator,

had

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 361

had occafioned this unufual violence of the tide, by forcing a large column of water through fo narrow a fpace.

On the 17th, after we had examined our veffel, and found fhehad received no damage, andprovidedwater (bad as it was) for the remainder of our voyage, we failed from Dobelew, but, the wind being contrary, we were obliged to come to an anchor, at three quarters paft four o'clock, in ten fathom water, about three leagues from that port, which was to the fouth-weil of us; the bearings and diftances are as follow:—

Derghiman Kibeer,	diftant	10 miles,	- - W.S.W.
Deleda, -	do.	7 do.	- W.byN.
Saiel Sezan, - - -	da	4 do.	- S. E.
Zeteban, - - -	do.	5 do- -	- N.E.
Dahalac, - - -	do.	1 2 do. -	- s.s.w.
Dahalhalem,	do.	1 2 do.	N.W.bvN.

On the 18th, we failed, (landing off and on, wi-th a con- trary wind at north-weft, and a ftrong current in the fame direction. At half paft four in the morning we were forced to come to an anchor. There is here a very mallow and narrow paflage, which I founded myfelf in the boat, barely one and a half fathom, or nine feet of water, and we were obliged to wait the filling of the tide. This is called the Bogaz, which fignifies, as I have before obferved, the narrow and fhallow pailage. It is between the iiland Dahalac and the fouth point of the iiland of Noora, about forty fathom broad, and, on each fide, full of dangerous rocks. The iflands then bore,

Vol, I. Z z Derghiman

difcant	3 miles, -	- s. w:
do..	5 do- -	- s.
do.	4 do. -	- E.N.E.
do.	2 do. . -	- 1ft E UN,

«6i TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

Derghiman Scguier, • Derghiman Kibecr, ' ■ Dahalhalem, - - Noora, - -• -

The tide now entered with an unufual force, and ran more like the Nile, or a torrent, or ltream conducted to turn a mill, than the fea, or the effects of a tide. At half pail one o'clock, there. was water enough to pals, and we foon were hurried through it by the violence, of the current* , driving us in a manner truly tremendous. .

At half after three, .we-pafled between Ras Antalou, the North Cape of Dahalac, and the • fmall ifland Bahalottom, which has fome trees upon it. . On this ifland is the tomb of Shekh * Abou Gafar, mentioned by. Poncet, in his voy- age, who miflakes the name of the faint for that of the ifland. The ftrait between the Cape and the ifland is a mile and a half broad. At four in the afternoon, .we anchored near a a fmall ifland called Sural. All between this and Dahalac,- there is no water exceeding feven fathom, till you are near Dahalac Kibeer, whole port has water for large veffcls, but is open to every point, from fouth-wefl to north-weft,; , and has a great fwell.

All mips coming to the weftward of Dahalac had better, keep within the ifland Drugerut, between that and the main, where there is plenty of water, and room enough to

work.

* Joncet's Voyage, tranflated into Englifh, printed for W. Lewis in 1 709, in 1 zmo, page

121.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 563

work, tho\ even here, there are iilands a-head; and clear wea- ther, as well as a good look-out, will always be necefTary.

On the 19th of September, at three quarters paft fix in the morning, we failed from our anchorage near Surat. At a quarter paft nine, Dargeli, an ifland with trees upon it, bore N. W. by W. two miles and a half diftant ; and Drugerut three leagues and a half north and by eaft, when it fell calm.

At eleven o'clock, we pafied the ifland of "Dergai- ham, bearing N. by Eaft, three miles diftant, and at five in the afternoon we came to an anchor in the harbour of Mafuah, having been * feventeen days on our paflage, in- cluding the day we firft went on board, though this voy- age, with a favourable wind, is generally made in three days ; it often has, indeed, been failed in lefs.

The reader will obferve, that many of the iflands begin with Dahal, and fome with Del, which laft is only an ab- breviation of the former, and both of them fignify ijland, in the language of Beja, othcrwife called Geezy or the lan- guage of the fhepherds. MafTbwa, too, though generally ipclled in the manner I have here expreired it, mould pro- perly be written Mafuah, which is the harbour or water of the Shepherds, Of this nation, fo often mentioned already in this work, as well as the many other people lefs powerful and numerous than they that inhabit the countries be- tween the tropics, or frontiers of Egypt and the Line, it will

Z 2 2 he

* This muft not be attributed wholly to the weather. We fpent much time in furveving the iflands, and in obfervation.

364 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

be necefiary now to fpeak in fome detail, although the con- nexion they all have with the trade of the Red Sea, and with each other, will oblige me to go back to very early times, to the invention of letters, and all the ufeful arts, which had their beginning here, were carefully nourifhed, and came probably to as great a perfe&ion as they did ever fince arrive at any other period,

TRAVELS

iuj— iwc.m

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TO DISCOVER

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE

BOOK II.

ACCOUNT OF THE FIRST AGES OF THE INDIAN AND AFRICAN

TRADE THE FIRST PEOPLING OF ABYSSINIA AND ATBARA

SOME CONJECTURES CONCERNING THE ORIGIN OF LAN- GUAGE THERE.

CHAP. I.

Of the India trade in its earliejl ages — Settlement of Ethiopia — Trogk- dytes — Building of the frft Cities.

TH E farther back we go into the hi (lory of Eaftern na- tions, the more reafon we have to be furprifed at the accounts of their immenfe riches and magnificence. One who reads the hiftory of Egypt is like a traveller walking- through its ancient, ruined, and deferted towns, where all are palaces and temples, without any trace of private or ordinary habitation. So in the earlieft, though now mutila- ted

iC6 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

ted, accounts which we have of them, all is power, fplen- dour, and riches, attended hy the luxury which was the neceflary confequence, without any clue or thread left us by which we can remount, or be conducted, to the fource or fountain whence this variety of wealth had flowed ; without ever being able to arrive at a period, when thefe people were poor and mean, or even in a ftate of mediocri- ty, or upon a footing with European nations.

The facred fcriptures, the moll ancient, as well as the moil credible of all hiilories, reprefent Palefline, of which they particularly treat, in the earliefl ages, as not only full of polifhed, powerful, and orderly Hates, but abounding alfo in filver and gold *, in a greater proportion than is to be found this day in any flate in Europe, though immenfely rich dominions in a new world have been added to the pofTeffion of that territory, which furnifhed the greatefl quantity of gold and filver to the old. Palefline, however, is a poor country, left to its own refourCes and produce merely. It mull have been always a poor country, with- out fome extraordinary connection with foreign nations. It never contained either mines of gold or filver, and though, at mofl periods of its hiftory, it appears to have been but thinly inhabited, it never of itlelf produced wherewithal to fupport and maintain the few that dwelt in it.

Mr de Montesquieu f, fpcaking of the wealth of Semi- ramis, imagines that the great riches of the Affyrian

empire

* Exod. xxxviii 39. f Lib. 21. cap. 6.

THE SOURCE OF T H E NIL E. ^7

empire in her reign, arofe from this queen's having plun- dered fome more ancient and richer nation, as they, in their turn, fell afterwards a prey to a poorer, hut more warlike enemy. But however true this fact may be with regard to Semiramis, it does not folvc the general difficulty, as full the lame queftion recurs, concerning the wealth of that prior nation, which the Afl'yrians plundered, and from which they received their treafure. I believe the ex- ample is rare, that a large kingdom has been enriched by war. Alexander conquered all Alia, part of Africa, and a confiderable portion of Europe; he plundered Semiramis's kingdom, and all thofe that were tributary to her ; he went farther into the Indies than ever fixe did, though her terri- tories bordered upon the river Indus itfelf ; yet neither Ma- cedon, nor any of the neighbouring provinces of Greece, could ever compare with the fmall.diilricts of Tyre and Si-» don for riches.

War difperfes- wealth in the very intlant it acquires it ; but commerce, well regulated, conitantly and honeftly fup- ported, carried on with ceconomy and punctuality, is the only thing that ever did enrich: exteniive kingdoms ; and' one hundred hands employed at the loom will bring to a* country more riches and abundance, than ten thoufand* bearing fpears and fhields. We need not go far to pro- duce an example that will confirm this. The fubjects and neighbours of Semiramis had brought fpices by land' into AiTyria. The Ifhmaelites and IViidianites, the mer- chants and carriers of gold from Ethiopia, and more imme- diately from Paledine, met in her dominions •; and there was, for a time, the mart of the Eaft India trade. But, by an abfurd expedition with an army into India, in hopes to

enricli

368 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

enrich herfelf all at once, fhe effectually ruined that com- merce, and her kingdom fell immediately afterwards.

Whoever reads thehillory of the moll ancient nations, will find the origin of wealth and power to have rifen in the eaft ; then to have gradually advanced weftward, fpreading itfelf at the fame time north and fouth. They will find the riches and population of thofe nations decay in proportion as this trade forfakes them ; which cannot but fugged to a good underftanding, this truth conftantly to be found in the difpoiition of all things in this univerfe, that God makes ufe of the fmalleft means and caufes to operate the greateft and moll powerful effects- In his hand a pepper-corn is the foundation of the power, glory, and riches of India ; he makes an acorn, and by it communicates power and rich- es to nations divided from India by thoufands of leagues of fea.

Let us purfue our confideration of Egypt. Sefoflris, be- fore the time we have been juft fpeaking of, paffed with a fleet of large mips from the Arabian Gulf into the Indian Ocean ; he conquered part of India, and opened to Egypt the commerce of that country by fea. I enter not into the credibility of the number of his fleet, as there is fcarce any thing credible left us about the (hipping and navigation of the ancients, or, at lcaft, that is not full of difficulties and contradictions ; my bufmefs is with the expedition, not with the number of the mips. It would appear he revived, ra- ther than firft difcovered, this way of carrying on the trade to the Eaft Indies, which, though it was at times intermit- ted, (perhaps forgot by the Princes who were contending for the fovereignty of the continent of Alia), was, neverthe-

lcfs,

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 369

lefs, perpetually kept up by the trading nations themfelves, from the ports of India and Africa, and on the Red Sea from Edom.

The pilots from thefe ports alone, of all the world, had a fecret confined to their own knowledge, upon which the fuccefs of thefe voyages depended. This was the pheno- mena of the trade-winds* and monfoons, which the pilots of Sefoftris knew; and which thofe of Nearchus feem to have taught him only in part, in his voyage afterwards, and of which we are to fpeak in the fequel. Hiflory fays further of Sefoftris, that the Egyptians confidered him as their greateft benefactor, for having laid open to them the trade both of India and Arabia, for having overturned the dominion of the Shepherd kings ; and, laftly, for having re- flored to the Egyptian individuals each their own lands, which had been wrefted from them by the violent hands of the Ethiopian Shepherds, during the firft ufurpation of thefe princes.

In memory of his having happily accomplifhed thefe events, Sefoftris is faid to have built a ihip of cedar of a hundred and twenty yards in length, the outfide of which he covered with plates of gold, and the infide with plates of filver, and this he dedicated in the temple of His. I will not enter into the defence of the probability of his reafons for having built a fhip of this fize, and for fuch a purpofe, as one of ten yards would have fufficiently anfwered. The

Vol. I. 3 A ufe

* Thefe are far from being fynonymous terms, as we fliall fee afterwards.

37o TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

ufe it was made for, was apparently to ferve for a hiero- glyphic, of what he had accomplished, viz. that he had laid open the gold and filver trade from the mines in Ethiopia, and had navigated the ocean in iriips made of wood, which were die only ones, he thereby infinuated, that could be employed in that trade. The Egyptian mips, at that time, were all made of the reed papyrus *, covered with fkins or leather, a conftruction which no people could venture to prefent to the ocean.

There is much to be learned from a proper underftand- ing of thefe lait benefits conferred by Seibftris upon his Egyptian fubjects. When we underftand thefe, which is very eafy to any that have travelled in the countries we are fpeaking of, (for nations and caufes have changed very lit- tle in thefe countries to this day), it will not be difficult to find afolution of this problem, What was the commerce that, progreffively, laid the foundation of all that immenfe gran- deur of the eaft ; what polifhed them, and cloathed them with filk, fcarlet, and gold ; and what carried the arts and fciences among thern> to a pitch, perhaps,, never yet furpaf- fed, and this fome thoufands of years before the nations in Europe had any other habitation than their native woods, or eloathing than the nuns of beafts, wild and domeftic, or government, but that flrft, innate one, which nature had given to the flrongeit?

Let us inquire what was the connection Seloftris brought about between Egypt and India ; what was that commerce

3 of

'See the-.art'cle papyrus in the Appendix-

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 37s

of Ethiopia and Arabia, by which he enriched Egypt, and what was their connection with the peninfula of India ; who were thofc kings who bore fo oppofite an office, as to be at the fame time Shepherds ; and who were thofe Shepherds, near, and powerful enough to wreft the property of their lands from four million of inhabitants.

To explain this, k will beneceffary to enter into fome de- tail, without which no perfon dipping into the ancient or modern hiftory of this part of Africa, can have any precife idea of it, nor of the different nations inhabiting the penin- fula, the fource of whofe wealth confifted entirely in the early, but well-eftablifhed commerce between Africa and India. What will make this fubject of more eafy explana- tion is, that the ancient employment and occupations of thefe people in the firft ages, were Hill the fame that fubiift at this day. The people have altered a little by colonies of ftrangers being introduced among them, but their man- ners and employments are the fame as they originally were. What does not relate to the ancient hiftory of thefe people, I fhall only mention in the courfe of my travels when pafs- ing through, or rejourning amongfl them.

Providence had created the inhabitants of the penin- fula of India under many difadvantages in point of climate. The high and wholefome part of the country was covered with barren and rugged mountains ; and, at different times of the year, violent rains fell in large currents down the fides of thefe, which overflowed all the fertile land below ; and thefe rains were no fooner over, than they were fuc- ceeded by a fcorching fun, the effect of which upon the hu- man body, was to render it feeble, enervated, and incapable

3A2 of

372 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

of the efforts neceffary for agriculture. In this flat coun- try, large rivers, that fcarce had declivity enough to run, crept flowly along, through meadows of fat black earth, Itagnating in many places as they went, rolling an abun- dance of decayed vegetables, and filling the whole air with exhalations of the moll corrupt and putrid kind. Even rice, the general food of man, the fafefl and mofl friendly to the inhabitants of that country, could not grow but by laying under water the places where it was fown, and there- by rendering them, for feveral months, abfolutely improper for man's dwelling. Providence had done this, but, never failing in its wifdom, had made to the natives a great deal more than a fufficient amends.

Their bodies were unfit for the fatigues of agriculture, nor was the land proper for common cultivation. But this country produced fpices of great variety, efpecially a fmall berry called Pepper, fuppofed, of all others, and with reafon, to be the greateft friend to the health of man. This o-rew fpontaneoufly, and was gathered without toil. It was, at once, a perfect remedy for the inclemencies and difeafes of the country, as well as the fource of its riches, from the demand of foreigners. This fpecies of fpice is no where known but in India, though equally ufeful in every putrid region, where, unhappily, thefe difeafes reign. Pro- vidence has not, as in India, placed remedies fo near them, thus wifely providing for the welfare of mankind in gene- ral, by the dependency it has forced one man to have upon another. In India, and fimilar climates, this fpice is not tiled in fmall quantities, but in fuch, as to'be nearly equal

to that of brc ad.

a In

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 37

-.

In cloathing, Providence had not been lefs kind to India. The filk worm, with little fatigue and trouble to man, al- moft without his interference, provided for him a ftuft, at once the fofteft, the moft light and brilliant, and confe- quently the belt adapted to warm countries ; and cotton, a vegetable production, growing every where in great abun- dance, without care, which may be confidered as almoft e- qual to filk, in many of its qualities, and fuperior to it in fome, afforded a variety Hill cheaper for more general ufe. Every tree without culture produced them fruit of the moil excellent kind; every tree afforded them made, under which, with a very light and portable loom of cane, they could pafs their lives delightfully in a calm and rational en- joyment, by the gentle exercife of weaving, at once provid- ing for the health of their bodies, the neceflities of their fa- milies, and the riches of their country.

But however plentifully their fpices grew, in whatever quantity the Indians confumed them, and however gene- rally they wore their own manufactures, the fuperabun- dance of both was fuch, as naturally led them to look out for articles againil which they might barter their fuperflui- tics. This became ncceflary to fupply the wants of thofc things that had been with-held from them, for wife ends, or which, from wantonnefs, luxury, or ilcnder necemty, they had created in their own imaginations.

Far to the weilward of them, but part of the fame con- tinent, connected by a long defert, and dangerous coaft, was the peninfula of Arabia, which produced no fpices, tho' the neceflities of its climate fubjected its inhabitants to the fame difcafcs as thofc in India. In fact, the country and

climate

374- TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

climate were exactly fimilar, and, confequently, the plenti- ful ufe of thefe warm productions was as neccflary there, as in India, the country where they grew.

It is true, Arabia was not abandoned wholly to the incle- mency of its climate, as it produced myrrh and frankin- cenfe, which, when ufed as perfumes or fumigations, were powerful antifeptics of their kind, but adminiilered rather as preventatives, than to remove the diforder when it once prevailed. Thefe were kept up at a price, of which, at this day, we have no conception, but which never diminifhed from any circumftance, under which the country where they grew, laboured.

The filk and cotton of India were white and colourlefs, liable to foil, and without any variety ; but Arabia produced gum and dyes of various colours, which were highly agree- able to the tafte of the Afiatics. We find the facred fcrip- tures fpeak of the party-coloured garment as the mark of the greateft honour *. Solomon, in his proverbs, too, fays, •that he decked his bed with coverings of tapeftry of Egypt t- But Egypt had neither filk nor cotton manufactory, no, nor even wool. Solomons coverings, though he had them from Egypt, were therefore an article of barter with India.

Balm, or Balfam J, was a commodity produced in Arabia, fold at a very high price, which it kept up till within thefe

few

* Gen. xxxvii. 3 and 2 Sam. xiii. 18. + Prov. vii. 16.

% Vide Appendix, where this tree is defcribed.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 37s

few centuries in the eaft ; when the Venetians carried on the India trade by Alexandria, this Balfam then fold for its weight in gold ; it grows in the fame place, and, I believe, nearly in the fame quantity as ever, but, for very obvious reafons*, it is now of little value.

The bafis of trade, or a connection between thefe two countries, was laid, then, from the beginning, by the hand of Providence. The wants and neceflities of the one found a fupply, or balance from the other. Heaven had placed, them not far diilant, could the paffage be made by fea ; but violent, fleady, and unconquerable winds prefented them- felves to make that pafTage of the ocean impoffible, and we are not to doubt, but, for a very confiderable time, this was the reafon why the commerce of India was diffufed through the continent, by land only, and from this arofe the riches of Semiramis.

But, however precious the merchandife of Arabia was, it. was neither in quantity, nor quality, capable of balancing the imports from India. Perhaps they might have paid for as much as was ufed in the peninfula of Arabia itfelf, bur, beyond this there was a vaft continent called Africa, capa- ble of confirming many hundred fold more than Arabia ; which lying under the fame parallel with India, part of it Hill farther fouth, the difeafes of the climate, and the wants of its numerous inhabitants, were, in many parts of it, the fame as thofe of Arabia and India ; befides which there was

the

*" The quantity of fimilar drug1; brought from the New World..

376 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

the Red Sea, and divers communications to the north- ward.

Neither their luxuries nor neceffaries were the fame as thofe of Europe. And indeed Europe, at this time, was probably inhabited by ihepherds, hunters, and fifhers, who had no luxury at all, or fuch as could not be fupplied from India ; they lived in woods and marfhes, with the animals which made their fport, food, and cloathing.

The inhabitants of Africa then, this vaft Continent, were to be fupplied with the neceffaries, as well as the luxuries of life, but they had neither the articles Arabia wanted, nor thofe required in India, at leaft, for a time they thought fo ; and fo long they were not a trading people.

It is a tradition among the AbyiTinians, which they fay they have had from time immemorial, and which is equally received among the Jews and Chriftians, that almoft imme- diately after the flood, Cufh, grandfon of Noah, with his family, pairing through Atbara from the low country of Egypt, then without inhabitants, came to the ridge of mountains which ftill feparates the flat country of Atbara from the more mountainous high-land of Abyiiinia.

By calling his eye upon the map, the reader will fee a chain of mountains, beginning at the Ifhhmus of Suez, that runs all along like a wall, about forty miles from the Red Sea, till it divides in lat. 1 30, into two branches. The one goes along the northern frontiers of Abyflinia, crofTes the Nile, and then proceeds weftward, through Africa towards the Atlantic Ocean. The other branch goes fouthward, and

then

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 377

then eafl, taking the form of the Arabian Gulf; after which, it continues fouthward all along the Indian Ocean, in the fame manner as it did in the beginning all along, the Red Sea, that is parallel to the coafl.

Their tradition fays, that, terrified with the late dread- ful event the flood, flill recent in their minds, and appre- henfive of being again involved in a fimilar calamity, they chofe for their habitation caves in the fides of thefe moun- tains, rather than trull themfelves again on the plain. It is more than probable, that, loon after their arrival, meet- ing here with the tropical rains, which, for duration, flill exceed the days that occafioned the flood, and obferving, that going through Atbara, that part of Nubia between the Nile and Aflaboras, afterwards called Meroe, from a dry cli- mate at firft, they had after fallen in with rains, and as thofe rains increafed in proportion to their advancing fouthward, they chofe to flop at the firfl mountains, where the country was fertile and pleafant, rather than proceed farther at the rifk of involving themfelves, perhaps in a land of floods, that might prove as fatal to their poflerity as -that of Noah had been to their anceflors.

This is a conjecture from probability, only mentioned for illuilration, for the motives that guided them cannot certainly be known ; but it is an undoubted facl, that here the Cufhkes, with unparalleled induflry, and with inflruments utterly unknown to us, formed for themfelves commodi- ous, yet wonderful habitations in the heart of mountains of granite and marble, which remain entire in great num- bers to this day, and promife to do fo till the confummation of all things. This original kind of dwellings foon ex-

Vol. I. 3 B tended

378 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

tended themfelves through the neighbouring mountains. As the Cufhites grew populous, they occupied thofe that were next them, fpreading the induftry and arts which they cul- tivated, as well to the eaftern as to the weftern ocean, but, content with their firft choice, they never defcended from their caves, nor chofe to refide at a diftance on the plain.

It is very lingular that St Jerome does not know where to look for this family, or dependents of Cum ; though they are as plainly pointed out, and as often alluded to by fcripture, as any nation in the Old Teflamcnt. They are defcribed, moreover, by the particular circumflances of their country, which have never varied, to be in the very place where I now fix them, and where, ever fince, they have remained, and ftill do to this prefent hour, in the fame mont aires, and the fame houfes of ftone they formed for themfelves in the beginning. And yet Bochart *, profef- iedly treating this fubjecl:, as it were induftrioufly, involves it in more than- Egyptian darknefs. I rather refer the reader to his work, to judge for himfelf, than, quoting it by extracts, communicate the confuiion of his ideas to my narrative.

The Abyffmian tradition further fays, they built the city of Axum fome time early in the days of Abraham. Scon after this, they pufhed their colony down to Atbara, where we know from Herodotus * they early and fuccefsfully purmed their ftudies, from which, Jofephus fays J, they were called Meroetes, ox inhabitants of the iiland o^ Meroe.

The

J3och. lib. 4. cap. 3. t Hevod. lib/2, cap. 29. t lokSh. antiquit. Jud.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. :-

The prodigious fragments of coloflal flames of the dog flar, Hill to be feen at Axum, fumciently iliew what a ma terial object of their attention they confidered him to be ; and Seir, which in the language of the Troglodytes, in that of the low country of Meroe, exactly correfpo- to it, fignifies a dog, inftructs us in the reafon why province was called Sire, and the large river which bo^ it, Siris.

I apprehend the reafon why, without forfakin ancient domiciles in the mountains, they chofe this tion for another city, Meroe, was owing to an imperfection they had difcovered (both in Sire and in their caves below it) to refult from their climate. They were within the tropical rains ; and, confequently, were impeded and inter- rupted in the neceffary obfervations of the heavenly bodies, and the progrefs of aftronomy which they fo warmly culti- vated. They mull have feen, likewife, a neceffity of building Meroe' farther from them than perhaps they wiihed, for the fame reafon they built Axum in the high country of Abyf- firiia in order to avoid the fly (a phenomenon of which I mall afterwards fpeak) which purfued them everywhere within the limits of the rains, and which mufl have given an abfolute law in thofc iiiTc times to the regulations of the Cufhitc fettlements. They therefore went the length of lat. 1 6°, where I faw the ruins mppofed to be thofe of Meroe*, and caves in the mountains immediately above that fituation, which I cannot doubt were the temporary habita- tion of the builders of that firft feminary of learning.

i B 2 It

* At Gerri in my return through the defert.

.3

8o TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

It is probable that, immediately upon their fuccefs at Meroe, they loft no time in flrctching on to Thebes. We know that it was a colony. of Ethiopians, and probably from Meroe, but whether directly, or not, we are not certain. A very fliort time might have paffed between the two eftablifh- ments, for we find above Thebes, as there are above Meroe, a vaft number of caves,which the colony made provifionally, upon its firft arrival, and which are very near the top of the mountain, all inhabited to this day.

Hence we may infer, that their ancient apprehenfions of a deluge had not left them whilft, they faw the whole land of Egypt could be overflowed every year without rain falling upon it ; that they did not abfolutely, as yet, trufl to the flability of towns like thofe of Sire and Meroe, placed up- on columns or ftones, one laid upon the other, or otherwife, that they found their excavations in the mountains were finifhed with lefs trouble, and more comfortable when com- plete, than the houfes that were built. It was not long before they aflumed a greater degree of courage.

Sjtfrea ' i ' 1 =***%£

CHAP,

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 3%i

^SESG&ss*

CHAP. II.

Saba and the South of Africa peopled — Shepherds, their particular Em- ployment and Circumjlances — Abyffmia occupied by fevcn fir anger Na- tions— Specimens of their fever al Languages Cotijeclures concerning

them.

WHILE thefe improvements were going on fo profper- oufly in the central and northern territory of the defcendents of Cufh, their brethren to the fouth were not idle, they had extended themfelves along the mountains that run parallel to the Arabian Gulf ; which was in all times called Saba, or Azabo, both which fignify South, not becaufe Saba was fouth of Jerufalem, but becaufc it was on the fouth coaft of the Arabian Gulf, and, from Arabia and Egypt, was the firft land to the fouthward which bounded the African Continent, then richer, more import- ant, and better known, than the reft of the world. By that ac- quifition, they enjoyed all the perfumes and aromatics in the eaft, myrrh, and frankincenfe, and caflia \ all which grow fpontaneouily in that ftripe of ground, from the Bay of Bilur weft of Azab, to Cape Gardefan, and then fouth- ward up in the Indian Ocean, to near the coaft of Melinda, where there is cinnamon, but of an inferior kind.

3 Arabia.

382 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

Arabia probably had not then fet itfclf up as a rival to this fide of the Red Sea, nor had it introduced from Abyfli- nia the myrrh and frankincenfe, as it did afterwards, for there is no doubt that the principal mart, and growth of thefe gums, were always near Saba. Upon the confumption increasing, they, however, were tranfplanted thence into Arabia, where the myrrh has not fucceeded.

The Troglodyte extended himfelf ilill farther fouth. As an aftronomer, he was to difengage himfelf from the tro- pical rains and cloudy ikies that hindered his correfpon- dent obfervations with his countrymen at Meroe and Thebes. As he advanced within the fouthern tropic, he, however, flill found rains, and made his houfes fuch as the fears of a deluge had inftruclcd him to do. He found there folid and high mountains, in a fine climate ; but, luckier than his countrymen to the northward, he found gold and filver in large quantities, which determined his occupation, and made the riches and confequence of his country. In thefe moun- tains, called the Mountains of So/via, large quantities of both metals were difcovered in their pure unmixed ftate, lying in globules without alloy, or any neceflity of preparation or feparatiori.

The balance of trade, fo long againft the Arabian and African continents, turned now in their favour from the immenfe influx of thefe precious metals, found in the mountains of Sofala, jufl on the verge of the fouthern tro- pical rains.

Gold and fiver had been fixed upon in India as proper returns for their manufactures and produce. It is impoifi-

' ble

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 38 j

blc to fay whether it was from their hardnefs or beauty, or what other reafon governed the mind of man in making this ftandard of barter. The hiftory of the particular tran- factions of thofe times is loft, if, indeed, there ever was fuch hiftory, and, therefore, all further inquiries are in vain. The choice, it feems, was a proper one, fince it has continued unaltered fo many ages in India, and has been univerfally adopted by all nations pretty much in the pro- portion or value as in India, into which continent gold and filver, from this very early period, began to flow, have con- tinued fo to do to this day, and in all probability will do to the end of time. What has become of that immenfe quan- tity of bullion, how it is con fumed, or where it is depoiited, and which way, if ever it returns, are doubts which I never yet found aperfon that could fatisf actor ily folve.

The Cufhite then inhabited the mountains, whilft the northern colonies advanced from Meroe to Thebes, bufy and intent upon the improvement of architecture, and build- ing of towns, which they began to fubilitute for their caves; they thus became traders, farmers, artificers of all kinds, and even practical aftronomers, from having a meridian night and day free from clouds, for fuch was that of the Thebaid. As this was impomble to their brethren, and fix months continual rain confined them to theie caves, we .cannot doubt but that their fedentary life made them ufe- ful in reducing the many obfervations daily made by thofe- ef their countrymen who lived under a purer iky. Letters too, at leaft one fort of them, and arithmetical characters, we are told, were invented by this middle part of the Ctnliites, while trade and afcronomy, the natural hiftory of the winds

1 and.:

3B'4 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

and feafons, were what necefTarily employed the part of the colony eftablifhed at Sofala moft to the fouthward.

The very nature of the Cufhites commerce, the collect- ing of gold, the gathering and preparing his fpices, necef- farily fixed him perpetually at home ; but his profit lay in the difperfing of thcfe fpices through the continent, other- wife his mines, and the trade produced by the pofTeffion of them, were to him of little avail.

A carrier was abfolutely neceflary to the Cufhitc, and Providence had provided him one in a nation which were his neighbours. Thefe were in molt refpects different, as they had long hair, European features, very dufky and dark complexion, but nothing like the black-moor or negro ; they lived in plains, having moveable huts or habitations, attend- ed their numerous cattle, and wandered from the neccf- fities and particular circumftances of their country. Thefe people were in the Hebrew called Phut, and, in all other languages, Shepherds; they are fo ftill, for they frill, exift; they fubiift by the fame occupation, never had another, and therefore cannot be miftaken ; they are called Balous, Bagla, Belowee, Berberi, Barabra, Zilla and Habab * which all fignify but one thing, namely that of Shepherd. From their place of habitation, the territory has been called Bar- baria by the Greeks and Romans, from Berber, in the origi- al fignifying Jhcpherd. The authors that fpeak of the Shep- herds fecm to know little of thofc of the Tbebaid, and ftill

lefs

* It is very probable, fome of thefe words fignified different degrees among them, as we {hall fee in the fequel.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 385

lefs of thofe of Ethiopia, whilft they fall immediately upon the fhepherds of the Delta, that they may get the fooner rid of them, and thruft them into Aflyria, Paleiline, and Arabia. They never fay what their origin was ; how they came to be fo powerful ; what was their occupation ; or, properly, the land they inhabited ; or what is become of them now, though they feem inclined to think the race extinct.

The whole employment of the fhepherds had been the difperfmg of the Arabian and African goods all over the continent; they had, by that employment, rifen to be a great people : as that trade increafed, their quantity of cat- tle increafed alfo, and confequently their numbers, and the extent of their territory.

Upon looking at the map, the reader will fee a chain of mountains which I have defcribed, and which run in a high ridge nearly ftraight north, along the Indian Ocean, in a direction parallel to the coaft, where they end at Cape Gardefan. They then take the direction of the coail, and run weft from Cape Gardefan to the Straits of Babelma'ndeb, inclofing the frankincenfe and myrrh country, which ex- tends confiderably to the weft of Azab. From Babelman- dCo they run northward, parallel to the Red Sea, till they end in the fandy plain at the Ifthmus of Suez, a name pro- bably derived from Suah, Shepherds,

Although this ftripe of land along the Indian Ocean, and afterwards along the Red Sea, was neceftary to the fhep- herds, becaufe the)- carried their merehandife'to the ports there, and thence to Thebes and Memphis upon the Nile, yet the principal feat of their refidence and power was that VoL" L 3 G flat

386 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

flat part of Africa between the northern tropic and the mountains of Abyffinia. This is divided into various dif- tricts; it reaches from Mafuah along the fea-coaft to Suakem, then turns weftward, and continues in that direction, having the Nile on the fouth, the tropic on the north, to the deferts of Selima, and the confines of Libya on the weft. This large extent of country is called Beja. The next is that diftrict * in form of a fhield, as Meroe is faid to have been ; this name was given it by Cambyfes. It is between the Nile and Aflaboras, and is now called Atbara. Between the river Mareb, the ancient Aftufafpes on the e aft, and Atbara on the weft, is the fmall plain territory of Derkin, another diftrivfl of the fhepherds. All that range of mountains running eaft and weft, inclofing Derkin and Atbara on the fouth, and which begins the mountainous country of Abyf- finia, is inhabited by the negro woolly-headed Cufhite, or Shangalla, living as formerly in caves, who, from having been the moll cultivated and inftructed people in the world, have, by a ftrange reverfe of fortune, relapfed into brutal ignorance, and are hunted by their neighbours like wild beafts in thofe forefts, where they ufed to reign in the utmoft luxury, liberty, and fplendour. But the nobleft, and moil warlike of all the ihepherds,were thofe that inhabi- ted the mountains of the Habab, a confiderable ridge reach- ing from the neighbourhood of Mafuah to Suakem, and who, dill dwell there,

In the ancient language of this country, So, or Sua/j,{ignlhcd fhepherd, or fhepherds; though we do notknow any particu- lar rank or degrees among them, yet we may fuppofe theie called, {imply Jltfljen/s were the common fort that attended

the

D'od.Sic. lib. i. caj>.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 387

the flocks, Another denomination, part of them bore, was Hycfos, founded by us Agfos, which fignifies armed Jhcpberds, or fuch as wore harnefs, which may be fuppofed the fol- diers, or armed force of that nation. The third we fee men- tioned is Ag-ag, which is thought to be the nobles or chiefs of thofe armed fhepherds, whence came their title King of Kings *. The plural of this is Agagi, or, as it is writ- ten in the Ethiopic, Agaazi.

This term has very much puzzled both Scaliger and Lu- dolf ; for, finding in the Abyffinian books that they are call- ed Agaazi, they torment themfelves about finding the ety- mology of that word. They imagine them to be Arabs from near the Red Sea, and Mr Ludolf f thinks the term fig- nifies banijhed men. Scaliger, too, has various gucffes about them nearly to the fame import. All this, however, is with- out foundation ; the people affert themfelves at this day to be Agaazi, that is, a race of Shepherds inhabiting the moun- tains of the Habab, and have by degrees extended them- felves through the whole province of Tigre, whofe capital is called Axum, from Ag and Suah, the metropolis, or princi- pal eity of the fhepherds that wore arms.

Nothing was more oppofite than the manners and life of the Cufhite, and his carrier the fhepherd. The firft, though he had forfaken his caves, and now lived in cities which he had built, was neceffarily confined at home by his commerce, amaffing gold, arranging the invoices of his

3 C 2 fpices,

* This was the name of the king of Amalek; he was an Arab fhepherd, flain by Sa- muel, 1 Sara. xv. 33.

f Ludolf lib. 1 cap. 4,

388 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

fpices, hunting in the feafon to provide himfelf with ivory ; and food throughout the winter. His mountains, and the cities he built afterwards, were fituated uponaloomy, black earth, fo that as foon as the tropical rains began to fall, a wonderful phenomenon deprived him of his cattle. Large fwarms of flies appeared wherever that loomy earth was, which made him abfolutely dependent in this refpect upon the fhepherd, but this affected the fhepherd alfo.

This infect is called Zimb ; it has not been defcribed by any naturalifl. It is in lize very little larger than a bee, of a thicker proportion, and his wings, which are broader than thofe of a bee, placed feparatc like thofe of a fly ; they are of pure gauze, without colour or fpot upon them ; the head is large, the upper jaw or lip is fliarp, and has at the end of it a ftrong-pointed hair of about a quarter of an inch long ; the lower jaw has two of thefe pointed hairsv, and this pencil of hairs, when joined together, makes a re- fillence to the finger nearly equal to that of a flrong hog's brittle. Its legs are ferratcd in the infide, and the whole covered with brown hair or down. As foon as this plague appears, and their buzzing is heard, ail the cattle for- fakc their food, and run wildly about the plain, till they {lie, worn out with fatigue, fright, and hunger. No remedy remains, but to leave the black earth, and haften down to the lands of Atbara, and there they remain while the rains laft, this cruel enemy never daring to purine thcrn farther..

What enables the fhepherd to perform the long and toillbmc journies acrofs Africa is the camel, emphatically called by the Arabs, the Jlolp of the defert. He feems to have been created for this very trade, endued with parts and

qualities'

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 389

qualities adapted to the office he is employed to difcharge. The drieft thiftle, and the bareft thorn, is all the food this ufeful quadruped requires, and even theic, to fave time; he eats while advancing on his journey, without (lopping, or occafioning a moment of delay. As it is his lot to crofs immenfe deferts, where no water is found, and countries not even moiftencd by the dew of heaven, he is endued with, the power at one watering-place to lay in a ftorc, with which he fupplies himfelf for thirty days to come. To contain this enormous quantity of fluid, Nature has form- ed large cifterns within him, from which, once filled, he draws at pleafure the quantity he wants, and pours it into his ftomach with the fame effccl: as if he then drew it from a fpring, and with this he travels, patiently and vigoroufly, all day long, carrying a prodigious load upon him, through countries infected with poiibnous winds, and glowing with parching and never-cooling fands. Though his fize is im- menfe, as is his ftrength, and his body covered with a thick fkin, defended with ftrong hair, yet ftill he is not capable to fuftain the violent punctures the fly makes with his pointed probofcis. He mult lofc no time in removing to the fands of Atbara ; for, when once attacked by this fly, his body, head, and legs break out into large boffes, which fwell, break, and putrify, to the certain deilruction of the creature.

Even the elephant and rhinoceros, who, by reafen of their enormous bulk, and the vail quantity of food and water they daily need, cannot fliift to defert and dry places as the feafon may require, are obliged to roll themi'eives in mud and mire, which, when dry, coats them over like ar- mour, and enables them to ftand their ground agamic this winged affafiin; yet I have found feme of thefe tubcrculcs

21 upon:

590 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

upon almoil every elephant and rhinoceros that I have feen, and attribute them to this caufe.

All the inhabitants of the fea-coaft of Melinda, down to Cape Gardefan, to Saba, and the fouth coaft of the Red Sea, are obliged to put themfelves in motion, and remove to the next fand in the beginning of the rainy feafon, to prevent all theirftockof cattle from beingdeftroyed. This is notapartial e- migration ; the inhabitants of all the countries from the mountains of Abyffinia northward, to the confluence of the Nile and Aftaboras, are oncea-year obliged to change their a- bode, and feek protection inthe fands of Beja ; nor is there any alternative, or means of avoiding this, though a hoftile band Was in their way, capable of fpoiving them of half their fubftance ; and this is now actually the cafe, as we mail fee when we come to fpeak of Sennaar.

Of all thofe that have written upon thefe countries, the prophet Ifaiah alone has given an account of this animal, and the manner of its operation. Ifa. vii. ch. 18. and 19. ver. " And it fhall come to pafs, in that day, that the Lord mall " hlfs for the fly that is in the uttermofl part of the rivers of " Egypt," — " And they fhall come, and fhall reft all of them " in the defolate vallies *, and in the holes of the rocks, and " upon all thorns, and upon all buflies."

The mountains that I have already fpoken of, as running through the country of the Shepherds, divide the feafons

by

* That is, they fhall cut off from the cattle their ufual retreat to the defert, by taking poffeffion •f thofe places, and meeting them there where ordinarily they never come, and which therefore re the refuge of the cattle.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE, 39*

fey a line drawn along their fummit, fo exactly, that, while the eaftern fide, towards the Red Sea, is deluged with rain for the fix months that conftitute our winter in Europe, the weftern fide towards Atbara enjoys a perpetual fun, and ac- tive vegetation. Again, the fix months, when it is (Mir fum> mer in Europe, Atbara, or the weftern fide of thefe mountains, is conftantly covered with clouds and rain, while, for the fame time, the fhepherd on the eaftern fide, towards the Red Sea, feeds his flocks in the moil exuberant foliage and luxuriant verdure, enjoying the fair weather, free from the fly or any other moleftation. Thefe great advantages have very naturally occafioned thefe countries of Atbara and Beja to be the principal refidence of the fhepherd and his cattle, and have entailed upon him the necemty of a per- petual change of places. Yet fo little is this inconvenience, fo fliort the peregrination, that, from the rain on the weft fide, a man, in the fpace of four hours, will change to the oppofite feafon, and find, himfelf in fun-fhine to the caft> ward.

When Carthage was built, the carriage of this commei> cial city fell into the hands of Lehabim, or Lubim, the Li- byan peafants, and became a great acceffion to the trade, power, and number of the fhepherds. In countries to which there was no accefs by fhipping, the end of navigation was nearly anfwered by the immenfe increafe of camels-; and this trade, we find, was carried on in the very earlieft ages on the Arabian fide, by the Ifhmaelite merchants trading to Palcftine and Syria, from the fouth end of the peninfula, with camels. This we learn particularly from Genefis, they brought myrrh and ibices, or pepper, and fold them for

4^ filver;

392 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

filver; they had alfo balm, or balfam, but this it feems, in thofe days, they brought from Gilead.

We are forry, in reading this curious anecdote preferred to us in fcripturc, to iind, in thofe early ages of the India trade, that another fpecies of commerce was clofely con- nected with it, which modern philanthropy has branded as the difgrace of human nature. It is plain, from the pafTage, the commerce of felling men was then univerfally eftabliih- cd. Jofeph* is bought as readily, and fold as currently im- mediately after, as any ox or camel could be at this day. Three nations, Javan, Tubal, and Mefhechf, are mentioned as having their principal trade at Tyre in the felling of men; and, as late as St John's time f, this is mentioned as a prin- cipal part of the trade of Babylon ; notwithflanding which, no prohibition from God, or cenfure from the prophets, have ever ftigmatized it either as irreligious or immoral ; on the contrary, it is always fpoken of as favourably as any fpecies of commerce whatever. For this, and many other reafons which I could mention, I cannot think, that pur- chafmg Haves is, in iti'elf, either cruel or unnatural. To purchafe any living creature to abufe it afterwards, is cer- tainly both bafe and criminal ; and the crime becomes full of a deeper dye, when our fellow-creatures come to be the fufferers. But, although this is an abufe which accidentally follow the trade, it is no neceflary part of the trade itfelf ; and, it is againft this abufe the wifdom of the legiflature mould be directed, not againft the trade itfelf.

On

* Gen. chap, xxxvii. vcr. 25. 28. + Ezek. chap, xxvii. vcr- 13.

+. Rev. chap, xviii.vcr. 13.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. yj$

On the eaftern fide of the peninfula of Africa, many thou- fand flaves are fold to Afia, perfeftly in the fame manner as thofe on the weft fide are fent to the Weft Indies; but no one, that ever I heard, has as yet opened his mouth againft the fale of Africans to the Eaft Indies ; and yet there is an aggravation in this laft fale of flaves that mould touch us much more than the other, where no fuch additional grie- vance can be pretended. The flaves fold into Afia are mod of them Chriftians; they are fold to Mahometans, and, with their liberty, they are certainly deprived of their religion like- wife. But the treatment of the Afiatics being much more humane than what the Africans, fold to the Weft Indies, meet with, no clamour has yet been raifed againft this commerce in Afia, becaufe its only bad confequence is apoftacy; a proof to me that religion has no part in the pre- fent difpute, or, as I have faid, it is the abufe that accident- ally follows the purchafing of flaves, not the trade itfelf, that- mould be confidered as the grievance.

It is plain from all hiftory, that two abominable prac- tices, the one the eating of men, the other of facrificing them to the devil, prevailed all over Africa. The India trade, as we have feen in very early ages, firft eftablilhed the buying and felling of flaves; fince that time, the eating of men, or facrificing them, has fo greatly decreafed on the eaftern fide of the peninfula, that now we fcarcely hear of an inftance of either of thefe that can be properly vouched. On the weftern part, towards the Atlantic Ocean, where the fale of flaves began a confiderable time later, after the difcovery of America and the Weft Indies, both of thefe hor- rid practices are, as it were, general, though, I am told, lefs fo to the northward fince that event.

Vol. I. 3 D There

394 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

There is ftill alive a man of the name of Matthews, who was prefent at one of thofe bloody banquets on the weft of Africa, to the northward of Senega. It is probable the con- tinuation of the flave-trade would have aboliihed thefe, in time, on the weft fide alfo. Many other reafons could be alledged,did my plan permit it. But I mall content myfelf at prefent, with faying, that I very much fear that a relaxa- tion and effeminacy of manners, rather than genuine ten- dernefs of heart, has been the caufe of this violent paroxyfm of philanthropy, and of fome other meafures adopted of late to the difcouragementof discipline, which I do not doubt will foon be felt to contribute their mite to the decay both of trade and navigation that will neceffarily follow.

The Ethiopian fhepherds at firft carried on the trade on their own fide of the Red Sea ; they carried their India com- modities to Thebes, likewife to the different black nations to the fouth-weft ; in return, they brought back gold, probably at a cheaper rate, becaufe certainly by a fhorter carriage than by- that from Ophir.

Thebes became exceedingly rich and proud, though, by the moft extenfive area that ever was affigned to it, it never could be either large or populous. Thebes is not mention- ed in fcripture by that name ; it was deftroyed before the days of Mofes by Salatis prince of the Agaazi, or Ethiopian fhepherds ; at this day it has affumed a name very like the ancient one. The firft fignification of its name, Medinet Tabu, I thought was the Town of our Father. This, hiftory fays, was given it by Sefoftris in honour of his father ; in the ancient language, its name was Ammon No. The next that prefented itfelf was Theba, which was the Hebrew

name

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 395

jiame for the Ark when Noah was ordered to build it — Thouihalt " make thee an Ark (Theba) of gopher- wood*."

The figure of the temples in Thebes do not feem to be far removed from the idea given us of the Ark. The third conjecture is, that being the firft city built and fupported on pillars, and, on different and feparate pieces of ftone, it got its name from the architects firft expreffion of appro- bation or furprife, Tabu, that it flood infulated and alone, and this feems to me to be the moll conformable both to the Hebrew and Ethiopic.

The fhepherds, for the moft part, friends and allies of the Egyptians, or Cufhite, at times were enemies to them. We need not, at this time of day, feek the caufe ; there are many very apparent, from oppofite manners, and, above all, the difference in the dietetique regimen. The Egyptians wor- th ipped the cow, the Shepherds killed and ate her. The Shepherds were Sabeans, worfhipping the hod of heaven — the fun, moon, and liars. Immediately upon the building of Thebes and the perfection of fculpture, idolatry and the grofTeft material ifm greatly corrupted the more pure and ipeculativc religion of the Sabeans. Soon after the build- ing of Thebes, we fee that Rachel, Abraham's wife, had idols f ; we need feek no other probable caufe of the devas- tation that followed, than difference of religion.

Thebes was deftroyed by Salatis, who overturned the firft Dynafty of Cufhite, or Egyptian kings, begun by Me- nes, in what is called the fecond age of the world, and

3D2 founded

* Gen. ti. 14. f Gen. xxxv. 4.

396 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

founded the firft Dynafty of the Shepherds, who behaved very cruelly, and wrefted the lands from their firft owners; and it was this Dynafty that Sefoftris deftroyed, after calling Thebes by his father's name, Ammon No, making thofe de- corations that we have feen of the harp in the fepulchres on the weft, and building Diofpolis on the oppofite fide of the river. The fecond conqueft of Egypt by the Shepherds was that under Sabaco, by whom it has been imagined Thebes was deftroyed, in the reign of Hezekiah king of Judah, who is faid to have made peace with So * king of Egypt, as the tranflator has called him, miftaking So for the name of the king, whereas it only denoted his quality of fhepherd.

From this it is plain, all that the fcripture mentions a- bout Ammon No, applies to Diofpolis on the other fide of the river. Ammon No and Diofpolis, though they were on different fides of the river, were confidered as one city, thro' which the Nile flowed, dividing it into two parts. This is plain from profane hiftory, as well as from the prophet Nahum f, who defcribes it very exa&ly, if in place of the wordy^z was fubftituted river> as it ought to be.

There was a third invafion of the Shepherds after the building of Memphis, where a % king of Egypt § is faid to have inclofed two hundred and forty thoufand of them in a city called Abaris ; they furrendered upon capitulation, and were banifhed the country into the land of Canaan. That two hundred and forty thoufand men fhould be

inclofed

* 2 Kings, xvii. 4. f Nahum, chap. iii. 8. % Mifphragmuthofis. § Manethon,

Apud. Jofephum Apion. lib. i.p. 460.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 397

inclofed in one city, fo as to bear a fiege, feeras to me ex- tremely improbable; but be it fo, all that it can mean is, that Memphis, built in Lower Egypt near the Delta, had war with the Shepherds of the Ifthmus of Suez, or the dif- tri&s near them, as thofe of Thebes had before with the Shepherds of the Thebaid. But, however much has been written upon the fubject, the total expulfion of the Shep- herds at any one time by any King of Egypt, or at any one place, muft be fabulous, as they have remained in their an- cient feats, and do remain to this day ; perhaps in not fo great a number as when the India trade was carried on by the Arabian Gulf, yet ftill in greater numbers than any other nation of the Continent..

The mountains which the Agaazi inhabit, are called Habab^ from which it comes, that they themfelves have got that name. Habab, in their language, and in Arabic like- wife, iignifies a ferpent, and this I fuppofe explains that his- torical fable in the book of Axum, which fays, a ferpent conquered the province of Tigre, and reigned there.

It may be afked, Is there no other people that inhabit Abyffinia, but thefe two nations, the Cufhites and the Shep- herds ? Are there no other nations, whiter or fairer than them, living to the fouthward of the Agaazi ? Whence did thefe come ? At what time, and by what name are they cal- led ? To this I anfwer, That there are various nations which agree with this defcription, who have each a particular name, and who are all known by that of HabeJ/j, in Latin Convene, Signifying a number of diftinel: people meeting acci- dentally in one place. The word has been greatly mifun- derftood, and mifapplied, both by Scaliger and Ludolf, and

3 a num.-

39S TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

a number of others ; but nothing is more confonant to the hiftory of the country than the tranilation I have given it, nor will the word itfelf bear any other.

The Chronicle of Axum, the moll ancient repofitory of the antiquities of that country, a book efteemed, I fhall not fay how properly, as the firll in authority after the holy fcriptures, fays, that between the creation of the world and the birth of our Saviour there were 5500 years *; that A- byflinia had never been inhabited till 1808 years before Chrift * ; and 200 years after that, which was in the 1600, it was laid wafte by a flood, the face of the country much changed and deformed, fo that it was denominated at that time Oure Midre, or, the country laid wafte, or, as it is called in fcripturc itfelf, a land which the waters or floods had fpoiled f ; that about the 1400 year before Chrift it was taken poneflion of by a variety of people fpeaking different languages, who, as they were in friendfhip with the Agaazi, or Shepherds, poflefling the high country of Tigre, came and fat down befide them in a peaceable manner, each occu- pying the lands that were before him. This fettlement is what the Chronicle of Axum calls Angaba, the entry and e- ftablifhment of thefe nations, which finifhed the peopling of Aby lli nia .

Tradition further fays, that they came from Paleftine, All this feems to me to wear the face of truth. Some time .after the year 1500, we know there happened a flood which

occafioned

* Eight years lefs than the Greeks and other followers of the Septuagint, + Ifaiah, chap, .-yviii. vtr. 2.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE.

399

occafioned great devaluation. Paufanius fays, that this flood happened in Ethiopia in the reign of Cecrops ; and, about the 1490 before Chrift, the Ifraelites entered the landofpro- mife, under Caleb and Jofliua. We are not to wonder at the great imprefllon that invafion made upon the minds of the inhabitants of Paleftine. We fee by the hiitory of the harlot, that the different nations had been long informed by prophecies, current and credited among themfclves, that they were to be extirpated before the face of the Ifraelites who for fome time had been hovering about their frontiers. But now when Jofliua had paflTed the Jordan, after having mi- raculoufly dried up the- river* before his army had inva- ded Canaan, and had taken and deftroyed Jericho, a panic feized the whole people of Syria and Paleiline.

These petty ftates, many in number, and who had all different languages, feeing a conqueror with an immenfe army already in pofleflion of part of their country, and who did not conduct himfelf according to the laws of o- ther conquerors, but put the vanquished under faws and harrows of iron, and deftroyed the men, women, and child- ren; and fometimes even the cattle, by the fword, no long- er could think of waiting the arrival of fuch an enemy, but fought for fafety by fpeedy flight or emigration. The Shepherds in Abyflinia and Atbara were the moil: natural re- fuge thefe fugitives could feek ; commerce mud have long made them acquainted with each others manners, and they

v. i. 3d mud

jofliua, iii. 16.

4oo TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

muft have been already entitled to the rights of hofpitality by having often pafTed through each other's country.

Procopius*" mentions that two pillars were {landing in his time on the coaft of Mauritania, oppofite to Gibraltar, upon which were infcriptions in the Phoenician tongue : " We are " Canaanites, flying from the face of Jofhua, the fon of Nun, " the robber .•" A character they naturally gave him from the ferocity and violence of his manners. Now, if what thefe infcriptions contain is true, it is much more credible, that the different nations, emigrating at that time, mould feek their fafety near hand among their friends, rather than go to an immenfe diftance to Mauritania, to rifk a precari- ous reception among ftrangers, and perhaps that country not yet inhabited.

Upon viewing the feveral countries in which thefe nations have their fettlements, it feems evident they were made by mutual confent, and in peace ; they are not fepa- rated from each other by chains of mountains, or large and rapid rivers, but generally by fmall brooks, dry the greateft part of the year ; by hillocks, or fmall mounds of earth, or imaginary lines traced to the top of fome moun- tain at a diftance ; thefe boundaries have never been dis- puted or altered, but remain upon the old tradition to this day. Thefe have all different languages, as we fee from fcripture all the petty ftates of Paleftine had, but they have no letters, or written character, but the Geez, the character

of

* Piocop. de bello vind. lib. 2. cap. 10. * A Mooiifh author, Ibn el Raquique, fays, this infciiption was on a ftone on a mountain at Caithage. Marmol. lib. I. cap. 25.

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THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 401

of the Cufhite fhepherd by whom they were firft invented and ufed, as we mall fee hereafter. I may add in further proof of their origin, that the curfe* of Canaan feems to have followed them, they have obtained no principality, but ferved the kings of the Agaazi or Shepherds, have been hewers of wood and drawers of water, and £0 they flill continue.

The firft and mofl confiderable of thefc nations fettled in a province called Amhara ; it was, at firft coming, as little known as the others ; but, upon a revolution in the country, the king fled to that province, and there the court ftaid many years, fo that the Geez, or language of the Shepherds, was dropt, and retained only in writing, and as a dead lan- guage ; the facrcd fcriptures being in that language only, faved the Geez from going totally into difufe. The fecond were the Agows of Damot, one of the fouthern provinces of Abyffinia, where they are fettled immediately upon the fources of the Nile. The third are the Agows of Lafla, or Tcheratz Agow, from Tchera, their principal habitation ; theirs too is a feparate language ; they are Troglodytes that live in caverns, and feem to pay nearly the fame worfhip to the Siris, or Tacazze, that thofe of Damot pay to the Nile.

1 take the old names of thefe two lafl-mentioned na- tions, to be funk in the circumftances of this their new fet- tlement, and to be a compound of two words Ag-oha, the •Shepherds of the River, and I alfo imagine, that the idolatry

Vol. I. 3 E they

*-Gen. ix, 2$, 26, and 27. verfes,

4o2 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

they introduced in the worfliip of the Nile, is a further proof that they came from Canaan, where they imbibed materialifm in place of the pure Sabcan worfliip of the Shepherds, then the only religion of this part of Africa.

The fourth is a nation bordering upon the . fouthcrn. banks of the Nile near Damot. It calls itfelf Gafat, which fignifies opprefled by violence,- torn, expelled, or chaccd a- way by force. If we were to follow the idea ariiing mere- ly from this name, we might be led to imagine, that thefe were part of the tribes torn from Solomon's fon and fuccef- for, Rehoboam. This, however, we cannot do confluent with the faith to be kept by a hiflorian with his reader. The evidence of the people themfelves, and the tradition of the country, deny they ever were Jews, or ever concerned with that colony, brought with Menilek and the queen of Saba, which eilablifhed the Jewifh hierarchy. They declare, that they are now Pagans, and ever were fo; that they are partakers with their neighbours the Agows in the worfliip of the river Nile, the extent or particulars of which I can- not pretend to explain. — The fifth is a tribe, which, if we were to pay any attention to fimilarity of names, we fliould be apt to imagine we had. found here in Africa a part of that great Gaulifli nation fo widely extended in Europe and Afia. A comparifon of their languages, with what we know exifls of , the former, cannot but be very curious. — Thefe are the Galla, the moil confiderable of thefe nations, fpecimens of whole language I have cited. This word, in.< their own language, fignifies Shepherd*; they fay that for- merly

* Thefe people likewife call themfelves Agaazi, or Agagi, they have over-run the kingdom of Congo fouth of the Line, and on the Atlantic Ocean, as the Galla have done that part of the king- dom of Add and Abyflinia, on the Eaftan, or Indian Ocean. Purch. lib..ii. chap. 4. Seel. 8.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 403

merly they lived on the borders of the fouthern rains, with- in the fouthern tropic ; and that, like thefe in Atbara, they were carriers between the Indian and Atlantic Oceans, and fupplied the interior part of the peninfula with Indian com- modities.

The hiflory of this trade is unknown ; it muft have been little lefs ancient, and nearly as extenfive, as the trade to Egypt and Arabia. It probably fuffered diminution, when the mines of Sofala were given up, foon after the difcovery of the new world. The Portuguefe found it ftill flourifhing, when they made their firft conquefts upon that coaft ; and they carry it on ftill in an obfcure manner, but in the fame tract to their fettlements near Cape Negro on the weftern ocean. From thefe fettlements would be the proper place to begin to explore the interior parts of the peninfula, on both fides of the fouthern tropic, as protection and affiftance could probably be got through the whole courfe of it, and very little fkili in language would be neceflary.

When no employment was found for this multitude of men and cattle, they left their homes, and proceeding north- ward, they found themfelves involved near the Line, in rainy, cold, and cloudy weather, where they fcarcely ever faw the fun. Impatient of fuch a climate, they advanced ftill farther, till about the year 1537, they appeared in great numbers in the province of Bali, abandoning the care of camels for the breeding of horfes. At prefent they are all cavalry. I avoid to fay more of them in this place, as I mall be obliged to make frequent mention of them in the courfe of my narrative.

3 E 2 The

4o4 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

The Falafha, too, are a people of Abyflinia, having a par- ticular language of their own ; a fpecimen of which I have alfo publifhed, as the hiftory of the people feems to be curi- ous. I do not, however, mean to fay of them, more than of the Galla, that this was any part of thofe nations who fled from Paleftine on the invafwn of Jofhua. For they are now, and ever were, Jews, and have traditions of their own as to their origin, and what reduced them to the prefent ftate of feparation, as we fhall fee hereafter, when I come to fpeak of the tranflation of the holy fcripture.

In order to gratify fuch as are curious in the fludy and hiftory of language, I, with great pains and difficulty, got the whole book of the Canticles tranflated into each of thefe languages, by priefts efteemed the moft verfant in the Ian* guage of each nation. As this barbarous polyglot is of too large a fize to print, I have contented myfelf with copying fix verfes of the firft chapter in each language; but the whole book is at the fervice of any perfon of learning that will bellow his time in ftudying it, and, for this purpofe, I left it in the Britiih Mufeum, under the direction of Sir Jofeph Banks, and the Bifhop of Carlille.

These Convena; as we have obferved, were called Habejh, a number of diftincl: nations meeting in one place. Scrip- ture has given them a name, which, though it has been ill tranflated, is precifely Cb»w«^, both in the Ethiopic and Her brew. Our Englifh tranflation calls them the mingled people *, whereas it fhould be \h.c feparate nations, who, though met and fettled together, did not mingle, which is ftrictly Convene

The.

Jerera. chap, xiii. ver. 23.— id. xxv. 24.— Ezek. chap. x.\x. ver. 5.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 405

The inhabitants then who poffeffed Abyfiinia, from its fouthern boundary to the tropic of Cancer, or frontiers of Egypt, were the Cufhites, or polifhed people, living in. towns, firft Troglodytes, having their habitations in caves. The next were the Shepherds ; after thefe were the na- tions who, as we apprehend, came from Paleftine — Amhara, Agow of Damot, Agow of Tchera, and Gafat.

Interpreters, much lefs acquainted with the hiftorical circumftances of thefe countries than the prophets, have, either from ignorance or inattention, occalioned an obfeu- rity which otherwife did not arife from the text. All thefe people are alluded to in fcripture by defcriptions that can- not be miftaken. If they have occafioned doubts or dif- ficulties, they are all to be laid at thedoor of the tranflators^ chiefly the Septuagint. When Mofes returned with his wife Zipporah, daughter of the fovereign of the Shepherds of Midian, carriers of the India trade from Saba into Paleftine, and eftablifhed near their principal mart Edom, in Idumea or Arabia, Aaron, and Miriam his filler, quarrelled with Mo- fes, becaufe he had married one who was, as the tranflator fays, an Ethiopian*. There is no fenfe in this caufe ; Mo- fes was a fugitive when he married Zipporah ; fhe was a noble-woman, daughter of the prieft of Midian, head of a people. She likewife, as it would feem, was a Jewefs f , and more attentive, at that time, to the prefervation of the pre- cepts of the law, than Mofes was himfelf ; no exception, then, could lie againft Zipporah, as fhe was furely, in every view, Mofes's fuperior. But if the tranflator had rendered

it>

* Numb, chap. xii. yer. i. f Exod. chap. iv. vcr» 2J>

4o6 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

it, that Aaron and Miriam had quarrelled with Mofes, be- caufe he had married a negro, or black-moor, the reproach was evident ; whatever intrinlic merit Zipporah might have been found to have polleiled afterwards, fire mult have appear- ed before the people, at firft light, as a Jlrange woman, or Gentile, whom it was prohibited tomarry. Befides, the in- nate deformity of the complexion, negroes were, at all times, rather coveted for companions of men of luxury or pleamre, than fought after for wives of fober legillators, and gover- nors of a people.

The next inftance I mall give is, Zerah of Gerar*, who came out to fight Afa king of Ilrael with an army of a million of men, and three hundred chariots, whilft both the quarrel and the decifion are reprefented as immedi- ate.

Gerar was a fmall diflricl, producing only the Acacia or gum-arabic trees, from which it had its name; it had no water but what came from a few wells, part of which had been dug by Abraham f, after much ftriie with the people of the country, who fought to deprive him of them, as of a treamre.

Abraham and his brother Lot returning from Egypt, though poor fhepherds, could not fubiift there for want of fooct, and water, and they feparatcd accordingly, by confent J.

Now

* 1 Chron. chap. xiv. ver. 9. f Gen chap. 21. ver. 30. j^Gen. chap. 1 \ ver. 6. and 9.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 407

Now it rauft be confefTed, as it is not pretended there was any miracle here, that there is not a more un- likely tale in all Herodotus, than this mufl be allowed to be upon the footing of the tranllation. The tranflator calls Zcrah an Ethiopian, which mould cither mean he dwelt in Arabia, as he really did, and this gave him no advantage, or elfe that he was a uranger, who originally camq from the country above Egypt ; and, cither way, it would have been impollible, during his whole life-time, to have collect- ed a million of men, one of the greater! armies that ever flood upon the face of the earth, nor could he have fed them though they had ate the whole trees that grew in his country, nor could he have given every hundredth man one drink of water in a day from all the wells he had in his country. .

Here, then, is an obvious triumph for infidelity, becaufe, a*. I have faid, no fupernatural means are pretended. But had it been tranflated, that Zerah was a black-moor, a Cujhitc- wgro, and prince of the Cuihites, that were carriers in the Ifthmus, an Ethiopian ihepherd, then the wonder cealed. Twenty camels, employed to carry couriers upon them, . might have procured that number of men to meet in a fhort fpace of time, and, as Zerah was the aggreflbr, he had time to choole when he fhould attack his enemy ; every one of thefe ihepherds carrying with them their provifion of flour and water, as is their invariable cuftom, might have fought with Afa at Gerar, without eating a.loaf of Zerah's bread, or drinking a pint of his water. -

The next paffagc I 'mall mention is the following: "The "-'labour of Egypt, and merchandife of Ethiopia, and of the

2- "SabeanSj,

4o8 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

" Sabeans, men of flature, mall come over unto thee, and " they fliall be thine*." Here the fcveral nations are diflinct- ly and feparately mentioned in their places, but the whole meaning of the pafTage would have been loft, had not the iituation of thefe nations been perfectly known ; or, had not the Sabeans been mentioned feparately, for both the Sabeans and the Cufhite were certainly Ethiopians. Now, the meaning of the verfe is, that the fruit of the agricul- ture of Egypt, which is wheat, the commodities of the ne- gro, gold, filver, ivory, and perfumes, would be brought by the Sabean fhepherds, their carriers, a nation of great power, which mould join themfelves with you.

Again, Ezekiel fays,f "And they fliall know that I am " the Lord, when I have fet a fire in Egypt, and when all " her helpers fhall be deftroyed." — " In that day fhall mef- <* fengers go forth from me in mips, to make the carelefs * Ethiopians afraid." Now, Nebuchadnezzar was to deftrcy Egypt |, from the frontiers of Paleftine, to the mountains above Atbara, where the Cufhite dwelt. Between this and Egypt is a great defert ; the country beyond it, and on both fides, was poflefled by half a million of men. The Cufhite, or neoro merchant, was fecure under thefe circumftances from any infult by land, but they were open to the fea, and had no defender, and meffengers, therefore, in fhips or a fleet had eafy accefs to them, to alarm and keep them at home, that they did not fall into danger by marching into Egypt againft Nebuchadnezzar, or interrupting the fervice upon which God had fent him. But this does not appear from tranfla-

4 tinS

Ifa. chap. }dv. yer. 14. f Ezek- chaP- xx&- ver* 8l and 9- t Ezek- cliaP- xxix- ver- ' °

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 409

ting Cufh, Ethiopian; the neareft Ethiopian to Nebuchadnez- zar, the 1110ft powerful and capable of oppofing him, were the Ethiopian fliepherds of the Thebaid, and thefe were not acceffible to mips ; and the fliepherds, fo polled near to the fcene of deftruelion to be committed by Nebuchadnezzar, were enemies to the Cufliites living in towns, and they had repeatedly themfelves deflroyed them, and therefore had no temptation to be other than fpectators.

In feveral other places, the fame prophet fpeaks of Cufh as the commercial nation, fympathifing with their country- men dwelling in the towns in Egypt, independent of the fliepherds, who were really their enemies, both in civil and religious matters. " And the fword fhall come upon Egypt, " and great pain fhall be in Ethiopia, when the flain fhall " fall in Egypt*." Now Ethiopia, as I have before faid, that is, the low country of the fliepherds, neareft Egypt, had no common caufe with the Cufliites that lived in towns there ; it was their countrymen, the Cufliites in Ethiopia, who mourned for thofe that fell in Egypt, who were merchants, traders, and dwelt in cities like themfelves.

I shall mention but one inftance more : " Can the Ethi- * opian change his fkin, or the leopard his fpots ?f" Here ■Cufh is rendered Ethiopian, and many Ethiopians being white, it does not appear why they fhould be fixed upon, or chofen for the queftion more than other people. But had -Cufh been tranilated Negro, or Black-moor, the queftion Vol. I. 3 F would

Eze'i. chap. xxx. ver. 4. f jerem. chap. siii. vcr. 2 3.

4io TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

would have been very eafily underftood, Can the negro change his /kin, or the leopard his fpots ?

Jeremiah * fpeaks of the chiefs- of the mingled people that dwell in the deferts. And Ezekielf alfo mentions them independent of all the others, whether Shepherds, or Cu- fhites, or Libyans their neighbours, by the name of the Mingled People. Ifaiah X calls them " a nation Scattered " and peeled; apeople terrible from their beginninghitherto; " a nation meted out and trodden down, whofe land the ri- " vers have fpoiled :" which is a fufficicnt description of them, as having been expelled their own country, and fet- tled in one that had fuffered greatly by a deluge a fhort time before.

t Jerem. chap. xxv. ver. 24^ f Ezek. chap. xsx. ver. 5. J . Ifa. chap, sviii. ver. 2.,

5^*=

CHAP.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. ^i

s#E5£&aa=

CHAP. III.

Origin of Characters or Letters — Etbiopic tbefrft Language— How and ivhy the Hebrew Letter was formed.

TH E reader will obferve what I have already faid con- cerning the language of Habefh, or the Mingled Na- tions, that they have not characters of their own ; but when written, which is very feldom, it mull be by ufing the Geez alphabet. Kircher, however, fays, there are two cha- racters to be found in Abyffinia ; one he calls the Sacred Old Syrian, the other the Vulgar, or Common Geez charac- ter, of which we are now fpeaking. But this is certainly a miftake ; there never was, that I know, but two original characters which obtained in Egypt. The firft was the Geez, the fecond the Saitic, and both thefc were the oldeft characters in the world, and both derived from hieroirlv- phics.

Although it is impoffible to avoid faying fomething here of the origin of languages, the reader muft not expedt that I mould go very deep into the fafhionable opinions concerning them, or believe that all the old deities of the

3 F 2 Pagan

4-r* TRAVELS TO DISCOVER.

Pagan nations were the patriarchs of the Old Teftamentv With all refpeet to Sanchoniatho and his followers, I can • no more believe that Ofiris, the firft king of Egypt, was a real perfonage, and that Tot was his fecretary, than I can believe Saturn to be the patriarch Abraham, and Rachel and Leah, Venus and Minerva. I will not fatigue the. reader with a detail of ufeleis reafons ; if Ofiris is a real perfonage, if he was king of Egypt, and Tot his fecretary, they furely travelled to very good purpofe, a* all the people of Europe and Afia feem to be agreed, that in pcrfon they firft com- municated letters and .the art of writing to them, but ax: very different, and very diftant periods.

Thebes was built by a colony of Ethiopians from Sire, the city of Seir, or the Dog Star. Diodorus Siculus fays, that the Greeks, by putting O before Siris, had made the word unintelligible to the Egyptians : Siris, then, was Ofiris ; but he was not the Sun, no more than he was Abraham, nor was he a real perfonage. He. was Syrius, or the dog-ftar, defigned under the figure of a dog, becaufe of the warning he gave to Atbara, where the firft obfervations were made at his heliacal rifing, or his difengaging himfelf from the rays of the fun, fo as to be vifible to the naked eye. Lie was the Latrator Anubis, and his firft appearance was figu- ratively compared to the barking of a dog, by the warning it gave to prepare for the approaching inundation. I be- lieve, therefore, this was the firft hieroglyphic; and that liis, Ofiris, and Tot, were all after inventions relating to it ; and, in faying this, I am fo far warranted, becaufe there is not in Axum (once a large city) any other hieroglyphic but of the dog-ftar, as far as I can judge from the huge frag- ments of figures of this animal, remains of which, in differ- ent

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 413

rent poftures, are ftill diflinctly to be feen upon the pedef- tals everywhere among the ruins.

It is not to be doubted, that hieroglyphics then, but not aftronomy, were invented at Thebes, where the theory of the dog-ftar was particularly inveftigated, becaufe connect- ed with their rural year. Ptolemy* has preserved us an obfervation of an helaical rifing of Sirius on the 4th day after the fummer folflice, which anfwers to the 2250 year before Chrift ; and there are great reafons to believe the Thebans were good practical aftroilomers long before that period f; early, as it may be thought, this gives to Thebes a much greater antiquity than does the chronicle of Axum jufl cited.

As fuch obfervations were to be of fcrvice for ever, they became more valuable and ui'eful in proportion to their priority.' The moil ancient of them would be of ufe to the aftronomers of this day, for Sir Ifaac Newton appeals to thefe of Chiron the Centaur. Equations may indeed be difcover- ed in a number of centuries, which, by reafon of the fmallnefs of their quantities, may very probably have e- fcaped the moil attentive and fcrupulous care of two or three generations; and many alterations in the flarry fir- mament, old ftars being nearly extinguilhed, and new e- merging, would appear from a comparative ftate of the

Y'1' 3 r heavens

* UranolotMon. P. Perau. f Banbridge, Ann. canicuL

4H TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

heavens made for a feries of ages'. And a Theban Herfcbcl* would have given us the hiftory of planets he then obferved, which, after appearing for ages, are now vifible no more, or have taken a different form.

The dial, or gold circle of Ofimandyas, mews what an Immenfe progreis they had made in aftronomy in fo little time. This, too, is a proof of an early fall and revival of the arts in Egypt, for the knowledge and ufe of Armilla; had been loft with the deftruction of Thebes, and were not again discovered, that is, revived, till the reign of Ptolemy Soter, 300 years before the Chriftian xra. I confider that immenfe quantity of hieroglyphics, with which the walls of the temples, and faces of the obelifks, are covered, as containing fo many aitronomical obfervations.

I look upon thefe as the ephemerides of fome thoufand years, and that fufficiently accounts for their number. Their date and accuracy were indifputable; they were exhibited in the mofl public places, to be confulted as occafion required; and, by the deepnefs of the engraving, and hardnefs of the materials, and the thicknefs and folidity of the block itfelf upon which they were carved, they bade defiance at once to violence and time.

I know that moll of the learned writers are of fentiments

very different from mine in thefe refpects. They look for

4 myfteries

* An aflronoraei' greatly above my praife.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 415

myfteries and hidden meanings, moral and philofophical treatifes, as the fubjefts of thefe hieroglyphics. A fceptre, they fay, is the hieroglyphic of a king. But where do we' meet a fceptre upon an antique Egyptian monument ? or who told us this was an emblem of royalty among the E- gyptians at the time of the firft invention of this figurative writing ? Again, the ferpent with the tail in its mouth de- notes the eternity of God, that he is without beginning and without end. This is a Chriilian truth, and a Chriflian be- lief, but no where to be found in the polytheifm of the in- ventors of hieroglyphics. Was Cronos or Ouranus without beginning and without end ? Was this the cafe with Ofiris and Tot, whofe fathers and mothers births and marriages- are known ? If this was a truth, independent of revelation, and imprinted from the beginning in the minds of men ; if it was defined to be an eternal truth, which rnuft have appeared by every man finding it in his own breaft, from the beginning, how unneceflary muft the trouble have been to write a common known truth like this, at the expence ©f fix weeks labour, upon a table of porphyry or granite.

It is not with philofophy as with ailronomy ; the older the obiervations, the more ufe they are of to pofterity. A lecture of an Egyptian prieil upon divinity, morality, or natural hiflory, would not pay the trouble, at this day, of engraving it upon ftone ^and one of the reaibns that I think no fuch fubjects were ever treated in hieroglyphics is, that in all thofe I ever had an opportunity of feeing, and very few people have feen more, I have conftantly found t:ie lame figures repeated, which obvioufly,and without difpute, allude, to the hiflory of the Nile, and its different periods of increafe; the mode of meaiuring t, ifhe-Etefkan winds ; in fhort,. iiich

i obiiervuuans.

4i5 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

obfervations as we every day fee in an almanack, in which we cannot fuppofe, that forfaking the obvious import, where the good they did was evident, they mould afcribe dif- ferent meanings to the hieroglyphic, to which no key has been left, and therefore their future inutility mull have been forefeen.

I shall content myfelf in this wide field, to fix upon one famous hieroglyphical perfonage, which is 'Tot, the fecretary of Ofiris, whole function I fhall endeavour to explain ; if I fail, I am in good' company ; I give it only as my opinion, and fubmit it chearfully to the correction of others. The word Tot is Ethiopic, and there can be little doubt it means the dog-ftar. It was the name given to the firft month of the Egyptian year. The meaning of the name, in the lan- guage of the province of Sire, is an idol, compofed of differ- ent heterogeneous pieces ; it is found having this fignifica- tion in many of their books. Thus a naked man is not a Tot, but the body of a naked man, with a dog's head, an afs's head, or a fcrpent inftcad of a head, is a Tot. According to the import of that word, it is, I fuppofe, an almanack, or fection of the phenomena in the heavens which are to happen in the limited time it is made to com- prehend,whenexpofcdfor the information of thepublic ; and the more extenfive its ufe is intended to be, the greater num- ber of emblems, or figns of obfervation, it is charged with.

Besides many other emblems or figures, the common Tot, I think, has in his hand a crofs with a handle, as it is called Crux Anfata, which has occasioned great fpeculation among the decypherers. This crofs, fixed to a circle, is fup- pofecl.to denote the Jour, elements, and to be the fymbol of the

2 influence

Zontfori PuMv7udDeam6trifijBq Ay 6J&bmfm tc ca

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 417

influence the fun has over them. Jamblichus * records, that this crofs, in the hand of Tot, is the name of the divine Being that travels through the world. Sozomen t thinks it means the life to come, the fame with the ineffable image of eternity, Others, ftrange difference ! fay it is the phal- lus, or human genitals, while a later \ writer maintains it to be the mariner's compafs. My opinion, on the con- trary is, that, as this figure was expofed to the public for the reafon I have mentioned, the Crux Anfata in his

hand was nothing elfe but a monogram of his own name

o TO, and TT lignifying TOT, or as we write Almanack upon

a collection published for the fame purpofe.

The changing of thefe emblems, and the multitude of them, produced the necefhty of contracting their fize, and this again a confequential alteration in the original forms ; and a ftile, or imall portable inftrument, became all that was neceffary for finifhing thefe fmall 7'otsi initead of a large graver or carving tool, employed in making the large ones. But men, at laft, were fo much ufed to the alteration, as to know it better than under its primitive form, and the en- graving became what we may call the iirft elements, or root, in preference to the original.

The reader will fee, that, in my hiftory of the civil wars in Abyffinia, the king, forced by rebellion to retire to the province of Tigre, and being at Axum, found a flone cover- ed with hieroglyphics, which, by the many inquiries I made

Vol. I. 3 G after

* Jamblich. de Myfl. fed*. 8. cap. 5. f Sozomen, Eccles. Hift. lib. 7. cap. 15. % Herw. theolog. Ethnica, p. 1 u

4iS TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

after infcriptions, and fome converfations I had had with him, he guefTed was of the kind which I wanted. Full of that princely goodnefs and condefcenfion that he ever ho- noured me with, throughout my whole flay, he brought it with him when he returned from Tigre, and was reflored to his throne at Gondar.

It feems to me to be one of thofe private Tots, or porta- ble almanacks, of the moil curious kind. The length of the whole flone is fourteen inches, and fix inches broad, upon a bafe three inches high, projecting from the block itfelf, and covered with hieroglyphics. A naked figure of a man, near fix inches, Hands upon two crocodiles, their heads turn- ed different ways. In each of his hands he holds two fer- pents, and a fcorpion, all by the tail, and in the right hand hangs a noofe, in which is fufpended a ram or goat. On the left hand he holds a lion by the tail. The figure is in great relief ; and the head of it with that kind of cap or ornament which is generally painted upon the head of the figure called Ifis, but this figure is that of a man. On each fide of the whole-length figure, and above it, upon the face of the flone where it projects, are marked a number of hie- roglyphics of all kinds. Over this is a very remarkable repre fen ration ; it is an old head, with very flrong features, and a large bufhy beard, and upon it a high cap ribbed or ilriped. This I take to be the Cnuph, or Animus Mundi, though Apuleus, with very little probability, fays this was made in the likenefs of no creature whatever. The back of the Hone is divided into eight compartments*, from the

top*

* I apprehend' this is owing to the circumftances of the climate, in the' four months, the time- sf -he, inundation, the heavens were fj covered as to afford no obfervations to be recorded..

A TABLE OF HIEROGLYPHICS, FOUND AT AXUM 1JJI

Jsriiivi/h/'/i'/ti/A-i .'/ ijfyby '■'/<'■ 'Iri/uon a - /<■

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 419

top to the bottom, and thefe are filled with hieroglyphics in the lafl ftage, before they took the entire refemblance of letters. Many are perfectly formed ; the Crux Anfata appears in one of the compartments, and Tot in another. Upon the edge, juft above where it is broken, is 1 1 19, fo fair and perfect in form, that it might ferve as an example of caligraphy, even in the prefent times ; 45 and 19, and iome other arithmetical figures, are found up and down among the hieroglyphics.

This I fuppofe was what formerly the Egyptians called a book, or almanack ; a collection of thefe was probably hung up in fome confpicuous place, to inform the public of the flate of the heavens, and feafons, and difcafes, to be ex- pected'in the courfe of them, as is the cafe in the Englilli al- manacks at this day. Hermes is faid to have compofed 36,535 books, probably of this fort, or they might contain the correfpondent aftronomical obfervations made in a cer- tain time at Meroe, Ophir, Axum, or Thebes, communicated to be hung up for the ufe of the neighbouring cities. Por- phyry * gives a particular account of the Egyptian alma- nacks. " What is comprifed in the Egyptian almanacks, fays he, contains but a fmail part of the Hermaic inftitutions ; all that relates to the rifmg and fetting of the moon and pla- nets, and of the ftars and their influence, and alfo fome ad- vice upon difeafes."

It is very remarkable, that, bolides my Tot here defcrib- ed, there are five or fix, precifely the fame in all refpects, al-

3 G 2 ready

— .... ■ ■■ . -■■■-,. ■ —, — «. — .. _ 1 :___— — . - . - ■ -—- \

* Porpyhry Epifh ad Aneboncm,

420 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

ready in the Britifh Mufeum ; one of them, the largefl of the whole, is made of fycamore, the others are of metal. There is another, I am told, in Lord Shelburn's collection ; this I never had an opportunity of feeing ; but a very principal attention feems to have been paid to make all of them light and portable, and it would feem that by thefe having been formed fo exactly fimilar, they were the Tots intends ed to be expofed in different cities or places, and were neither more nor lefs than Egyptian almanacks.

Whether letters were known to Noah before the flood, is no where faid from any authority, and the inquiry into it is therefore ufelefs. It is difficult, in my opinion, to ima- gine, that any fociety, engaged in different occupations, could fublifl long without them. There feems to be lefs doubt, that they were invented, foon after the difperfion, long be- fore Mofes, and in common ufe among the Gentiles of his time.

It feems alfo probable, that the firfl alphabet was Ethic*- pic, firfl founded on hieroglyphics, and afterwards model- led into more current, and lefs laborious figures, for the fake of applying them to the expedition of bufmefs. Mr Fourmont is fo much of this opinion, that he fays it is evi- dent the three firfl letters of the Ethiopic alphabet are hiero- glyphics yet, and that the Beta refembles the door of a houfe or temple. But, with great fubmimon, the doors of houfes and temples, when firfl built, were fquare at the top, . for arches were not known. The Beta was taken from the doors of the firfl Troglodytes in the mountains, which were rounded, and gave the hint for turning the arch, when architecture advanced nearer to perfection,

Others

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 421.

Others are for giving to letters a divine original : they fay they were taught to Abraham by God himfelf ; but this is no where vouched; though it cannot be denied, thar it appears from fcripture there were two forts of characters' known to Moles, when God fpoke to him on Mount Sinai. The firft two tables, we are told, were wrote by the finger of God, in what character is not faid, but Mofes received them to read to the people, fo he furely understood them. But, when he had broken thefe two tables, and had another meet- ing with God on the mount on the fubject of the law, God directs him fpecially not to write in the Egyptian character or hieroglyphics, but in the current hand ufed by the Ethi- opian merchants, like the letters upon a fignet ; that is, he mould not write in hieroglyphics by a fiiclure, reprefenting the thing, for that the law forbids ; and the bad confequences of this were evident ; but he mould write the law in the current hand, by characters reprefenting founds, (though nothing elfe in heaven or on earth,) or by the letters that the Ifhmaelites, Cufhites, and India trading nations had long ufed in bufinefs for iigning their invoices, engagements, &a and this was the meaning of being like the letters of a fignet.

Hence, it is very clear, God did not invent letters, nor did Moles, who underftood both characters before the pro- mulgation of the law upon Mount Sinai, having learned them in Egypt, and during his long flay among the Lu- fhites, and Shepherds in Arabia Petrea. Hence it fhould appear alfo, that the facred character of the Egyptian was confidered as profane, and forbid to the Hebrews, and that the common Ethiopic was the Hebrew fa'e-red character, in which the copy of the law was firft wrote. The text is very clear and explicit: " And the flones mail

" DC

422 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

" be with the names of the children of Ifrael, twelve, " according to their names, like the engravings of ^.fignet; every " one with his name, fliall they be according to the twelve " tribes *." Which is plainly, You fhall not write in the way ufed till this day, for it leads the people into idolatry ; you fhall not type Judah by a lion, Zebulun by a.Jbij>, lffachar by an afs couching between two burdens ; but, inftead of wri- ting by pictures, you fhall take the other known hand, the merchants writing, which fignifies founds, not things; write the names Judah, Zebulun, lffachar, in the letters, fuch as the merchants ufe upon their fignets. And, on Aaron's breaft- plate of pure gold, was to be written, in the fame alphabet, like the engravings of a fignet, holiness to the lord'\.

These fignets, of the remoteft antiquity in the Eaft, are worn ftill upon every man's hand to this day, having the name of the pcrfon that wears them, or fome fentence upon it always religious. The Greeks, after the Egyptians, continued the other method, and defcribed figures upon their fignet ; the ufe of both has been always common in Britain.

We find afterwards, that, in place of flone or gold, for greater convenience Mofes wrote in a book, " And it came " to pafs, when Mofes had made an end of writing the " words of this law in a book, until they were fim£hed;.$" —

Although, then, Mofes certainly did not invent either, or any character, it is probable that he made two, perhaps more, alterations in the Ethiopic alphabet as it then flood,

4 with

* Eso4. chap, xsviii. vcr. 21. f Exod. chap, xxviii. ver. 36. J Dent, chap, xxxi. ver. 24-

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 423

with a view to incrcafc the difference flill more between the writing then in ufc among the nations, and what he intended to be peculiar to the Jews. The firft was altering the direction, and writing from right to left, whereas, the Ethiopian was, and is to this day, written from left to right, as was the hieroglyphical alphabet *. The fecond was ta- king away the points, which, from all times, mufl have ex- illed and been, as it were, a part of the Ethiopic letters in- vented with them, and I do not fee how it is poffibie it ever could have been read without them ; fo that, which way foever the difpute may turn concerning the antiquity of the application of the Maforetic points, the invention was no new one, but did exiit as early as language was written. And I apprehend, that thefe alterations were very rapidly adopted after the writing of the law, and applied to the new character as it then flood; becaufe, not long after, Mofes was ordered to fubmit the law itfelf to the people, which would have been perfectly ufelefs, had not reading and the character been familiar to them at that time.

It appears to me alfo, that the Ethiopic words were al- ways feparated, and could not run together, or be joined as the Hebrew, and that the running the words together in- to one muft have been matter of choice in the Hebrew, to increafe the difference in writing the two languages, as the contrary had been practifed in the Ethiopian language. Though there is really little refemblance between the Ethio- pic and the Hebrew letters, and not much more between

that

' Vide the hieroglyphics on the drawing of the ftair.

4 24 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

that and the Samaritan, yet I have a very great fufpicion die languages were once much nearer a-kin than this ■disa- greement of their alphabet promifes, and, for this reafon, that a very great number of words are found throughout the Old Teftament that have really no root, nor can be de- rived from any Hebrew origin, and yet all have, in the Ethio- pic, a plain, clear, unequivocal origin, to and from which they can be traced without force or difficulty.

I shall now finifh what I have to fay upon this fubjecl, by obferving, that the Ethiopic alphabet confifts of twenty- fix letters, each of thefe, by a virgula, or point annexed, varying in found, fo as to become, in effect, forty-two di- ftincl: letters. But I mull further add, that at firft they had but twenty-five of thefe original letters, the Latin P being wanting, fo that they were obliged tofubflitute another letter in the place of it. Paulus, for example, they called Taulus, Cuius, or Caulus. Petros they pronounced Ketros. At laft they fubftituted T, and added this to the end of their alpha- bet, giving it the force of P, though it was really a repeti- tion of a character, rather than invention. Befides thefe there are twenty others of the nature of dipththongs, but I mould fuppofe fome of thefe are not of the fame antiquity with the letters of the alphabet, but have been invented in later times by the fcribcs for convenience.

The reader will undcrftand, that, fpeaking of the Ethio- pic at prefent, I mean only the Geez language, the language of the Shepherds, and of the books. None of the other many languages fpoken in Abyflinia have characters for writing. But when the Amharic became fubftituted, in common ufe and converfation, to the Geez, after the refto-

3 ration

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 425

ration of the Royal family, from their long banifhment in Shoa, feven new characters were neceflarily added to anfwer the pronunciation of this new language, but no book was ever yet written in any other language except Geez. On the contrary, there is an old law in this country, handed down by tradition only, that whoever mould attempt to tranflate the holy fcripture into Amharic, or any other language, his throat mould be cut after the manner in which they kill fheep, his family fold to ilavery, and his houfe razed to the ground ; and, whether the fear of this law was true or feigned, it was a great obitacle to me in getting thofe tranflations of the Song of Solomon made which I intend for fpecimens of the different languages of thofe diftincl: nations.

The Geez is exceedingly harfh. and unharmonious. It is full of thefe two letters, D and T, on which an accent is put that nearly refembles Hammering. Confidering the fmall extent of fea that divides this country from Arabia, we are not to wonder that it has great affinity to the Arabic. It is not difficult to be acquired by thofe who underftand any o- ther of the oriental languages ; and, for a reafon I have gi- ven fome time ago, that the roots of many Hebrew words are only to be found here, I think it abfolutely ncccfTary to all thofe that would obtain a critical fkill in that lan- guage.

We m-mers, a Carmelite, has wrote a fmall Ethiopic dic- tionary in thin quarto, which, as far as it goes, has confider- able merit; and I am told there are others of the fame kind extant, written chieflybyCatholic priefls. But by far the mofl .copious, diftincl:, and beft-digefted work, is that of Job Lu-

Vol. I. 3H dolf,

426 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

dolf, a German of great learning in the F.aftem languages, and who has published .a grammar and dictionary of the Geez in folio. This read with attention is more than fuf- ficient to make any perfon of very moderate genius a great proficient in the Ethiopic language. He has likewife written a fhort efTay towards a dictionary and grammar of the Ani- haric, which, confidering the very fmall help he had, fhews his furprifmg talents and capacity. Much, however, re- mains ftill to do ; and it is indeed fcarcely pofiible to bring this to any tolerable degree of forwardnefs for want of books, unlefs a man of genius, while in the country itfelf, were to give his time and application to it : It is not much more difficult than the former, and lefs connected with the Hebrew- or Arabic, but has a more harmonious pronunciation.

^gi«^^ggj=g!g==i!!^;

CHAP.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 42;

C H A P. IV.

Some Account of the Trade Winds and Monfoons — Application of this to the Voyage to Ophir and TarJ!?iJh.

IT is a matter of real affliction, which fhews the vanity of all human attainments, that the preceding pages have been employed in describing, and, as it were, drawing from oblivion, the hiftory of thole very nations that firfl convey- ed to the world, not the elements of literature only, but all forts of learning, arts, and fciences in their full detail and perfection. We fee that thefe had taken deep root, and were not eafily extirpated. The firil great and fatal blow they received was from the destruction of Thebes, and its monarchy, by the firfl invafion of the Shepherds under Sa- lads, which fhook them to the very foundation. The next was in the conquer! of the Thebaid under Sabaco and his Shepherds. The third was when the empire of Lower Egypt (I do not think of the Thebaid) was transferred to Mem- phis, and that city taken, as writers fay, by the Shepherds of Abaris only, or of the Delta, though it is Scarcely proba- ble, that, in fo favourite a caufe as the deftruction of cities, the whole Shepherds did not lend their afliflancc.

% II 2 These

42S TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

These were the calamities, we may fuppofe, under which the arts in Egypt fell ; for, as to the foreign conquefts of Ne- buchadnezzar and his Babylonians, they affected cities and the perfons of individuals only. They were temporary, ne- ver intended to have lafting confequences ; their beginning and end were prophefied at the fame time. That of the Affyrians was a plundering expedition only, as we are told by fcripture itfelf, intended to lafl but forty years *, half the life of man, given, for a particular purpofe,for the indemnifi- cation of the king Nebuchadnezzar, for the hardfhips he fuflained at the fiege of Tyre, where the obflinacy of the inhabitants, in deftroying their wealth, deprived the coi> quCror of his expected booty. The Babylonians were a people the mod polifhed after the Egyptians. Egypt under them fullered by rapacity, but not by ignorance, as it did in all the conquefts of the Shepherds.

After Thebes was deftroyed by the firff Shepherds, com- merce, and it is probable the arts with it, fled for a time from Egypt, and centered in Edom, a city and territory, tho' we know, little of its hiflory, at that period the richeft in the world. David, in the very neighbourhood of Tyre and Sidon, calls Edom the ftrong citv ; " Who will bring me into the "ftrong city? Who will lead me into Edom f ?" David, from an old quarrel, and probably from the recent in*- fligations of the Tyrians his friends, invaded Edom |, deftroyed the city, and difperfed the people. He was the great military power then upon the continent ; Tyre and Edom were rivals ; and his conqueft of that lafl.

great

*" Ezck. chap. xxix. ver. n. + Pfklm. chap. Ix. ver. 9. and Pfal. cviii. ver. 10..

t,2 Sam, chap. .viii. ver. 14. 1 Kings chap. x\ ver* 15. 16.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 4^9

great and trading ftate, which he united to his empire; would yet have loft him the trade he fought to cultivate, by the very means he ufcd to obtain it, had not Tyre been in a capacity to fucceed to Edom, and to colled its mariners and artificers, fcattcred abroad by the conqucft.

David took poflemon of two ports, Eloth and Ezion-ga- ber *, from which he carried on the trade to Ophir and Tar- ihifh, to a very great extent, to the day of his death. We are ftruck with aftonifhment when we rcnecl upon the fum that Prince received in fo fhort a time from theie mines of Ophir. For what is faid to be given by King David f and his Princes for the building of the Temple of Jcrufalem, ex- ceeds in value eight hundred millions of our money, if the talent there fpoken of is a Hebrew talent fc and not a weight of the fame denomination, the value of which was lefs, and peculiarly referved for and ufed in the traffic of thefc pre- cious metals, gold and filver. It was, probably, an African or Indian weight, proper to the fame mines, whence was gotten the gold appropriated to fine commodities only, as is The cafe with our ounce Troy different from the Averdu* poife.

Solomon, who fucceeded David in his kingdom, was his fucceffor likewife in the friendfhip of Hiram king of Tyre0

Solomon '

* 1 Kings, chap. ix. ver. 26. 2 Chron. chap. viii. ver. 17. f l Chron. chap. xxii. ver, 1 ;,

3", 16. Chap; xxix. ver. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 Three thoufand 'Hebrew talents of gold, reduced to

our money, amount to twenty-one millions and fix hundred thoufand pounds Sterling.

t The value of a Hebrew talent appears from Exodus, chap. xrexviii. ver. 25, 26. For 603,550 perfons being taxed at half a mekel each, they muft have paid in the whole 301,77; '■ now that fum is faid to amount to 100 talents, 1775 fhekels only ; deduct the two latter funis and there will remain 300,000, which, divided by icS, wiiMeave 3000 mekels for each of- ibefe talents.

43o TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

Solomon vifited Eloth and Ezion-gaber* in perfon, and for- tified them. He collected a number of pilots, fhipwrights, and mariners, difperfed by his father's conquefl of Edom, molt of whom had taken refuge in Tyre and Sidon, the commercial dates in the Mediterranean. Hiram fupplied him with failors in abundance ; but the failors fo furnilhcd from Tyre were not capable of performing the fervice which Solomon required, without the direction of pilots and mariners ufed to the navigation of the Arabian Gulf and Indian Ocean. Such were thofe mariners who formerly li- ved in Edom, whom Solomon had now collected in Eloth and Ezion-gaber.

This laft-mentioned navigation was very different in all refpeets from that of the Mediterranean, which, in relpeft to the former, might be compared to a pond, every fide be- in o- confined with mores little diuant the one from the o- ther ; even that fmall extent of fea was fo full of iflands, that there was much greater art required in the pilot to a- void land than to reach it. It was, befides, fubjecl to vari- able winds, being to the northward of 300 of latitude, the limits to which Providence hath confined thofe winds all o- ver the globe ; whereas the navigation of the Indian Ocean was governed by laws more convenient and regular, though altogether different from thofe that obtained in the Medi- terranean. Before I proceed, it will be neceffary to explain this phenomenon.

It is known to all thofe who are ever fo little verfant in the hiilory of Egypt, that the wind from the north prevails

in

* 2 Chron. chap, viii. ver .17.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 431

in that valley all the iiimmcr months, and i.s called the E- tefuw winds ; it fweeps the valley from north to 1'outh, that being the direction of Egypt, and of the Nile, which runs through the midft of it. The two chains of mountains, which confine Egypt on the eafl and on the weft, conftrain the wind to take this precife direction.

It is natural to fuppofe the fame would be the cafe in the Arabian Gulf, had that narrow lea been in a direction pa- rallel to the land of Egypt, or due north and fouth. The Arabian Gulf, however, or what we call the Red Sea, lies from nearly north-weft to fouth-eaft, from Suez to Mocha. It then turns nearly eafl and well till it joins the Indian O- ccan at the Straits of Babelmandeb, as we -have already laid, and may be further feen by confulting the map. Now, the Etelian winds, which are due north in Egypt, here take the direction of the Gulf, and blow in that direction ileadily all the feafon, Avhile it continues north in the valley of Egypt ; that is, from April to October the wind blows north-well up the Arabian Gulf towards the Straits ; and, from No- vember till March, directly contrary, down the Arabian Gulf, from the Straits of Babelmandeb to Suez and the Iflli— mus.

These winds are by fome corruptly called' the- t^ade^ieindsp. but this name given to them is a very erroneous one, and apt to confound narratives, and make them unintelligible. A trade-wind is a wind which, all the year through, blows, and has ever blown, from the fame point of the horizon; fucli is the fouth- weft, fouth of the Line, in the Indian and Paciiic Ocean. On the contrary, thefe winds, of which we have now fpoken, are called monfoons;. .each year they blow

2 fix.

432 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

fix months from the northward, and the other fix months- from the fouthward, in the Arabian Gulf : While in the Indian Ocean, without the Straits of Babelmandeb, they blow juft the contrary at the fame feafons ; that is, in fummer from the fouthward, and in winter from the northward, fubject to a fmall inflexion to the eafl and to the weft.

The reader will obferve, then, that, a veffel failing from Suez or the Elanitic Gulf, in any of the fummer months, will find a fteady wind at north-weft, which will carry it in the direction of the Gulf to Mocha. At Mocha, the coaft is call and weft to the Straits of Babelmandeb, fo that the vef- fel from Mocha will have variable winds for a fhort fpace, but moftly wefterly, and thefe will carry her on to the Straits. She is then done with the monfoon in the Gulf, which was from the north, and, being in the Indian Ocean, is taken up by the monfoon which blows in the fummer months there, and is directly contrary to what obtains in the Gulf. This is a fouth-wefter, which carries the velTel with a flowing .fail to any part in India, without delay or impediment.

The fame happens upon her return home. She fails in the winter months by the monfoon proper to that lea, that is, with a north-eaft, which carries her through the Straits of Babelmandeb. She finds, within the Gulf, a wind at fouth-caft, directly contrary to what was in the ocean ; but then her courfe is contrary likewife, fo that a fouth-eafter, anfwering to the direction of the Gulf, carries her directly to Suez, or the Elanitic Gulf, to whichever way fhe pro- pofes going. Hitherto all is plain, (imple, and eafy to be

4 undcrilood;

THE SOURCE OFTHENILE. 433

underflood; and this was the reafon why, in the earlieft ages, the India trade was carried on without difficulty.

Many doubts, however, have arifen about a port called Ophir, whence the immenfe quantities of gold and fdver came, which were neceffary at this time, when provifion was making for building the Temple of Jerufalem. In what part of the world this Ophir was has not been yet agreed. Connected with this voyage, too, was one to Tarfhifh, which fuffers the fame difficulties ; one and the fame fleet perform- ed them both in the fame feafon.

In order to come to a certainty where this Ophir was, it will be neceffary to examine what fcripture fays of it, and to keep precifely to every thing like defcription which we can find there, without indulging our fancy farther. Firft, then, the trade to Ophir was carried on from the Elanitic Gulf through the Indian Ocean. Secondly, The returns were gold, fdver, and ivory, but efpecially filver*. Tbirdly^The. time of the going and coming of the fleet was precifely three years f, at no period more nor lefs,

Now, if Solomon's fleet failed from the Elanitic Gulf to the Indian Ocean, this voyage of neceffity muft have been made by monfoons, for no other winds reign in that ocean. And, what certainly fhews this was the cafe, is the precife term of three years, in which the fleet went and came be- tween Ophir and Ezion-gaber. For it is plain, fo as to fu- perfede the neceffity of proof or argument, that, had this

Vol. I. 3 I voyage

* 1 Kings, chap, x, ver. zz. f i Kings, chap. x. ver. 22. 2 Chron. chap. ix. ver. 21.

434 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

voyage been made with variable winds, no limited term of years ever could have been obferved in its going and re- turning. The fleet might have returned from Ophir in two years, in three, four, pi five years ; but, with variable winds, the return precifely in three years was not poffible, wnatever part of the globe Ophir might be lituated in.

Neither Spain nor Peru could be Ophir ; part of thefe- voyages mud have been made by variable winds, and the return confequently uncertain. The ifland of Ceylon, in the Eaft Indies, could not be Ophir ; the voyage thither is indeed made by monfoons, but we have mewed that a year is all that can be fpent in a voyage to the Eaft Indies ; befides,. Ceylon has neither gold nor lilver, though it has ivory. St. Domingo has neither gold, nor filvcr, nor ivory. When the Tyrians difcovered Spain, they found a profuiion of filver in huge mailes, but this they brought to Tyre by the Me- diterranean, and then fent it to the Red Sea over land to an- fwer the returns from India. Tarfhifh, too, is not found to be a port in any of thefe voyages, fo that part of the ■ dcfcription fails, nor were there ever elephants^ bred in. Spain.

These mines- of Ophir were probably what furniilied die Eaft with gold in the carlieil times ; great traces of exca- vation muft, therefore, have appeared; yet in none of the places juft mentioned are there great remains of any mines that have been wrought. The ancient traces of filver-mines in Spain are not to be found, and there never were any of gold. John Dos Santos*, a Dominican friar, fays, that on

the

Tff-IWW^IWIIH«»^l" !■■■■■■ »■■■■«■■ . — ■.■■■II— - ■ -ll.»l. [■- .— *-i.»wn-w*

* Vld. Voyage of Dos Santos, publifhcd by Le Grande*

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 43i

ihc coaft of Africa, in the kingdom of Sofala, the main- land oppofite to Madagascar, there are mines of gold and filver, than which none can be more abundant, efpecially in fdver. They bear the traces of having been wrought from the earlieft ages. They were actually open and work- ing when the Portuguefe conquered that part of the pe- ninfula, and were probably given up fince the difcovery of the new world, rather from political than any other rea- fons.

John Dos Santos fays, that he landed at Sofala in the year 1586 ; that he failed up the great river Cuama as far as Tete, where, always defirous to be in the neighbourhood of gold, his Order had placed their convent. Thence he pene- trated for above two hundred leagues into the country, and faw the gold mines then working, at a mountain called A- fura *". At a confiderable diftance from thefe are the fdver mines of Chicoua; at both places there is great appearance of ancient excavations; and at both places the houfes of the kings are built with mud and ftraw, whilft there are large remains of many buildings of Hone and lime.

It is a tradition which generally obtains in that country, that thefe works belonged to the Queen of Saba, and were luiilt at the time, and for the purpofe of the trade on the Red Sea : this tradition is common to all the Cafrs in that country. Eupolemus, an ancient author quoted by Eufebius f, fpeaking of David, fays, that he built fhips at Eloth, a city in Arabia, and thence lent miners, or, as he

3 I 2 calls

* S:e the map of this voyage. f Apud Eufeb. Proep. Evang. lib. 9.

436 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

calls them, metal-men, to Orphi, or Ophir, an illand in the Red Sea. Now, by the Red Sea, he underftands the Indian- Ocean*; and by Orphi, he probably meant the illand of Madagafcar ; or Orphi (or Ophir) might have been the name of the Continent,in{lead of Sofala, that is, Sofala where the mines are might have been the main-land of Orphi.

The kings of the ifles are often mentioned in this voy- age ; Socotra, Madagafcar, the Commorras, and many other fmall iflands thereabout, are probably thofe the fcripture calls the JJles. All, then, at laft reduces itfelf to the finding a place, either Sofala, or any other place adjoining to it, which avowedly can furnifh gold, filver, and ivory in quan- tity, has large tokens of ancient excavations, and is at the fame time under fuch reflri&ions from monfoons, that three years are absolutely neceflary to perform the voyage, that it needs no more, and cannot be done in lefs, and this is Ophir.

Let us now try thefe mines of Dos Santos by the laws of the monfoons, which we have already laid down in defcri- bing the voyage to India. The fleet, or mip, for Sofala, part- ing in June from Ezion-gaber, would run down before the northern monfoon to Mocha. Here, not the monfoon, but the direction of the Gulf changes, and the violence of the fouth-weflers, which then reign in the Indian Ocean, make themfelves at times felt even in Mocha Roads. The veflel therefore comes to an anchor in the harbour of Mocha, and here fhe waits for moderate weather and a fair wind,

which

Dionyfii Periegefis, ver. 38. and Comment. Euftathii in eundem. Strabo, lib. 16. p. 765. Agathemeri Geographia, lib. 2. cap. II.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 437

which carries her out of the Straits of Babclmandcb, through the few leagues where the wind is variable. If her courfe was now to the Eafl Indies, that is eaft-north-eaft, or north- eaft and by north, flie would find a ftrong fouth-weft wind that would carry her to any part of India, as foon as fhe cleared Cape Gardefan, to which fhe was bound.

But matters are widely different if fhe is bound for So- fala ; her courfe is nearly fouth-weft, and fhe meets at Cape Gardefan a ftrong fouth-wefter that blows directly in her teeth. Being obliged to return into the gulf, fhe miftakes this for a trade-wind, becaufe fhe is not able to make her voyage to Mocha but by the fummer monfoon, which car- ries her no farther than the Straits of Babelmandeb, and then leaves her in the face of a contrary wind, a ftrong cur- rent to the northward, and violent fwell.

The attempting this voyage with fails, in thefe circum- ftances, was abfolutely impoffible, as their veffels went only before the wind : if it was performed at all, it muft have been by oars*, and great havock and lofs of men muft have been the confequence of the feveral trials. This is not conjec- ture only ; the prophet Ezekiel defcribes the very fact. • Speaking of the Tyrian voyages probably of this very one he fays, " Thy rowers have brought thee into great waters " (the ocean) : the eaft wind hath broken thee in the midft of the fcasf." In fhort, the eaft, that is the north-eaft wind, was the very monfoon that was to carry them to So- fala, yet having no fails, being upon a lee-fhore, a very bold'

3 coaft,

* Ezek. chap, xxvii. ver. C. + Ezek. chap, xxvii. ver. 26.

43S TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

coaft, and great fvvell, it was abfolutcly impoffible with oars to fave themfelves from deftruction.

At laft philofophy and obfervation, together with, the unwearied perfeverance of man bent upon his own views and intereft, removed thefe difficulties, and fhewed the ma- riners of the ArabianGulf, that thefe periodical winds, which, in the beginning, they looked upon as invincible barriers to the trading to Sofala, when once underftood, were the very means of performing this voyage fafely and expeditioufly.

The veffel trading to Sofala failed, as I have faid, from the bottom of the Arabian Gulf in fummer, with the monfoon at north, which carried her to Mocha. There the monfoon failed her by the change of the direction of the Gulf. The fouth-weft winds, which blow without Cape Gardefan in the Indian Ocean, forced themfelves round the Cape fo as to be felt in the road of Mocha, and make it uneafy riding there. But thefe foon changed, the weather became mo- derate, and the veffel, I fuppofe in the month of Auguft, was fafe at anchor under Cape Gardefan, where was the port which, many years afterwards, was called Promontorium Aromatum. Here the fhip was obliged to ftay all No- vember, becaufe all thefe fummer months the wind fouth of the Cape was a ftrong fouth-wefter, as hath been before faid, directly in the teeth of the voyage to Sofala. But this time was not loft ; part of the goods bought to be ready for the return was ivory, frankincenfe, and myrrh ; and the fhip was then at the principal mart for thefe.

I suppose in November the veffel failed with the wind at north-eaft , with which fhe would foon have made her voy-

i age-

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 439

age : But off the coaft of Melinda, in the beginning of De- cember, fhe there met an anomalous monfoon at fouth-weft, in our days firft obferved by Dr Halley, which cut off her voyage to Sofala, and obliged her to put in to the fmall har- bour of Mocha, near Melinda, but nearer ftill to Tarfhifh, which we find here by accident, and which we think a ftrong corroboration that we are right as to the reft of the voyage. In the Annals of Abyflinia, we fee that Arada Sion, making war upon that coaft in the 14th century, in a lift of the rebellious Moorifh vaffals, mentions the Chief of Tar- fhifh as one of them, in the very fkuation where we have now placed him.

Solomon's vefTel, then, was obliged to ftay at Tarfhifh till the month of April of the fccond year. In May, the wind fet in at north-eaft, and probably carried her that fame month to Sofala. All the time fhe fpent at Tarfhifh. was not loft, ft>r part of her cargo was to be brought from that place, and fne probably bought, befpoke, or left it there. From May of the fecond year, to the end of that monfoon in October, the vefTel could not ftir; the wind was north-eaft. But this time, far from being loft, was neceflary to the traders for getting in their cargo, which we lhall fuppofe was ready for them..

The fhip fails, on her return, in the month of November of the fecond year, with the monfoon fouth-weft, which in a very few weeks would have carried her into the Arabian Gulf. But off Mocha, near Melinda and Tarfhifh, fhe met the north-eaft monfoon, and was obliged to go into that port and ftay there till the end of that monfoon ; after which a f'outh-weiter came to her relief in May of the third year..

With.

440 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

With the May monfoon fhe ran to Mocha within the Straits, and was there confined by the fummer monfoon blowing up the Arabian Gulf from Suez, and meeting her. Here fhe lay till that monfoon, which in fummer blows northerly from Suez, changed to a fouth-eaft one in October or No- vember, and that very eafily brought her up into the Ela- nitic Gulf, the middle or end of December of the third year. She had no need of more time to complete her voyage, and it was not poffible fhe could do it in lefs. In fhort, fhe changed the monfoon fix times, which is thirty-fix months, or three years exactly ; and there is not another combination . of monfoons over the globe, as far as I know, capable to effect the fame. The reader will pleafe to confult the map, and keep it before him, which will remove any difficulties he may have. It is for his inftruction this map has been made, not for that of the learned prelate * to whom it is infcribed, much more capable of giving additional lights, than in need of receiving any information I can give, even on this fubject.

The celebrated Montefquieu conjectures, thatOphir was really on the coail of Africa ; and the conjecture of that great man merits more attention than the affertions of ordinary people. He is too fagacious, and too enlightened, either to doubt of the reality of the voyage itfelf,, or to feek for Ophir and Tarfhifh in China. Uninformed, however, of the par- ticular direction of the monfoons upon the coaft, firfl very flightly fpoken of by Eudoxus, and lately obferved and de-

licnated

* Dr Douglas, Bifliop of Carlifle.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 442

lineated by Dr Halley, he was daggered upon confidcring that the whole diftance, which employed a veffel in Solo- mon's time for three years, was a thoufand leagues, fcarce- ly more than the work of a month. He, therefore, fuppofes, that the reafon of delay was owing to the imperfection of the veflels, and goes into very ingenious calculations, rea- fonings, and conclufions thereupon. He conjectures, there- fore, that the mips employed by Solomon were what he calls junks* of the Red Sea, made of papyrus, and covered with hides or leather.

Pliny f had faid, that one of thefe junks of the Red Sea was twenty days on a voyage, which a Greek or Roman veffel would have performed in feven ; and Strabo % had faid the fame thing before him.

This relative ilownefs, or fwiftnefs, will not folve the dif- ficulty. For, if thefe junks || were the veffels employed to Ophir, the long voyage, much more they would have been employed on the fhort one, to and from India j now they performed this within a year, which was all a Roman or Greek veflel could do, therefore this was not the caufc. Thofe employed by Solomon were Tyrian and Idumean vef- fels, the beft mips and failers of their age. Whoever has feen the prodigious fwell, the violent currents, and flrong fouth-weftcrs beyond the Straits of Babelmandeb, will not need any argument to permade him, that no veflel made of papyrus, or leather, could live an hour upon that fea. The

Vol. I. 3 K junks,,

:' Vide L'Efprit des Loix, liv. xxi. cap. 6. p. 476. + Plin. lib. vi. cap. 22. % Strabo, lib. xv j[I ksow there are contrary opinions, and the junks might have been yanous. \ ide Salm..

442 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

junks, indeed, were light and convenient boats, made to crofs the narrow gulf between the Sabeans and Homerites, or Cufhites, at Azab upon the Red Sea, and carry provifions from Arabia Felix to the more defert coaft of Azab. I have hinted, that the names of places fufficiently demonflrate the great lofs of men that happened to the traders to Sofala before the knowledge of the monfoons, and the introduc- tion of the ufc of fails.

I shall now confider how far the thing is confirmed by the names of places in the language of the country, fuch as they have retained among them to the prefent day.

There are three Mochas mentioned in this voyage, fitu- ated in countries very diflimilar to, and diilant from, each other. The firft is in Arabia Deferta, in lat. 300 nearly, not far from the bottom of the Gulf of Suez. The fecond is in lat. 13% a fmall dillance from the Straits of Babelmandeb. The third Mocha is in lat. 3" lbuth, nearTarfhiih, on the coaft of Melinda. Nov/, the meaning of Mocha, in the Ethiopic, is prifoa ; and is particularly given to thefe three places, be- caufe, in any of them, a £hip is forced to flay or be detain- ed for months, till the changing of the monfoon lets her at liberty to purfue her voyage. At Mocha, near the bottom of the Gulf of Suez, a vcflcl, wanting to proceed fouthward to Babelmandeb, is kept here in prilbn all winter, till the fommer monfoon fets her at liberty. At Mocha, in Arabia Felix, the fame happens to any vcfiel wanting to proceed 10 Suez in the fummer months ; (he may come up from the Straits -of Babelmandeb to Mocha Road by the acciden- tal direction of the head of the Gulf; but, in the month of May, the north- we ft wind obliges her to put into Mocha,

2, and

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 443

and there to flay till the fouth-eafter relieves her in Novem- ber. After you double Gardefan, the fummer monibon, at north-caft, is carrying your veffel full fail to Sofala, when the anomalous monfoon takes her off the coaft of Melinda, and forces her into Tarfhifh, where fhe is imprifoncd for fix months in the Mocha there. So that this word is very em- phatically applied to thofe places where mips are neceflarily detained by the change of monfoons, and proves the truth of what I have faid. .

The laft Cape on the Abyffinian more, before you run into the Straits, is Cape Defan, called by the Portuguefe, Cape Dafui. This has no meaning in any language ; the Abyflinians, on whofe fide it is, call it Cape Dcfo.ti, the Cape of Burial. It was probably there where the carl wind drove afhore the bodies of fuch as had been fhipwrecked in the voyage. The point of the fame coaft, which. ftretches out into the Gulf, before you arrive at Ba-belmandeb, was, by the Romans, c&Ued'Promoriterium^lr&natum, and -mice, by the Portuguefe, Cape Gardeful. But the name given it by the Abyflinians and failors on the Gulf is, Cape Gardefan, the Straits of Burial. .

Still nearer the Straits is a fmall port in the kingdom of Adel, called Mete, /. c. Death, or, he or they are dead. And more to the weft ward, in the fame kingdom, is Mount Felix, corruptly fo called by the Portuguefe. The Latins call it Elephas Mons, the Mountain of the Elephant; and the na- tives, jibbel Feel, which has the fame fignification. The Por- tuguefe, who did not. know that Jibbel Feel was Elephas Mons, being milled by the found, have called it Jibbel Felix., 1 ippy Mountain, a name to which it has no fort of title.

3K2. The-

444 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

The Straits by which we enter the Arabian Gulf are by the Portuguefe called Babelmandeb, which is nonfenfe. The name by which it goes among the natives is Babel- mandeb, the Gate or Port of Affliction. And near it Ptolemy * places a town he calls, in the Greek, Mandaeth, which ap- pears to me to be only a corruption of Mandeb. The Pro- montory that makes the fouth fide of the Straits, and the city thereupon, is Dira, which means the Hades, or Hell, by Ptole- my f called A»pw. This, too, is a tranflation of the ancient name,becaufc A»p» (orDirae) has no lignification in the Greek. A clufter of illands you meet in the canal, after palling Mo- cha, is called Jibbel Zekir, or, the Illands of Prayer for the remembrance of the dead. And ftill, in the fame courfe up the Gulf, others are called Sebaat Gzier, Praife or Glory be to God, as we may fuppofe, for the return from this danger- ous navigation.

All the coaft to the eaftward, to where Gardefan ftretches out into the ocean, is the territory of Saba, which imrac- morially has been the mart of frankincenfe, myrrh, and balfam. Behind Saba, upon the Indian Ocean, is the Regio Qnnamontfera, where a conliderable quantity of that wild cin- namon grows, which the Italian druggifes call candh.

Inland near to Azab, as I have before obferved, are large ruins, fome of them of imall ftones and lime adhering ftrong- ly together. There is efpecially an aqueduct, which brought formerly a large quantity of water from a fountain in the mountains, which mult have greatly contributed to the

beauty,

Pto'. Geog. lib. \. cap. 7. f id. ibid.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 44/

beauty, health, and pleafure of Saba. This is built with large maffy blocks of marble, brought from the neighbour- ing mountains, placed upon one another without lime or cement, but joined with thick cramps, or bars of brafs. There are likewife a number of wells, not fix feet wide, cora- pofed of pieces of marble hewn to parts of a circle, and joined with the fame bars of brafs alfo. This is exceedingly furpriiing, for Agatharcides * tells us, that the Alileans and CafTandrins, in the fouthern parts of Arabia, (juftoppofite to Azab), had among them gold in fuch plenty, that they would give double the weight of gold for iron, triple its weight for brafs, and ten times its weight for filver ; that, in dig- ging the earth, they found pieces of gold as big as olive- Itones, but others much larger.

This feems to me extraordinary, if brafs was at fuch a price in Arabia, that it could be here employed in the mean- eil and moll common ufcs. However this be, the inhabitants of the Continent, and of the peninfula of Arabia oppofite to it» of all denominations agree, that this was the royal feat of the Queen of Saba, famous in ecclefiaftical hiftory for her journey to Jerufalem ; that thefe works belonged to her, and were erected at the place of her refidence ; that all the gold, filver, and perfumes came from her kingdom of Sofala, which was Ophir, and which reached from thence to Azab, upon the borders of the Red Sea, along the coafl of the Indian Ocean.

It will very poffibly be thought, that this is the pl;ice in which I fhould mention the journey that the Queen of Saba made into Paleiline ; but as the dignity of the expedition it-

4 felf,

* Agath. p, Co.

J

446 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

felf, and the place it holds in Jewifh antiquities, merits chat it mould be treated in a place by itfelf, fo the connection that it is luppcicd to have with the foundation of the mo- narchy of Abyffmia, the country whofe hiilory I am going to write, makes this particularly proper for the fake of con- nection ; and I fhall, therefore, continue the hiilory of the trade of the Arabian Gulf to a period in which I can re- fume the narrative of this expedition without occafioning •my interruption to either,

*»'■* ■*■ ■ ^^

CHAP,

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE, 447

&&&<

CHAP. V.

Flucluating State of the India Trade — Hurt by Military Expeditions of the Per/ians — Revives under the Ptolemies — Falls to Decay under the Romans.

PTPHE profperous days of the commerce with the Elanitic JL Gulf feemed to be at this time nearly pail ; yet, after1 the revolt of the ten tribes, Edom remaining to the houfe of David, they Hill carried on a fort of trade from the Ela- nitic Gulf, though attended with many difficulties. This continued till the reign of Jehofaphat * ; but, on jehoram's fucceeding that prince, the Edomites j- revolted and chofc a king of their own, and were never after fubjecT: to the kings of Judah till the reign of Uzziah J, who conquered Eloth, fortified it, and having peopled it with a colony of his own, revived the old traffic. This fubiiitcd till the reign ofAhaz, when Rczin king of Damafcus took Eloth ||, and expelled the Jews,_planting in their ftead a colony of Syri- ans.

* 1 Kings, chap. xxii. ver. 48. 2 C'.iron. chap. xx. ver. 36. f 2 Kings, chap. viii. ver. 22. 2 Chron. chap. xxi. ver. 10. J 2 Kings, chap. xiv. ver. 22. z Chron. chap. 26. ver. ii.

2 King?, chap. xvi. ver. C.

44§ TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

ans. But he did not long enjoy this good fortune, for the year after, Rezin * was conquered by Tilgath-pilefer ; and one of the fruits of this victory was the taking of Eloth, which never after returned to the Jews, or was of any pro- fit to Jerufalem.

The repeated wars and conqueft to which the cities on the Elanitic Gulf had been fubiecl, the extirpation of the Edomites, ail the great events that immediately followed one another, of courfe difturbed the ufual channel of trade by the Red Sea, whofe ports were now confequently become unfafe by being in pofTeflion of ftrangers,, robbers, and fol- diers ; it changed, therefore, to a place nearer the center of police and good government, than fortified and frontier towns could be fuppofed to be. The Indian and African merchants, by convention,, met in AfTyria, as they had done in Semiramis's time ; the one by the Perfian Gulf and Eu- phrates, the other through Arabia. AfTyria, therefore, be- came the mart of the India trade in the EafL

The conquefts of Nabopollafer, and his fon Nebuchadnez- zar, had brought a prodigious quantity of bullion, both lilver and gold, to Babylon his capital. For he had plun- ured Tyre f, and robbed Solomon's Temple X of all the gold that had been brought from Ophir; and he had, befides, con- quered Egypt and laid it wafte, and cut off the communica- tion of trade in all thefe places, by almofl extirpating the

people.

* 2 Kings, chap. xvi. ver. 6. f Ezek. chap, xxvi. ver. 7. % 1 Kings, chap. x\iv ver. 13. and : Chron. chap, xxxvi.

vsr. 7.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 449

people. Immenfe riches flowed to him, therefore, on all fides, and it was a circumftance particularly favourable to merchants in that country, that it was governed by written laws that fcreened their properties from any remarkable violence or inj uftice.

I suppose the phrafe in fcripture, " The law of the Medes and Perfians, which altereth not*," mull mean only written laws, by which thofe countries were governed, without be- ing left to the difcretion of the judge, as all the Eaft was, and as it actually now is.

In this fituation the country was at the birth of Cyrus, who, having taken Babylon f and flain BelfliazzerJ, became mafter of the whole trade and riches of the Eaft. Whatever character writers give of this great Prince, his conduct, with regard to the commerce of the country, mews him to have been a weak one: For, not content with the prodigious profperity to which his dominions had arrived, by the mif- fortune of other nations, and perhaps by the good faith kept by his fubjeets to merchants, enforced by thofe written laws, he undertook the moil abfurd and difaftrous project of molefting the traders themfelves, and invading India, that all at once he might render himfelf mailer of their riches. He executed this fcheme jufl as abfurdly as he formed it ; for, knowing that large caravans of merchants came into Perfta and Ailyria from India, through the Aria- na, (the defert coafl that runs all along the Indian Ocean to Vol. I. 3 L the

* Dan chap. vi. ver. 8. and Efther, chap. i. ver. 19. + Ezra, chap, v.ver. 14 and chap. vi. ver. 5. X Dan. chap. v. ver. 30.

450 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

the PeiTian Gulf, almoft entirely dellitute of water, and very nearly as much fo of provifions, both which caravans al- ways carry with them), he attempted to enter India by the very fame road with a large army, the very fame way his predeceflbr Semiramis had projected 1300 years before; and as her army had perifhed, fo did his to a man, without ha- ing ever had it in his power to take one pepper-corn by force from any part of India.

The fame fortune attended his fon and fucceUbr Cam- byfes, who, obferving the quantity of gold brought from E- thiopia into Egypt, refolved to march to the fource, and at once make himfelf mailer of thofe treafures by rapiner which he thought came too flowly through the medium of commerce.

Cambyses's expedition into Africa is too well' known for me to dwell upon it in this place. It hath obtained a cele- brity by the abfurdity of the project, by the enormous cruelty and havock that attended the courfe of it, and by the great and very juft punifliment that clofed it in the end. It was one of thofe many monflrous extravagancies which made up the life of the greater! madman that ever difgraccd the annals of antiquity. The bafeil mind is perhaps the moil capable of avarice ; and when this paffion has taken poffeilion of the human heart, it is ftrong enough to excite us to underta- kings as great as any of thofe dictated by the nobleltof our Virtues.

Cambyses, amidil the commimon of the molt horrid ex- cefTes during the conqueft of Egypt, was informed that, from the fouth of that country, there wasconflantly brought

a quantity

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 451

a quantity of pure gold, independent of what came from the top of the Arabic Gulf, which was now carried into AfTyria, and circulated in the trade of his country. This fupply of gold belonged properly and cxclufively to Egypt; and a very lucrative, though not very extenfive commerce, was, by its means, carried on with India. He found out. that the people, pofleffing thefe treafures, were called Mac- robii, which fignifics long livers; and that they pofTefTed a coun- try divided from him by lakes, mountains, and deferts. But what flill affected him moll was, that in his way were a mul- titude of warlike Shepherds, with whom the reader is al- ready fufheiently acquainted.

Cambyses, to flatter, and make peace with them, fell fu- rioufly upon all the gods and temples in Egypt ; he mur- dered the facred ox, the apis, deflroyed Memphis, and all the public buildings wherever he went. This was a grati- fication to the Shepherds, being equally enemies to thofe that worlhipped beails, or lived in cities. After this intro- duction, he concluded peace with them in the moft folemn manner, each nation vowing eternal amity with the other. Notwithftanding which, no fooner was he arrived at Thebes (in Egypt) than he detached a large army to plunder the Temple of Jupiter Amnion, the grcatcft object of the worfliip of thefe Jhcpherds ; which army utterly perifhed without a man remaining, covered, as I fuppofe, by the moving fands. He then began his march again!! the Macrobii, keeping clofc to the Nile. The country there being too high to receive any benefit from the inundation of the river, produced no corn, fo that part of his army died for want of provifion.

3 L 2 Another

45± TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

Another detachment of his army proceeded to the coun- try of the Shepherds, who, indeed, furnifhed him with food ; but, exafperated at the facrilege he had committed againfl their god, they conducted his troops through places where they could procure no water. After fufFering all this lofs, he was not yet arrived beyond 24% the parallel of Syene. From hence he difpatched ambafladors, or fpies, to difcover the country before him, finding he could no longes rely upon the Shepherds. Thefe found it full of black war- like people, of great fize, and prodigious flrength of body; active, and continually exercifed in hunting the lion, the elephant, and other monflrous beads which live in thefe forefts.

The inhabitants fo abounded with gold, that the moff common utenfds and inflruments were made of that metal, whilft, at the fame time, they were utter ftrangers to bread of any kind whatever ; and, not only fo, but their country was, by its nature, incapable of producing any fort of grain from which bread could be made. They fubfifted upon raw flefli alone, dried in the fun, efpecially that of the rhinoceros, the elephant, and giraffa, which they had flain in limiting. On fuch food they have ever fince lived, and live to this day, and on fuch food I myfelf have lived with them ; yet Hill it appears flrange, that people confined to this diet, without variety or change, mould have it for their characteriflic that they were long livers.

They were not at all alarmed at the arrival of Cambyfcs's ambaffadors. On the contrary, they treated them as an in- ferior fpecies of men, Upon afking them about their diet,

and

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE.

453

and hearing it was upon bread, they called it dung, I fup- pofe as having the appearance of that bread which I have feen the miferable Agows, their neighbours, make from feeds of baflard rye, which they collect in their fields un- der the burning rays of the fun. They laughed at Cam- by fes's requifition of fubmitting to him, and did not con- ceal their contempt of his idea of bringing an army thi- ther.

They treated ironically his hopes of conqueft, even fuppo- fing all difficulties of the defert overcome, and his army ready to enter their country, and counfeled him to return while he was well, at leaft for a time, till he mould pro- duce a man of his army that could bend the bow that they then fent him ; in which cafe, he might continue to ad- vance, and have hope of conqueft. — The reafon of their re- ference to the bow will be feen afterwards. I mention thefe circumftances of the quantity of gold, the hunting of ele- phants, their living upon the raw nefh, and, above all, the circumftances of the bow, as things which I myfelf can teftify to have met with among this very people. It is, in- deed, highly fatisfactory in travelling, to be able to explain truths which, from a want of knowledge of the country alone, have been treated as falsehoods, and placed to the difcredit of hiftorians.

The Perfians were all famous archers. The mortifica- tion, therefore, they experienced, by receiving the bow they could not bend, was a very fenfible one, though the narra- tive of the quantity of gold the meftengers had feen made a much greater impreffion upon Cambyfes. To procure

this

454 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

this trcafnrc was, however, impracticable, as he had no provifion, nor was there any in the way of his march. His army, therefore, wafted daily by death and difperfion ; and he had the mortification to be obliged to retreat into Egypt, after part of his troops had been reduced to the neceffity of eating each other *;

Darius, king of Perfia, attempted to open this trade in a much more worthy and liberal manner, as he fent (hips down the river Indus into the ocean, whence they entered the Red Sea. It is probable, in this voyage, he acquired all the knowledge neceffary for eftablilhing this trade in Per- fia; for he muft have palled through the Perfian Gulf, and along the whole eaftern coalt of Arabia ; he muft have feen the marts of perfumes and fpices that were at the mouth of the Red Sea, and the manner of bartering for gold and filver, as he was neceffarily in thofe trading places which were upon the very fame coaft from which thQ bullion was brought. I do not know, then, why M. de Montefquieu f has treated this expedition of Darius fo con- temptuoully, as it appears to have been executed without great trouble or cxpence, and terminated without lofs or hardfhip ; the ftrongeft proof that it was at firft wifely plan- ed. The prince. himfelf was famous for his love of learn- ing, which we find by his anxiety to be admitted among the Ma^i, and the fenfe he had of that honour, in caufing it to be engraved upon his tomb.

The

Lucan iib. x. ver. 280. f vide Montefq. liv. si. chap 8-

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE.

455

The expedition of Alexander into India was, of all events, that which moil threatened the deftruction of the commerce of the Continent, or the difperfing it into different channels throughout the Eall : Firft, by the deflruelion of Tyre, which znuft have, for a time, annihilated the trade by the Arabian Gulf; then by his march through Egypt into the country of the Shepherds, and his intended further progrefs into Ethio pia to the head of the Nile. If we may judge of what we hear of him in that part of his expedition, we mould be apt not to believe, as others are fond of doing, that he had fchemes of commerce mingled with thofe of conquefts. His anxiety about his own birth at the Temple of Jupiter Ammon, this firft queftion that he afked of the prieft, " Where the Nile had its fource," feemed to denote a mind bufied about other objects ; for elfe he was then in the very place for informa- tion, being in the temple of that horned god *, the deity of the Shepherds, the African carriers of the Indian produce ; a temple which, though in the midft of fand, and deftitute of gold or filver, poffeffed more and better information con- cerning the trade of India and Africa, than could be found in any other place on the Continent. Yet we do not hear of one queftion being made, or one arrangement taken, re- lative to opening the India trade with Thebes, or with Alex- andria, which he built afterwards.

After having viewed the main ocean to the fouth, he ordered Nearchus with his fleet to coaft along the Perfian Gulf, accompanied by part of the army on land for their mutual aififtance, as there were a great many liardfhips

i which.

* Lucan, lib. 9. vrr. 515,

45

6 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

which followed the march of the army by land, and much difficulty and danger attended the Shipping as they were fail- ing in unknown feas againft the monfoons. Nearchus himfelf informed the king at Babylon of his fuccefsful voyage, who gave him orders to continue it into the Red Sea, which he happily accomplifhed to the bottom of the Arabian Gulf.

We are told it was his intention to carry on the India trade by the Gulf of Perfia, for which reafon he broke down all the cataracts and dams which the Perfians had built over the rivers communicating with the Euphrates. No ufe, however, feems to have been made of his knowledge of Arabia and Ethiopia, which makes me imagine this ex- pedition of Alexander's fleet was not an idea of his own. It is, indeed, faid, that when Alexander came into India, the fouthern or Indian Ocean was perfectly unknown ; but I am rather inclined to believe from this circumftance, that this voyage was made from fome memorials remaining concerning the voyage of Darius. The fact and circum- ftances of Darius's voyage are come down to us, and, by thefe very fame means, it mull be probable they reached Alexander, who I do not believe ever intended to carry on the India trade at Babylon.

To render it impoflible, indeed, he could not have done three things more effectual than he did, when he deftroyed Tyre, and difperfed its inhabitants, perfecuted the Orites, or land-carriers, in the Ariana, and built Alexandria upon the Mediterranean ; which laft ftep fixed the Indian trade in that city, and would have kept it there eternally, had the Cape of Good Hope never been difcovered.

TH£

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 457

The Ptolemies, the wifeft princes that ever fat upon the throne of Egypt, applied with the utraoft care and attention to cultivate the trade of India, to keep up perfect and friend- ly underftanding with every country that fupplied any branch of it, and, inftead of difturbing it either in Afia, Ara- bia, or Ethiopia, as their predeceflbrs had done, they ufed their utraoft efforts to encourage it in all quarters.

Ptolemy I. was then reigning in Alexandria, the foun- dation of whofe greatnefs he not only laid, but lived to fee it arrive at the greateft perfection. It was his conftant fay- ing, that the true glory of a king was not in being rich himfelf, but making his fubjects fo. He, therefore, opened his ports to all trading nations, encouraged ftrangers of every language, protected caravans, and a free navigation by fea, by which, in a few years, he made Alexandria the great ftore-houfe of merchandize, from India, Arabia, and Ethiopia. He did ftill further to infure the duration of his kingdom, at the fame time that he fhewed the utmoft dif- intereftednefs for the future happinefs of his people. He educated his fon, Ptolemy Philadelphus, with the utmoft care, and the happy genius of that prince had anfwered his father's utmoft expectations ; and, when he arrived at the age of governing, the father, worn out by the fatigue of long wars, furrendered the kingdom to his fon.

f

Ptolemy had been a foldier from his infancy, and con- fequently kept up a proper military force, that made him every where refpected in thefe warlike and unfettled times. He had a fleet of two hundred mips of war conftantly ready in the port of Alexandria, the only part for which he had apprehenfions. All behind him was wifely governed, whilft Vol. I. 3 M it

458 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER.

it enjoyed a moft flourishing trade, to the profpcrity of:r which peace is necefTary. He died in peace and old age after having merited the glorious name -of Soter, or Saviour of the kingdom, which he hirhfelf had founded, the greateft part of which differed from him in language, colour, habit, and religion.

It is with aftonimment we fee how thoroughly he had eftablifhed the trade of India, Ethiopia, and Arabia, and what progrefs he had already made towards uniting it with that of Europe, by a paffage in Athenseus*, who mentions a feflival and entertainment given by his fon, Ptolemy Philadelphia to the people of Alexandria at his acceflion, while his father. was alive, but had jufl given up his crown.

There was in this procenlon a great number of Indian women, befides of other countries ; and by Indians we may underftand, not only the Afiatic Indians, but the Abyllini- ans, and the inhabitants of the higher part of Africa, as all thefe countries were comprehended under the common ap- pellation of India. Thefe were in the habit of Haves, and each led, or was followed by, a camel loaded with incenfe ofSheher, and cinnamon, befides other aromatics. After thefe came a number of Ethiopian blacks carrying the teeth of 600 elephants. Another troop had a prodigious quanti- ty of ebony ; and again others loaded with that fmeft gold, which is not dug from the mine, but waihed from the mountains by the tropical rains in fmall pieces, or pellets,

which

* Athcn, lib. 5.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 459

which the natives and traders at this day call Tibbar. Next came a pack of 24,000 Indian dogs, all Afiatics, from the peninmla of India, followed by a prodigious number of fo- reign animals, both beafts and birds, paroquets, and other "birds of Ethiopia, carried in cages ; 130 Ethiopian iheep, 300 Arabian, and 20 from the Me Nubia* ; 26 Indian buffaloes, white as fnow, and eight from Ethiopia ; three brown bears, and a white one, which laft mufl have been from the north of Europe ; 14 leopards, 16 panthers, four lynxes, one giraf- fa, and a rhinoceros of Ethiopia.

When we reflecl: upon this prodigious mixture of ani- mals, all fo eafdy procured at one time, without preparation, we may imagine, that the quantity of merchandifes, for common demand, which accompanied them, mufl have been in the proper proportion.

The current of trade ran towards Alexandria with the greatefl impetuofity, all the articles of luxury of the Eafl were to be found there. Gold and filver, which were fent formerly to Tyre, came now down to the Iflhmus (for Tyre was no more) by a much lhorter carnage, thence to Mem- phis, whence it was fent down the Nile to Alexandria. The gold from the weft and fouth parts of the Continent reached the fame port with much lefs time and riik, as there was now no Red Sea to pafs ; and here was found the merchan- dife of Arabia and India in the greatefl prof ufion,

3M2 To

•This is probably from Atbara, or the old name of the ifland of Meroe, which had received that lafl name only as late as Cambyfes.

460 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

To facilitate the communication with Arabia, Ptolemy built a town on the coaft of the Red Sea, in the country of the Shepherds, and called it Berenice*, after his mother. This was intended as a place of neceflary refrefhment for all the traders up and down the Gulf, whether of India or Ethio- pia ; hence the cargoes of merchants, who were afraid of lofing the monfoons, or had loll them, were carried by the inhabitants of the country, in three days, to the Nile, and there embarked for Alexandria. To make the communi- cation between the Nile and the Red Sea Hill more commodi- ous, this prince tried an attempt (which had twice before mifcarried with very great lofs) to bring a canal f from the Red Sea to the Nile, which he actually accomplifhed, join- ing it to the Pelufiac, or Eaflern branch of the Nile. Locks and flukes moreover are mentioned as having been em- ployed even in thofe early days by Ptolemy, but very trifling ones could be needed, for the difference of level is there but very fmall.

This noble canal, one hundred yards broad, was not of that ufc to trade which was expected ; merchants were weary of the length of time confumed in going to the very bot- tom of the Gulf, and afterwards with this inland naviga- tion of the canalj and that of the Nile, to Alexandria. It was therefore much more expeditious to unload at Berenice, and, after three days journey, fend their merchandife direct- ly down to Alexandria. Thus the canal was difufed, the goods paffed from Berenice to the Nile by land, and that road continues open for the fame purpofc to this day.

It.

* Blin. lib. 6. cap. J3, f Strabo, lib. 17. p. 932.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 4fo

It mould appear, that Ptolemy had employed the veffels of India and the Red Sea, to carry on his commerce with the peninfula, and that the manner of trading directly to India with his own fhips, was either not known or forgot- ten. He therefore fent two ambaffadors, or meffengers, Megafthenes and Denis, to obferve and report what was the flate of India fince the death of Alexander. Thefe two performed their voyage fafely and fpeedily. The account they gave of India, if it was ftrictly a true one, was, in all refpects, perfectly calculated to animate people to the fur- ther profecution of that trade. In the mean time, in order to procure more convenience for veffels trading on the Red Sea, he refolved to attempt the penetrating into that part of Ethiopia which lies on that fea, and, as hiftorians imagine, with an intention to plunder the inhabitants of their riches.

It mull not, however, be fuppofed, that Ptolemy was not enough acquainted with the productions of a country fo near to Egypt, as to know this part of it had neither gold norfilver, whilft it was full of forefls likewife ; for it was that part of Ethiopia called Barbaria, at this day Barabra, inhabited by fhepherds wandering with their cattle about the neighbour- ing mountains according as the rains fall. Another more pro- bable conjecture was, that he wanted, by bringing about a change of manners in thefe people, to make them ufeful to him in a matter that was of the highefl importance.

Ptolemy, like his father, had a very powerful fleet and army, he but was inferior to many of the princes, his rivals, in elephants, of which great ufe was then made in war. Thefe Ethiopians were hunters, and killed them for" their fubfiftence. Ptolemy, however, wifhed to have them taken

4 alive,.

.462 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

alive, being numerous, and hoped both to furnifh. himfelf, and difpofe of them as an article of trade, to his neighbours.

There is fomcthing indeed ridiculous in the manner in which he executed this expedition. Aware of the difficulty of fubfifting in that country, he chofeonly a hundred Greek horfemen, whom he covered with coats of monftrous appearance and frze, which left nothing vifible but the eyes of the rider. Their horfes too were difguifcd by huge trappings, which took from them all proportion andfhape. In this manner they entered this part of Ethiopia, fpreading terror every where by their appearance, to which their ftrength and courage bore a ftrict proportion whenever they came to action. But neither force nor intreaty could gain any thing upon thefe Shepherds, or ever make them change or forfake the food they had been fo long accuftomed to ; and all the fruit Ptolemy reaped from this expedition, was to build a city, by the fea-fide, in the fouth- eaft corner of 'this country, which he called Ptolemais The- ron, or Ptolemais in the country of wild beails.

I have already obferved, but fhall again repeat it, that the reafon why fhips, in going up and down the Red Sea, kept always upon the Ethiopian fliore, and why the great- eft number of cities were always built upon that fide is, that water is much more abundant on the Ethiopian lide than the Arabian, and it was therefore of the greateft con- ference to trade to have that coaft fully difcovered and civilized. Indeed it is more than probable, that nothing fur- ther was intended by the expedition of the hundred Greeks, juft now mentioned, than to frain fufiicient intelligence how -this might be done moil perfectly.

2 Pto-

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 463

Ptolemy Evergetes, fon and fuccefibr of Ptolemy Phila- delphus, availed himfelf of this 'difcovery. Having provid- ed himfclf amply with ncceffarics for his army, and order- ed a fleet to coaft along befide him, up the R.ed Sea, he pe- netrated quite through the country of the Shepherds into that of the Ethiopian Troglodytes, who are black and wool- ly-headed, and inhabit the low country quite to the moun- tains of Abyffinia. Nay *, he even afcended thofe moun- tains, forced the inhabitants to fubmiflion, built a large temple at Axum, the capital of Sire, and railed a great many obelifks, feveral of which are Handing to this day. After- wards proceeding to the fouth-eaft, he defcended into the cinnamon and myrrh country, behind Cape Gardefan, (the Cape that terminates the Red Sea, and the Indian Ocean) from this,' croffed over to Arabia, to the Homerites, being; the fame people with the Abyffinians, only on the Arabian more. He then conquered feveral of the Arabian princes, who firft refilled him, and had it in his power to have put an end to the trade of India there, had he not been as great a politician as he was a warrior. He ufed his victory, there- fore, in no other manner, than to exhort and oblige thefe princes to protect trade, encourage ftrangers, and, by every means, provide for the furety of neutral intercourfe, by ma- king rigorous examples of robbers by fea and land..

The reigns of the latter Ptolemies were calculated to bring this commerce to a decline, had it not been for two great events, the fall of Carthage, deftroyed by Scipio, and that of Corinth, by the cenful Mummius. The importance of

thefe

* Men. Aduli.

464 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

thefe events to Alexandria feems to have fuftained the pro- fperity of Egypt, even againfl the ravages committed in the war between Ptolemy the VI. and VII. Alexandria was then befieged, and not only deprived of its riches, but re- duced to the utmofl want of necefTaries, and the horrid be- haviour of Ptolemy VII. (had it continued) would have foon rendered that city defolate. The confequence of fuch a conduct, however, made a flrong impreflion on the prince himfelf, who, at once recalling his unjufl edicts, by which he had banifhed all foreign merchants from Alexandria, became on a fudden wholly addicted to commerce, the encou- rager of arts and fciences, and the protector of ftrangers.

The impolitic conduct in the beginning of his reign, however, had affected trade even in India. For the ftory preferved by Pofidonius, and very improperly criticifed by Strabo, feems to import little lefs. One day, the troops polled on the Arabian Gulf found a fhip abandoned to the waves, on board of which was one Indian only, half dead with hunger and third, whom they brought to the king. This Indian declared he failed from his own country, and, ha- ving loft his courfe and fpent all his proviiions, he was carried to the place where he was found, without knowing where he was, and after having furvived the reft of his companions : he concluded an imperfect narrative, by offering to be a guide to any perfon his majefty would fend to India. His propofals were accordingly accepted, and Eudoxus was named by the king to accompany him. Strabo * indeed laughs at

this

Strabo, lib. ij. p. 98.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 465

this flory. However, we mufl fay, he has not feized the mofl ridiculous parts of it.

We are told that the king ordered the Indian to be taught Greek, and waited with patience till he had learn- ed that language, Surely, before any perfon could thus inuruCt him, the mafter mufl have had fome language in common with his fcholar, or he had better have taught Eu- doxus the Indian language, as it would have been as ea- fy, and of much more life in the voyage he was to under- take. Befides, is it poffible to believe, after the many years the Egyptians traded backwards and forwards to India, that there was not a man in Alexandria who could interpret for him to the king, when fuch a number of Egyptians went every year to India to trade, and flayed there for months each time? Could Ptolemy Philadelphia, at his father's fefli- val, find 600 Indian female Haves, all at once, in Alexandria; and, after the trade had lafled fo much longer, were the people from India decreafed, or would their language be lefs underflood ? The king's wifdom, moreover, did not fhew itfelf greatly, when he was going to trufl a fhip with his fnbjects to fo fkilful a pilot as this Indian, who, in the firft voyage, had loll himfelf and all his companions.

India, however, and the Indian feas, were as well known in Egypt as they are now ; and the magnificence and fhew which attended Eudoxus's embafly feems to prove, that whatever truth there is in the Indian being found, Eudoxus' errand mufl have been to remove the bad effects that the king's extortions and robberies, committed upon all flrangers in the beginning of his reign, had made upon the trading nations. Eudoxus returned, but after the death of Ptole-

Vol. I. 3 N my.

466 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

my. The neceffity, however, of this voyage appeared flill great enough to make Cleopatra his widow project a fe- cond to the fame place, and greater preparations were made than for the former one.

But Eudoxus,, trying experiments probably about the courfes of the trade-winds, loft his paffage, and was thrown upon the coaft of Ethiopia ; where, having landed, and made himfelf agreeable to the natives, he brought home to Egypt a particular description of that country and its produce, which furnifhed all the difcovery neccffary to inftrucl: the Ptolemies in every thing that related to the ancient trade of Arabia. In the courfe of the voyage, Eudoxus difcovered the part of the prow of a veffel which had been broken off by a ftorm. The figure of a horfe made it an object of in- quiry ; and fome of the failors on board, who had been em- ployed in European voyages, immediately knew this wreck to be part of one of thofe veilels ufed to trade on the weftcrn ocean. Eudoxus * inllantly perceived all the importance of the difcovery, which amounted to nothing lefs, than that there was a paffage round Africa from the Indian to the At- lantic Ocean. Full of this thought, he returned to Egypt, and,, having fhewn the prow of his veffel to European fhip- mafters, they all declared that this had been part of a vef- fel which had belonged to Cadiz, in Spain.

This difcovery, great as it was, was to none of more im portance than to Eudoxus ; for, fome time after, falling under the diipleafure of Ptolemy Lathyrus, VUIth of that

name,

* Plin. NauHift. lib. 2. cap. 67,

THESOURCEOFTHENILE. 467

name, and being in danger of his life, he fled and embark- ed on the Red Sea, failed round the peninfula of Africa, croiTed the Atlantic Ocean, and came fafely to Cadiz.

The fpirit of inquiry, and dcfire of travelling, fpread it- felf inilantly through Egypt, upon this voyage of Eudoxus ; and different travellers pufhed their difcoveries into the heart of the country, where fome of the nations arc report- ed to have been fo ignorant as not to know the ufe of fire : ignorance almoft incredible, had we not an inflance of it in our own times. It was in the reign of Ptolemy IX. that A- gatharcides * drew up his defcription of the Red Sea.

The reigns of the other Ptolemies ending in the Xlllthof that name, though full of great events, have nothing ma- terial to our prefent fubjec~t. Their conftant expence and profufion mull have occafioned a great confumption of trading articles, and very little elfe was wanting; or, if there had, it muft have arrived at its height in the reign of the celebrated Cleopatra; whofe magnificence, beauty, and great talents, made her a wonder, greater than any in her capital. In her time, all nations flocked, as well for curiofity as trade, to Alexandria ; Arabs, Ethiopians, Troglodytes, Jews, and Medes ; and all were received and protected by this princefs, who fpokc to each of them in his own languagef.

The difcovery of Spain, and the pofTeilion of the mines of Attica from which they drew their filver, and the revo-

-; N 2 lution

* Dodwcll'b Diflertat. vol. I. Scrip. Grcec. Min. Id. Ox. 1698. 8vo. 4- Plut. Vita. Ant. p. 913. torn, 1. part 2. Lubec. 1*124. fol.

468 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

lution that happened in Egypt itfelf, feemed to have fuper- feded the communication with the coaft of Africa ; for, in> Strabo's time, few of the ports of the Indian Ocean, even thofe neareft the Red Sea, were known. I mould, indeed, fuppofe, that the trade to India by Egypt decreafed from the very time of the conqueft by Csefar. The mines the Romans hadat|the fource of the river Betis*, in Spain, did not produce them above L. 15,000 a-year; this was not a fufficient capital for carrying on the trade to India, and therefore the immenfe riches of the Romans feem to have been derived from the greatnefs of the prices, not from the extent of the trade, In fact f, we are told that 100 per cent, was a profit in com- mon trade upon the Indian commodities. Egypt now, and all its neighbourhood, began to wear a face of war, to which it had been a ftranger for fo many ages. The north- of Africa was in conftant troubles, after the firft ruin of Carthage ; fo that we may imagine the trade to India began again, on that fide, to be carried on pretty much in the fame manner it had been before the days of Alexander, But it had enlarged itfelf very much on the Perfian fide, and found an eafy, fhort inlet, into the north of Europe, which then furnifhed them a market and confumption of fpices.

I must confefs, notwithflanding, if it is true what Strabofays he heard himfelf in Egypt, that the Romans em- ployed one hundred and twenty veffels in the Indian trade J, it muft at that time have loll very little of its vigour. Wo muft, however, imagine, that great part of this was for the

account.

* Strabo, lib. 3. 7 Plin. i!b. \i. cop, 23.. ± Strabo, lib. r*. p. 81.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 4c9

account, and with the funds of foreign merchants. The Jews in Alexandria, until the reign of Ptolemy Phifcon, had carried on a very extenfive part of the India trade. All Syria was mercantile ; and lead, iron, and copper, fupplied, in fome manner, the deficiency of gold and lilver, which never again was in fuch abundance till after the difcovery of America.

But the ancient trade to India, by the Arabian Gulf and Africa, carried on by the medium of thefe two metab, remained at home undiminifhed with the Ethiopians, de- fended by large extenfive deferts, and happy with the en- joyment of riches and fecurity, till a frelh difcovery again introduced to them both partners and mailers in their trade.

One of the reafons that makes me imagine the Indian, trade was not flourifhing, or in great efteem, immediately upon the Roman conqueft of Egypt, is, that Auguftus, very foon after, attempted to conquer Arabia. He lent Elius Gallus, with an army from Egypt into Arabia, who found there a number of effeminate, timid people, fcarcely to be driven to felf-defence by violence, and ignorant of every thing that related to war. Elius, however, found that they overmatched him in cunning, and the perfect knowledge of the country, which their conitant employment as carriers had taught them. His guides led him round from hard- ihip to hardfhip, till his army almoft perifned with hunger and thirft, without feeing any of thofe riches his maiterhad. lent him to take poUeffion of.

3,

47* TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

Thus was the Arabian expedition of Auguftus conceived with the fame views as thofeof Semiramis, Cyrus, and Cam- byfes, defervedly as unhappy in its hTue as thefe firfl had been.

That the African trade, moreover, was loft, appears from Strabo*, and his reafoning upon the voyage of Eudoxus, which he treats as a fable. But his reafoning proves jufl the contrary, and this voyage was one foundation for opening this trade again, and making this coaft more perfectly known. This likewife appears clear from Ptolemy f, who, fpeaking of a promontory or cape oppofite to Madagafcar, on the coaft of Africa, fays it was inhabited by anthropo- phagi, or man-eaters, and that all beyond 8° fouth was un- known, and that this cape extended to and joined the con- tinent of India i.

* Strabo, lib. ii. p. 98. f Ptol. lib. iv. cap. 9. p. 1 15. J Ptol. lib. vii. cap. 5.

(gfr*fa— »><<%£

CHAP.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 471

— *533&-

CHAP. VI.

%ueen of Saba viftsjerufalem — Abyfinian Tradition concerning Her— Suppofed Founder of that Monarchy — Abyffinia embraces the Jeivif Religion — Jeivif 3 Hierarchy fill retained by the Falafa — Some Con- jectures concerning their Copy of the OldTefament.

1

IT is now that I am to fulfil my promife to the reader, of giving him fome account of the vifit made by the Queen of Sheba*, as we erroneoufly call her, and the confequences of that viiit ; the foundation of an Ethiopian monarchy, and. the continuation of the fceptre in the tribe of Judah, clown to this day. If I am obliged to go back in point of time, it is, that I may preferve both the account of the trade of the Arabian Gulf, and of this Jewilh kingdom, diitinet and un- broken.

We are not to wonder, if the prodigious hurry and flow- €f bufmefs, and the immenfely valuable tran factions they had with each other, had greatly familiarifcd the Tyrians,

and;

*lt fhould progerly be Saba, Azab, orAzaba, all fignifying Seufb.

472 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

and Jews, with their correfpondents the Cuihifes and Shep-* herds on the coafl of Africa. This had gone fo far, as very naturally to have created a defire in the queen of Azab, the fovereign of that country, to go herfelf and fee the applica- tion of fuch immenfe treafures that had been exported from her country for a ferics of years, and the prince who fo magnificently employed them. There can be no doubt of this expedition, as Pagan, Arab, Moor, Abyflinian, and all the countries round, vouch it pretty much in the terms of fcripture.

Many* have thought this queen was an Arab. But Saba was a feparate ftate, and the Sabeans a diflineT: people from the Ethiopians and the Arabs, and have continued fo till very lately. We know, from hiftory, that it was a cuftom among thefe Sabeans, to have women for their fovereigns in preference to men, a cuftom which ftill fubfifts among their defcendcnts.

Medis levibufqne Sabals,

Ih/j erat i. osfexus Reginaritmquejiibannis^

Barbaria\, pars magna jacet. CLAtJDlAN1.

Her name, the Arabs fay, was Belkis ; the Abyffmians, Maqueda. Our Saviour calls her Queen of the South, without mentioning any other name, but gives his fandtion to the truth of the voyage. " The Queen of the South (or Saba,

" or

* Such as Juftin, Cyprian, Epiphanius, Cyril.

f By this is meant the country between the tropic and mountains of Abyflinfa, the cotmtry of Shepherds, from Berber, Shepherd.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 473

d or Azab) lhall rife up in the judgment with this genera- " tion, and lhall condemn it ; for Hie came from the uttcr- " moll parts of the earth to hear the wifdom of Solomon ; *' and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here *." No other particulars, however, are mentioned about her in fcripture ; and it is not probable our Saviour would fay fhe came from the uttermoft parts of the earth, if fhe had been an Arab, and had near 500 of the Continent behind her. The gold, the myrrh, cafTia, and frankincenfe, were all the produce of her own country ; and the many reafons Pineda f gives to fliew fhe was an Arab, more than convince me that fhe was an Ethiopian or Cufhite fhepherd.

A strong objection to her being an Arab, is, that the Sabean Arabs, or Homerites, the people that lived oppolite to Azab on the Arabian fhore, had kings inflead of queens, which latter the Shepherds had, and flill have. Moreover, the kings of the Homerites were never feen abroad, and were Honed to death if they appeared in public ; fubje6ts of this {lamp would not very readily fufFer their queen to go to Jerufalem, even fuppoilng they had a queen, which they had not.

Whether fhe was a Jewefs or a Pagan is uncertain ; Sa- baifm was the religion of all the Eail. It was the conflant attendant and flumbling-block of the Jews ; but confidering the multitude of that people then trading from Jerufalem, and the long time it continued, it is not improbable fhe was

Vol. I. 3 O a Jewefs.

* Matth. chap. xii. ver. 42. Luke xi. 31.

f Pin. de reb. Solomon, lib. iv. cap. 14th. — Jofephus thinks ftie was an Ethiopian, fo do On'geri, Anguftin, and St Anfelmo.

474 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

a Jewcfs. " And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame " of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, fhe came " to prove him with hard queflions*." Our Saviour, more- over, fpeaks of her with praife, pointing her out as an ex- ample to the Jews f . And, in her thankfgiving before So- lomon, fire alludes to God's bkjfmg on the/Wof Ifrael for ever:}:, which is by no means the language of a Pagan, but of a. perfon fkilled in the ancient hiflory of the Jews.

She likewife appears to have been a perfon of learning, and that fort of learning which was then almoft peculiar to Paleftine, not to Ethiopia. For we fee that one of the rea- fons of her coming, was to examine whether Solomon was really the learned man he was faid to be. She came to try him in allegories, or parables, in which Nathan had in- ftructed Solomon.

The learning of the Eaft, and of the neighbouring kings that correfponded with each other, efpecially in Paleftine and Syria, confifted chiefly in thefe: " And Joafh king of " Ifrael fent to Amaziah king of Judah, faying, The thiftle " that was in Lebanon fent to the Cedar that was in Leba- " non, faying, Give thy daughter to my fon to wife : and " there palled by a wild beaft that was in Lebanon, and " trode down the thiftle." — " Thou fayeft, Lo, thou haft

" fmitten

* I Kings, chap. x. ver i. and 2 Chron. chap. ix. ver. I. f Matt. chap. xh. ver. 43. and Luke, chap xi. ver. 31. % 1 Kings, chap. x. ver. 9. and 2 Chron. chap. ix. ver 8.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 475

M fmitten the Edomitcs, and thine heart lifteth thee up to " boaft : abide now at home, why moulded thou meddle " to thine hurt, that thou lliouldeil fall, even thou, and Ju- " dah with thee*?"

The annals of Abyffinia, being very full upon this point, have taken a middle opinion, and by no means an improbable one. They fay flie was a Pagan when fhe left Azab, but being full of adhiiration at the fight of Solo- mon's works, fhe was converted to Judaifm in Jerufalem, and bore him a fon, whom fhe called Menilek, and who was their firft king. However ftrongly they affert this, and how- ever dangerous it would be to doubt it in Abyffinia, I will not here aver k for truth, nor much lefs flill will I pofitively con- tradict it, as fcripture has faid nothing about it. I fuppofe, whether true or not, in the circumflances fhe was, whilil Solomon alfo, fo far from being very nice in his choice, was particularly addicted to Idumeans f, and other flrange wo- men, he could not more naturally engage himfelf in any amour than in one with the queen of Saba, with whom he had fo long entertained the moll lucrative connections, and molt perfect friendfhip, and who, on her part, by fo long a journey, had furcly made fuflicient advances.

The Abyffinians, both Jews and Chriftians, believe the xlvth pfalm to be a prophecy of this queen's voyage to Jeru- falem ; that flic was attended by a daughter of Hiram's from Tyre to Jerufalem, and that the laft part contains a decla-

3 O 2 ration

t €hron. chap. xxv. ver. 18. 19. -j- 1 Kings, chap. xi. ver. 1.

476 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

ration of her having a fon by Solomon, who was to be king over a nation of Gentiles.

To Saba, or Azab, then, me returned with her fon Menilek, whom, after keeping him fome years, fhe fent back to his father to be inftructed. Solomon did not neglect his charge, and he was anointed and crowned king of Ethiopia, in the temple of Jerufalem, and at his in- auguration took the name of David. After this he return- ed to Azab, and brought with him a colony of Jews, among whom were many doctors of the law of Mofes, particularly one of each tribe, to make judges in his kingdom, from whom the prefent Umbares (or Supreme Judges, three of whom always attend the king) are faid and believed to be defcended. With thefe came alfo Azarias, the fon of Zadok the prieft, and brought with him a Hebrew tranf- cript of the law, which was delivered into his cuftody, as he bore the title of Nebrit, or High Prieft ; and this charge, though the book itfelf was burnt with the church of Axum in the Moorifh war of Adel, is ftill continued, as it is faid, in the lineage of Azarias, who are Nebrits, or keepers of the church of Axum, at this day. All Abyffinia was there- upon converted, and the government of the church and ilate modelled according to what was then in ufe at Jerufa- lem.

By the laft act of the queen of Saba's reign, flie fet- tled the mode of fucceffion in her country for the future, lirft, fhe enacted, that the crown mould be hereditary in the family of Solomon for ever. Secondly, that, af- ter her, no woman mould be capable of wearing that crown or being queen, but that it mould defcend to the

heir

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 477

heir male, however diflant, in exclufion of all heirs female whatever, however near ; and that thefe two articles mould be confidered as the fundamental laws of the kingdom, ne- ver to be altered or abolifhed. And, laftly, That the heirs male of the royal houfe, mould always be fent prifoners to a high mountain, where they were to continue till their death, or till the fucceffion mould open to them.

What was the reafon of this laft regulation is not known, it being peculiar to Abyflinia, but the cuftom of having wo- men for fovereigns, which was a very old one, prevailed among the neighbouring fhepherds in the laft century, as we fhall fee in the courfe of this hiftory, and, for what we know, prevails to this day. It obtained in Nubia till Augus- tus's time, when Petreius, his lieutenant in Egypt, fubdued her country, and took the queen Candace prifoner. It en- dured alio after Tiberius, as we learn from St Philip's bap- tifing the eunuch*fervant of queen Candace, who muft have been fucceflbr to the former; for fhe, when taken prifoner by Petreius, is reprefented as an infirm woman, having but one eye j\ Candace indeed was the name of all the fove- reigns, in the fame manner Csefar was of the Roman emper- ors. As for the laft fevere part, the punifhment of the princes, it was probably intended to prevent fome diforders among the princes of her houfe, that flic had obferved frequently to happen in the houfe of David X at Jerufalem.

The

* Acls, chap. viii. ver. 27 and 38. f This (hews the falfehoodof the remark

Strabo makes, that it was a cuftom in Meroe, if their fovereign was any way mutilated, for tht

fubjefts to imitate the imperfection. In this cafe, Candace's fubjetf s would have all loft an eye.

Stiabo, lib. 17. p. 777, 778.

% 2 Sam, chap, xvi, ver. 22. 1 Kings, chap. ii. ver. n.

47S TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

The queen of Saba having made thefelaws irrevocable to all her pofterity, died, after a long reign of forty years, in 986 before Chrift, placing her fonMenilek upon the throne, who'fe pofterity, the annals of Abyflinia would teach us to believe, have ever fincc reigned. So far we muft indeed bear witnefs to them, that this is no new doctrine, but has been ftedfaftly and uniformly maintained from their earli- eft account of time; firft,when Jews, then in later days after they had embraced chriftianity. We may further add, that the teftimony of all the neighbouring nations is with them upon this fubjecl, whether they be friends or enemies. They only differ in name of the queen, or in giving her two names.

This difference, at fuch a diftance of time, mould not break fcores, efpecially as we mall fee that the queens in the prefent day have fometimes three or four names, and all the kings three, whence has arifen a very great con- fufion in their hiftory. And as for her being an Arab, the obje&ion is ftill eafier got over. For all the inhabitants of Arabia Felix, efpecially thofe of the coaft oppofite to Saba, were reputed Abyffms, and their country part of Abyflinia, from the earlieft ages, to the Mahometan conqueft and after. They were her fubjects ; firft, Sabean Pagans like herfelf, then converted (as the tradition fays) to Judaifm, during the time of the building of the temple, and continuing Jews from that time to the year 622 after Chrift, when they became Mahometans.

I shall therefore now give a lift of their kings of the race of Solomon, defcended from the queen of Saba, whofe device is a lion paffant, proper upon a field gules, and their

1 motto,

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE.

479

motto, " Mo Anbafa am Nizilet Solomon am Negade Jude ;" which fignifies, * the lion of the race of Solomon and tribe of Judah hath overcome.' The Portuguefc miflionaries, in place of a lion paflant, which is really the king's bearing, have given him, in fome of their publications, a lion rampant, purpofe- ly, as is fuppofed, to put a crofs into the paw of this Jewifh lion ; but he is now returned to the lion paflant, that he was in the time of Solomon, without any fymbol either of religion or peace in his paws.

£»** , ■ 113

LIST

43a

TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

LIST of the KINGS of ABYSSINIA,

FROM

MAQUEDA, QUEEN OF SABA, TO THE NATIVITY.

Years		Years
Menilek, or David I. reigned 4	Katzina reigned, -	- 9
Hendedya, or Zagdur, - 1	Wazeha,	1
Awida, - - 1 1	Hazer, • -	- 2
Aufyi, - 3	Kalas,	6
Sawe, - - - 31	Solaya,	16
Gefaya, - - 15	Falaya,	- 26
Katar, - - - -15	Aglebu,	3
Mouta, 20	Afifena,	1
Bahas, - 9	Brus,	29
Kawida, 2	Mohefa,	1
Kanaza, - - - 10	Bazen, -	- 16

Menilek fucceeded to the throne in the 986th year before Chrift ; and this number of years muft be exhausted in the reign of thefe twenty-two kings, when each reign, in that cafe, will amount to more than forty-four years, which is impoffible. The reign of the twenty-one kings of Ifrael, at a medium, is a little more than twenty-two years at an aver- age, and that is thought abundantly high. And, even up- on that footing of comparifon, there will be wanting a great deal more than half the number of years between Menilek and Bazen, fo that this account is apparently falfe. But I have another very material objection to it, as well as the

4 preceding

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 48,

preceding one, which is, that there is not one name in the whole lift that has an Ethiopic root or derivation.

^ The reader will give what credit he pleafes to this very ancient lift. For my part, I content myfelf with difproving nothing but what is impoffible, or contrary to the authority of fcripture, or my own private knowledge. There are other lifts ftill, which I have feen, all of no better authority than this. I mail only obferve, upon this laft, that there is a king in it, about nine years before our Saviour's nativity, that did me the honour of ufing my name two thoufand years before it came into Britain, fpelled in the fame man- ner that name anciently was, before folly, and the love of novelty, wantonly corrupted it.

The Greeks, to divert the king, had told him this circum- ftance, and he was exceedingly entertained at it. Some- times, when he had feen either Michael, or Fafil * or any of rhe great ones do me any favour, or fpeak handfomely of me, he would fay gravely, that he was to fummon the coun- cil to inquire into my pedigree, whether I was defcended of the heirs-male of that Brus who was king nine years before the nativity; that I was likely to be a dangerous perfon, and it was time I mould be font to Wechne, unlefs I chofe to loi'e my leg or arm, if I was found, by the judges, related to him by the heirs-male. To which I anfwered, that how- ever he made a jeft of this, one of my predeceflbrs was cer- tainly a king, though not of Abyffinia, not nine years be- fore, but 1 200 after our redemption ; that the arms of my VoL' L 3 P family

! What immediately follows will be hereafter explained in the Narrative.

482 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

family were a lion like his ; but, however creditable his ma- jefty's apprehenfions as to Abyflinia might be to me, I could venture to affure him, the only connections I had the honour ever to have had with him, were by the heirs-female.

At other times, when I was exceedingly low-fpirited, and defpairing of ever again feeing Britain, he, who well knew the caufe, ufed to fay to the Serach MafTery, " Prepare " the Sendick and Nagareet ; let the judges be called, and ** the houfehold troops appear under arms, for Brus is to be " buried : he is an Ozoro of the line of Solomon, and, for " any thing I know, may be heir to the crown. Bring like- " wife plenty of brandy, for they all get drunk at burials in " his country." Thefe were days of fun-fhine, when fuch jefts palTed ; there were cloudy ones enough that followed, which much more than compenfated the very tranfitory enjoyment of thefe.

Although the years laid down in the book of Axum do not precifely agree with our account, yet they are fo near, that we cannot doubt that the revolt of the ten tribes, and deftruction of Rehoboam's fleet which followed, occafioned the removal of Menilek's capital to Tigre*. But, whatever was the caufe, Menilek did remove his court from Azab to a place near Axum, at this day called Adega Daid, the Houfe of David ; and, at no great diftance, is another called Azabo, from his ancient metropolis, where there are old remains

of

* The temple which the Queen of Saba had feen built, and fo richly ornamented, was plun- dered the 5th year of Rehoboam, by Sefac, which is 13 years before Menilek died. So thk Qould not but have difgufted him with the trade of his ancient habitation at Sab2.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 483

of building of ftone and lime, a certain proof that Axum was then fallen, elfe he would have naturally gone thither immediately upon forfaking his mother's capital of Azab.

That country, round by Cape Gardefan, and fouth to- wards Sofala, along the Indian Ocean, was long governed by an officer called Baharnagajh, the meaning of which is, King of the Sea, or Sea Coaft. Another officer of the fame title was governor of Yemen, or Arabia Felix, which, from the earlieft times, belonged to Abyffinia, down to the Mahome- tan conqueft. The king himfelf was called Nagajb, or Na- jaflii, fo were the governors of feveral provinces, efpecially Gojam; and great confufion has rifen from the multitude of thefe kings. We find, for example, fometimes three up- on the throne at one time, which is exceedingly improbable in any country. We are, therefore, to fuppofe, that one of thefe only is king, and two of them are the Najaflii, or Na- gafli, we have juft defcribed ; for, as the regulation of the queen of Saba banifhed the heirs-male to the mountain, we cannot conceive how three brothers could be upon the throne at the fame time, as this law fubfifts to the prefent day. This, although it is one, is not the only reafon of the confufion, as I fhall mention another in the fequel.

As we are about to take out leave of the Jewifh religion and government in the line of Solomon, it is here the pro- per place that I mould add what we have to fay of the Fa- lafha, of whom we have already had occafion to fpeak, when we gave a fpecimen of their language, among thofe of the nranger nations, whom we imagine to have come originally from Paleftine, I did not fpare my utmoft pains in inquiring into the hiftory of this curious people, and li-

3 p 2 ved

434 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

ved in friendfhip with feveral cfteemed the mofl knowing- and learned among them, and I am perfuaded, as far as they knew, they told me the truth.

The account they give of themfelves, which is fupported only by tradition among them, is, that they came with Me^ nilek from Jerufalem, fo that they agree perfectly with the Abyffinians in the ftory of the queen of Saba, who, they fay,- was a Jewefs, and her nation Jews before the time of Solo-^ mon ; that fhe lived at Saba, or Azaba, the myrrh and frank- incenfe country upon the Arabian Gulf. They fay further, that fhe went to Jerufalem, under protection of Hiram king of Tyre, whofe daughter is laid in the xlvth Pfalm to have attended her thither; that fhe went not in fhips, nor through Arabia, for fear of the Ilhmaelites, but from Azab round by Mafuah and Suakem, and was efcorted by the Shepherds, her own fubjects, to Jerufalem, and back again* . making ufe of her own country vehicle, the camel, and that her's was a white one, of prodigious frze andexquifite beau-*-

They agree alfo, in every particular, with the Abyffinians^ about the remaining part of the ftory, the birth and inaugura- tion of Menilek, who was their firft king; alfo the coming, of Azarias, and twelve elders from the twelve tribes, and o- ther doctors of the law, whofe pofterity they deny to have erer apoftatifed to Chriftianity, as the Abyffinians pretend they did at the conversion. They fay, that, when the trade of the Red Sea fell into the hands of-ftrangers^and all com- munication was fhut up between ther ( Jerufalem, the cities were abandoned, and the inhabitants relinquifhed the cbaft; that they weie the inhabitants- of thefe cities, 1

trade

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 485

trade moftly brick and tile-makers, potters, thatchers of houfes, and fuch like mechanics, employed in them; arid! finding the low country of Dembea afforded materials for. exercifing thefe trades, they carried the article of pottery in that province to a degree of perfection fcaicely to be imagined.

Being very induftrious, thefe people multiplied exceed- ingly, and were very powerful at the time of the converfion' to Chriftianity, or, as they term it, the Apoitacy under Abre- ha and Atzbeha. At this time they declared a prince of the tribe of Judah, and of the race of Solomon and' Menilek, to be their fovereign. The name of this prince was Phineas* who refufed to abandon the religion of his forefathers, and from him their fovereigns are lineally defcended ; fo they have flill a prince of the houfe of Judah, although the A- byffmians, by way of reproach, have called this family Bet1 Ifrael, intimating that they were rebels, and revolted from the family of Solomon and tribe of Judah, and there is lit- tle doubt, but that fome of the fucceffors of Azarias adhe-" red to their ancient faith alfo. Although there was no bloodihed upon difference of religion, yet, each having a diftinct king with the fame pretentions, many battles were fought from motives of ambition, and rivalfhip of fovereigm power.

About the year 960, an attempt was made by this family to mount the throne of Abyffmia, as we lliall lee hereafter; when the princes of the houfe of Solomon were nearly ex- tirpated upon the rock Damo. This, it is probable, proc- eed more animoiity and bloodfhed. At lad the power of the Falafha was fo much weakened, that they were obli^'-d-to •

leave

486 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

leave the flat country of Dembea, having no cavalry to maintain themfelves there, and to take pofleffion of the rug- ged, and almofl inacceflible rocks, in that high ridge called the Mountains of Samen. One of thefe, which nature feems to have formed for a fortrefs, they chofe for their metropo- lis, and it was ever after called the Jews Rock.

A great overthrow, which they received in the year 1600, brought them to the very brink of ruin. In that battle Gi- deon and Judith, their king and queen, were flain. They have fince adopted a more peaceable and dutiful behaviour, pay taxes, and are fuffered to enjoy their own govern- ment. Their king and queen's name was again Gideon and Judith, when I was in AbyfTinia, and thefe names feem to be preferred for thofe of the Royal family. At that time they were fuppofed to amount to 100,000 effective men. Something like this, the fober and moll knowing Abyf- finians are obliged to allow to be truth; but the circum- ftances of the converfion from Judaifm are probably not all before us.

The only copy of the Old Teflament, which they have, is in Geez, the fame made ufe of by the Abyflinian Chrif- tians, who are the only fcribes, and fell thefe copies to the Jews ; and, it is very lingular that no controverfy, or dif- pute about the text, has ever yet arifen between the profef- fors of the two religions. They have no keriketib, or vari- ous readings; they never heard of talmud, targum, or cabala: Neither have they any fringes* or ribband upon their garments,, nor is there, as far as I could learn, one fcribe among them.

3 I ASKED

*»■»■««- ■ ■■■<■ - 1 1 1 ■ ■ — .. . --._._. , . . --»

* Numb, chap. xv. ver. 38, 39, Deut. chap. 22. ver. 12,

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 487

I asked them, being from Judea, whence they got that language which they fpoke, whether it was one of the lan- guages of the nations which they had learned on the coaft of the Red Sea. They apprehended, but it was mere con- jecture, that the language which they fpoke was that of thofe nations they had found on the Red Sea, after their leaving Judea and fettling there ; and the reafon they gave was certainly a pertinent one; that they came intoAbyf- finia, fpeaking Hebrew, with the advantage of having books in that language; but they had now forgot their Hebrew*, and it was therefore not probable they fhould retain any other language in which they had no books, and which they never had learned to exprefs by letters.

I asked them, fmce they came from Jerufalem, how it happened they had not Hebrew, or Samaritan copies of the law, at leafl the Pentateuch orOclateuch. Theyfaid they were in poffeffion of both When they came from Jerufalem ; but their fleet being deftroyed, in the reign of Rehoboam, and communicationbecoming very uncertainby the Syrian wars, they were, from neceffity, obliged to have the fcriptures tranflated, or make ufe of the copies in the hands of the Shepherds, who, according to them, before Solomon's time, were all Jews.

I asked them where the Shepherds got their copy, be-- caufe, notwithftanding the invanon of Egypt by Nebuchad- nezzar, who was the foreign obftacle the longeft in their

way,

* We fee this happened to them in a much fhorter time during the captivity, when they ?bigot their Hebrew, and fpoke Chaldaec ever after.

488 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

way, the Ifhmaelite Arabs had accefs through Arabia td Jerufaleni and Syria, and carried on a great trade thither by land. They profeffed very candidly they could not give a fatisfactory anfwer to that, as the time was very diftant, and war had deftroyed all the memorials of thefe tranfac- tions. I afked if they really ever had any memorials of their own country, or hiftory of any other. They anfwer- ed, with fome hefitation, they had no reafon to fay they e- ver had any ; if they had, they were all deftroyed in the war with Gragne. This is all that I could ever learn from this people, and it required great patience and prudence in making the interrogations, and feparating truth from falie- hood ; for many of them, (as is invariably the cafe with barbarians) if they once divine the reafon of your inquiry, will fay whatever they think will pleafe you.

They deny the fceptre has ever departed from Judah, as they have a prince of that houfe reigning, and underftand the prophecy of the gathering of the Gentiles at the coming of Shiloh, is to be fulfilled on the appearance of the Meftiah, who is not yet come, when all the inhabitants of the world are to be Jews. But I muft confefs they did not give an ex- planation of this either clearly or readily, or feem to have ever confidered it before. They were not at all heated by the fubjecT:, nor interefted, as far as I could difcern, in the difference between us, nor fond of talking upon their reli- gion at all, though very ready at all quotations, when a •perfon was prefent who fpoke Amharic, with the barbarous accent that they do; and this makes me conceive that their anceftors were not in PaleflJne, or prefent in thofe difputes or tranfactions that attended the death of our Saviour, and have fubfifted ever after. They pretend that the book of

2 Enoch

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 48y

Enoch was the firft book of fcripturc they ever received. They knew nothing of that of Seth, but place Job immedi- ately after Enoch, io that they have no idea of the time in which Job lived, but faid they believed it to be foon after the flood ; and they look upon the book bearing his name to be the performance of that prophet.

Many difficulties occur from this account of the Falafha ; for, though they fay they came from Jerufalem in the time of Solomon, and from different tribes, yet there is but one language amongft them all, and that is not Hebrew or Sa- maritan, neither of which they read or understand ; nor is their anfwer to this obje&ioirfatisfaftory, for very obvious reafons.

Ludolf, the moft learned man that has writ upon the fubject, fays, that it is apparent the Ethiopic Old Teftament, at leaft the Pentateuch, was copied from the Septuagint, becaufe of the many Grecians to be found in it ; and the names of birds and precious ftones, and fome other paffa- ges that appear literally to be tranflated from the Greek. He imagines alio, that the prefent Abyfiinian verfion is the work of Frumentius their firft bifliop, when Abyffinia was converted to Chriftianity under Abreha and Atzbeha, about the year 333 after Chrilt, or a few years later.

Although I brought with me all the Abyfiinian books of the Old Teftament, (if it is a tranflation) I have not yet had time to make the comparifon here alluded to, but have left them, for the curiofity of the public, depofited in the Britifh Mufeum, hoping that fome man of learning or curiofity would do this for me. In the mean time I muft obferve,

Vol. I. 3 Q^ that

49© TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

that it is much more natural to fuppofe that the Greeks, comparing the copies together, expunged the words or palTages they found differing from the Septuagint, and re- placed them from thence, as this would not offend the Jews, who very well knew that thofe who tranflated the Septuagint verfion were all Jews themfelves.

Now, as the Abyffinian copy of the Holy Scriptures, in Mr Ludolf's opinion, was tranflated by Frumentius above 330 after Ghrift, and the Septuagint verfion, in the days of Philadelphus, or Ptolemy II. above 160 years before Chrift, it will follow, that, if the prefent Jews ufe the copy tranfla- ted by Frumentius, and, if that was taken from the Septua- gint, the Jews mull have been above 400 years without any books what foe ver at the time of the converfion by Frumen- tius : So they mult have had all the Jewifli law, which is in perfect vigour and force among them, ail their Levitical obfervances, their purifications, atonements, abflinences, and Sacrifices, all depending upon their memory, without writing, at leal! for that long fpace of 400 years.

This, though not absolutely impoflible, is furely very nearly fo. We know, that, at Jerufaiem itfelf, the feat of Jewiih law and learning, idolatry happening to prevail, du- ring the fhort reigns of only four kings, the law, in that in- terval, became fo perfectly forgotten and unknown, that a copy of it being accidentally found and read by Joiiah, that prince, upon his firff learning its contents, was fo a- floniilied at the deviations from it, that he apprehended the immediate defcruclion of the whole city and people. To this I fhall only add, that whoever considers the flill-necked- nefs, itubbornnefs, and obilinacy, which were ever the cha-

i_ racters

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE.

491

racters of this Jewifh nation, they will not eafily believe that they did ever -willingly " receive the Old Teftament from a " people who were the avowed champions of the New."

The*' have, indeed, no knowledge of the New Teftament but from converfation ; and do not curfe it, but treat it as a folly where it fuppofes the Melliah come, who, they feem to think, is to be a temporal prince, prophet, prieit, and con- queror.

Still, it is not probable that a Jew would receive the law and the prophets from a Chriftian, without abfolute ne- ceflity, though they might very well, receive fuch a copy from a brother Jew, which all the Abyffinians were, when this tranflation was made. Nor would this, as I fay, hinder them from following a copy really made by Jews from the text itfelf, fuch as the Suptuagint actually was. But, I confefs, great difficulties occur on every fide, and I defpair of having them folvcd, unlefs by an able, deliberate analyfts of the fpecimen of the Falaflia language which I have preferved, in which I earneftly requefl the concurrence of the learned. A book of the length of the Canticles contains words enough to judge upon the queftion, Whence the Falafha 'Came, and what is the probable caufe they had not a tranfla- tion in their own tongue, lince a verfion became necefiary ?

T have lefs doubt that Frumentms tranflated the New Teftament, as he mull have had afliftance from thofeofhis own communion in Egypt ; and this is a further reafon why I believe that, at his coming, he found the Old Tefta- ment already tranflated into the Ethiopic language and cha- racter, becaufe Bagla, or Geez, was an unknown letter, and

3 Qjz the

492 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

the language unknown, not only to him, but likewife to every province in Abyflinia, except Tigre ; fo that it would have coft him no more pains to teach the nation the Greek character and Greek language, than to have tranflated the New Teftament into Ethiopic, ufmg the Geez character, which was equally unknown, unlcfs in Tigre. The faving of time and labour would have been very material to him ; he would have uied the whole fcriptures, as received in his own church, and the Greek letter and language would have been jufl as eafily attained in Amhara as the Geez ; and thofe people, even of the province of Tigre, that had not yet learned to read, would have written the Greek charac- ter as eafdy as their own. I do not know that fo early there was any Arabic tranflation of the Old Teftament ; if there was, the fame reafons would have militated for his preferring this ; and ftill he had but the New Teftament to undertake. But having found the books of the Old Teftament already tranflated into Geez, this altered the cafe ; and he, very pro- perly, continued the gofpel in that language and letter al- fo, that it might be a teftimony for the Chriftians, and againft the Jews, as it was intended.

GK"'" **££

CHAP.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 4-9;

*«25&*

CHAP. VII.

Books in Ufe in Abyffinia — Enoch — Abyffinia not converted by the Apo- Jlles — Converfion from Judaifm to Chriftianity by Frumentius.

THE Abyffmians have the whole fcriptures entire as we have, and count the fame number of books ; but they divide them in another manner, at leafl in private hands, few of them, from extreme poverty, being able to pur- chafe the whole, either of the hiftorical or prophetical books of the Old Teftament. The fame may be faid of the New, for copies containing the whole of it are very fcarce. In- deed no where, unlefs in churches, do you fee more than the Gofpels, or the Acts of the Apoftles, in one perfon's pof- feffion, and it mull not be an ordinary man that poffeffes even thefe.

Many books of the Old Teftament are forgot, fo that it is the fame trouble to procure them, even in churches, for the purpofe of copying, as to confult old records long covered with dull and rubbifh. The Revelation of St John is a piece of favourite reading among them. Its title is, the Vijion of John A- bou Kalamfs, which feems to me to be a corruption of Apoca-

lypfis.

494

TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

iypfis. At the fame time, we can hardly imagine that Frumentius, a Creek and a man of letters, fiiould make fo fbrange a miftakc. There is no fuch thing as diflinctions between canonical and apocryphal books. Bell and the Dragon, and the Acts of the Apoftles, are read with equal devotion, and, for the moll part, I am afraid, with equal edification ; and it is in the fpirit of truth, and not of ridi- cule, that I fay St George and his Dragon, from idle legends only, are objects of veneration, nearly as great as any of the heroes in the Old Teftament, or faints in the New. The Song of Solomon is a favourite piece of reading among the old priefts, but forbidden to the young ones, to the deacons, laymen, and women. The Abyffinians believe, that this fong was made by Solomon in praife of Pharaoh's daughter; and do not think, as fomc of our divines are difpofed to do, that there is in it any myftery or allegory refpecting Chrift and the church. It may be afked, Why did I choofe to have this book tranflated, feeing that it was to be attended with this particular difficulty? To this I anfwer, The choice was not mine, nor did I at once know all the difficulty. The firft I pitched upon was the book of Ruth, as being the fhortefl; but the fubject did not pleafe the fcribes and priefts who were to copy for me, and I found it would not do. They then chofe the Song of Solomon, and engaged to go through with it ; and I recommended it to two or three young fcribes, who completed the copy by themfelves and their friends. I was obliged to procure licence for thefc fcribes whom I .employed in tranilating it into the different languages ; but it was a permillion of courfc, and met with no real, though ,fome pretended difficulty.

- A NEPHEW

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 495

A nephew of Abba Salama*, the Acab Saat, a young man of no common genius, afked leave from his uncle before he began the tranflation ; to which Salama anfwered, alluding to an old law, That, if he attempted Rich a thing, he mould be killed as they do flieep ; but, if I would give him the mo- ney, he would permit it. I mould not have taken any no- tice of this ; but fome of the young men having told it to Ras Michael f, who perfectly guefled the matter, he called upon the fcribe, and afked what his uncle had faid to him, who toid him very plainly, that, if he began the tranflation, his throat mould be cut like that of a fheep. One day Mi- chael aflced Abba Salama, whether that was true ; he anfwer- ed in the affirmative, and feemed diipofed to be talkative. " Then," faid the Ras to the young man, " your uncle de- " clares, if you write the book for Yagoube, he mall cut " your throat like a flieep ; and I fay to you, I fwear by St. " Michael, I will put you to death like an afs if you don't " write it ; confider with yourfelf which of the rifks you'll " run, and come to me in eight days, and make your choice." But, before the eighth day, he brought me the book, very well pleafed at having an excufe for receiving the price of the copy. Abba Salama complained of this at another time when I was prefent, and the name of frank was invidioufly men- tioned ; but he only got a flcrn look and word from the Ras : " Hold your tongue, Sir, you don't know what you fay ; you " don't know that you are a fool, Sir, but I do ; if you talk " much you will publifh. it to all the world."

After

* I (hall have occafion to fpeak much of this prieft in the fequel. He was a raoft inveterate and dangerous enemy to all Europeans, the principal ecclefiaftical officer in the king's ho- f.-.

f Then Prime Minifter, concerning whom much is to be faid hereafter..

496 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

After the New Teftament they place the conftitutions of the Apoflles, which they call Synnodos, which, as far as the cafes or doctrines apply, we may fay is the written law of the country. Thefe were translated out of the Arabic. They have next a general liturgy, or book of common pray- er, belides feveral others peculiar to certain feftivals, under whofe names they go. The next is a very large volumi- nous book, called Halmanout Abou, chiefly a collection from the works of different Greek fathers, treating of, or explain- ing feveral herefies, or difputed points of faith, in the an- cient Greek Church. Translations of the works of St Atha- nafius, St Bazil, St John Chryfoltomc, and St Cyril, are likewife current among them. The two laft I never faw ; and only fragments of St Athanafius ; but they are certain- ly extant.

The next is the Synaxar, or the Flos Sanctorum, in which the miracles and lives, or lies of their faints, are at large re- corded, in four monflrous volumes in folio, fluffed full of fables of the mofl incredible kind. They have a faint that wreftled with the devil in fhape of a ferpent nine miles long, threw him from a mountain, and killed him. Another faint who converted the devil, who turned monk, and lived in great holinefs for forty years after his converfion, doing penance for having tempted our Saviour upon the moun- tain : what became of him after they do not fay. Again, another faint, that never ate nor drank from his mother's womb, went to Jerufalem, and faid mafs every day at the holy fepulchre, and came home at night in the fliape of a ftork. The lafl I fhall mention was a faint, who, being ve- ry fick, and his flomach in diforder, took a longing for par- tridges ; he called upon a brace of them to come to him,

V and

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 497

and immediately two roafted partridges came/j^, and rett- ed upon his plate, to be devoured. Thefe ftories arc cir- cumftantially told and vouched by unexceptionable people, and were a grievous (tumbling-block to the Jefuits, who could not pretend their own miracles were either better e- ilablifhed, or more worthy of belief.

There are other books of lefs fize and confequence, par- ticularly the Organon Denghel, or the Virgin Mary's Mufi- cal Inurnment, compofed by Abba George about the year j 440, much valued for the purity of its language, though he himfelf was an Armenian. The lad of this Ethiopic li- brary is the book of Enoch *. Upon hearing this book firft mentioned, many literati in Europe had a wonderful defire to fee it, thinking that, no doubt, many fecrets and un- known hiftories might be drawn from it. Upon this fome impoltor, getting an Ethiopic book into his hands, wrote for the title, The Prophecies of Enoch, upon the front page of it. M. Pierifc fno fooner heard of it than he purchafed it of the impoftor for a confiderable mm of money : being placed afterwards in Cardinal Mazarine's library, where Mr Ludolf had accefs to it, he found it was a Gnoftic book up- on myfteries in heaven and earth, but which mentioned not a word of Enoch, or his prophecy, from beginning to end ; and, from this difappointment, he takes upon him to deny the exiftence of any fuch book any where elfe. This, however, is a miflake ; for, as a public return for the ma- ny obligations I had received from every rank of that moft

Vol. I. 3 R humane,

* Vid. Origen contra Celfum, lib. 5. Tertuli.de Idolol. c. 4. .Drus in fuo Enoch. Bangius in Ccelo Orientis Exercit; I. quxft. J. and 6. f Gaffend in vita Pierifc, lib. 5.

498 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

humane, polite, and feientific nation, and more efpecially from the fovereign Louis XV. I gave to his cabinet a pan of every thing curious I had collected abroad ; which was received with that degree of conflderation and attention that cannot fail to determine every traveller of a liberal, mind to follow my example.

Amongst the articles I configned to the library at Paris,, was a very beautiful and magnificent copy of the prophe- cies of Enoch, in large quarto; another is amongil the books of fcripture which I brought home, (landing immediately before the book of Job, which is its proper place in the A- byffinian canon ; and a third copy I have prefented to the Bod- leian library at Oxford, by the hands of Dr Douglas the Bi- (hop of Carlifle. The more ancient hiftory of that book is well known. The church at firft looked upon it as apocry- phal ; and as it v/as quoted in the book of Judc, the fame fufpicion fell upon that book alfo. For this reafon, the council of Nice threw the epiftle of Jude out of the canonv but the council of Trent arguing better, replaced the apo- ftle in the canon as before.

Here we may obferve by the way, that Jude's appealing to the apocryphal books did by no means import, that either he believed or warranted the truth of them. But it was an ar- gument, a fortiori, which our Saviour himfelf often makes ufe of, and amounts to no more than this, You, fays he to the Jews, deny certain facts, which muft be from prejudice, becaufe you have them allowed in your own books, and be- lieve them there. And a very flrong and fair way of argu- ing it is, but this is by no means any allowance that they are true. In the fame manner, You, fays Jude, do not be-

2 lieve

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 499

lieve the coming of Chrift and a latter judgment ; yet your ancient Enoch, whom you fuppofe was the feventh from A- dam, tells you this plainly, and in fo many words, long ago. And indeed the quotation is, word for word the fame, in the fecond chapter of the book.

All that is material to fay further concerning the book of Enoch is, that it is a Gnoftic book, containing the age of the Emims, Anakims, and Egregores, fuppofed depen- dents of the fons of God, when they fell in love with the daughters of men, and had fons who were giants. Thefe giants do not feem to have been fo charitable to the fons and daughters of men, as their fathers had been. For, firft, they began to eat all the beafts of the earth, they then fell upon the birds and iifhes, and ate them alfo ; their hunger being not yet fatisfied, they ate all the corn, all men's la- bour, all the trees and buflies, and, not content yet, they fell to eating the men themfelves. The men (like our modern failors with the favages) were not afraid of dying, but very much fo of being eaten after death. At length they cry to God againft the wrongs the giants had done them, and God fends a flood which drowns both them and the giants.

Such is the reparation which this ingenious author has thought proper -to attribute to Providence, in anfwer to the firft, and the heft-founded complaints that were made to him by man. I think this exhaufts about four or five of the firft chapters. It is not the fourth part of the book ; but my curiofity led me no further. The cataftrophe of the giants, and the juftice of the cataftrophe, had fully farisfied me.

3

R 2 I CANNOT

5oo TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

I cannot but recollect, that when it was known in Eng- land that I had prefented this book to the library of the King of France, without flaying a few days, to give me time to reach London, when our learned countrymen might have had an opportunity of penning at leifure another copy of this book, Doctor Woide fet out for Paris, with letters from the Secre- tary of State to Lord Stormont, Ambaffador at that court, defi- ring him to affift the doctor in procuring accefs to my pre- fent, by permiffion from his Mod Chriftian Majefty. This he accordingly obtained, and a tranflation of the work was brought over ; but, I know not why, it has no where ap- peared. I fancy Dr Woide was not much more pleafed with the conduct of the giants than I was.

I shall conclude with one particular, which is a curious one : The Synaxar (what the Catholics call their Flos Sanc- torum, or the lives and miracles of their faints), giving the hiftory of the Abyffinian converfion to Chriftianity in the year 333, fays, that when Frumentius and (Edefius were in- troduced to the king, who was a minor, they found him reading the Pfalms of David.

This book, or that of Enoch, does by no means prove that they were at that time Jews. For thefe two were in as great authority among the Pagans, who profefled Sabaifm, the firft religion of the Eaft, and efpecially of the Shepherds, as among the Jews. Thefe being continued alfo in the fame letter and character among the Abyfiinians from the beginning, convinces me that there has not been any other writing in this country, or the fouth of Arabia, fmce that which rofe from the Hieroglyphics.

4 Th*

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 501

The Abyffinian hiftory begins now to rid itfelf of part of that confufion which is almoft a conftant attendant upon the very few annals yet preferved of barbarous nations in very ancient times. It is certain, from their hiftory, that Bazen was contemporary with Auguftus, that he reigned fixteen years, and that the birth of our Saviour fell on the 8th year of that prince, fo that the Sth year of Bazen was the firft of Chrift.

Am ha Yasous, prince of Shoa, a province to which the fmall remains of the line of Solomon fled upon a cata- ftrophe, I fhall have occafion to mention, gave me the fol- lowing lift of the kings of Abyffinia fmce the time of which we are now fpeaking. From him I procured all the books of the Annals of Abyffinia, which have ferved me to com- pofe this hiftory, excepting two, one given me by the King, the other the Chronicle of Axum, by Ras Michael Gover- nor of Tigre.

SHOA

J02

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SHOA LIST OF PRINCES.

Bazen,

Tzenaf Segued,

Garima Asferi,

Saraada,

Tzion,

Sargai,

Bagamai,

Jan Segued,

Tzion Heges,

Moal Genha,

Saif Araad,

Agedar,

Abreha and Atzbeha, 333,

Asfeha,

Arphad and Amzi,

Del Naad,

Araad, Saladoba, Alamida, Tezhana, Caleb, 522, Guebra Mafcal, Conftantine, Bazzer, Azbeha, Armaha, Jan Asfeha, Jan Segued, Fere Sanai, Aderaaz, Aizor, 960*.

This lift is kept in the monaftery of DebraLibanos in Shoa; the Abyflinians receive it without any fort of doubt, though to me it feems very exceptionable : If it were genuine, it would put this monarchy in a very refpectable light in point of antiquity.

Great confufion has arifen in thefe old lifts, from their kings having always two, and fometimes three names.

The

* The length of thefe princes reigns are fo great as to become incredible-, but, as we have nothing further of their hiftory but their names, we have no data upon which to reform them.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. So3

The firft is their chriftened name, their fecond a nick, or bye- name, and the third they take upon their inauguration. There is, like wife, another caufe of miftake, which is, when two names occur, one of a king, the other the quality of a king only, thefe are fet down as two brothers. For example, Atzbeha is the blejfed, or the faint ; and I very much fufpecl, therefore, that Atzbeha and Abreha, faid to be two brothers, only mean Abraham the b!effedy or the faint ; becaufe, in that prince's time, the coimtry was con- verted to Chriftianity ; Caleb * and Elefbaas, were long thought to be contemporary princes, till it was found out, by infpecting the ancient authors of thofe times, that this was only the name or quality of bfefed, or faint, given to Caleb, in confequence of his expedition into Arabia againfl Phineas king of the Jews, and perfecutor of the Chriftians.

There are four very interefting events, in the courfe of the reign of thefe princes. The firft and greatefl we have already mentioned, the birth of Chriit in the 8th year of Ba- zen. The fecond is the converfion of Abyffinia to Chrifli- anity, in the reign of Abreha and Atzbeha, in the year of Chriit 3$$, according to our account. The third the war with the Jews under Caleb. The fourth, the maffacre of the princes on the mountain of Damo. The time and circumitan- ces of all thefe are well known, and I mall relate them in their turn with the brevity becoming a hiilorian.

Some ecclefiaftical* writers, rather from attachment to par- ticular fyftems, than from any conviction that the opinion

they

* Caleb el Atfbeha, which has been made Elefbaas throwing, away the t.

t Surius Tom. J, d. 24. Oft. Card. Baronius. Tom. 7, Annal. A. C. 522. N; 23.

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they efpoufe is truth, would perfuade us, that the conversion of AbylTmia to Chriftianity happened at the beginning of this period, that is, foon after the reign of Bazen ; others, that Saint Matthias, or Saint Bartholomew, or fome others of the Apoftles, after their mifiion to teach the nations, firft preach- ed here the faith of Chrift, and converted this people to it. It is alfo faid, that the eunuch baptized by Philip, upon his return to Candace, became the Apoftle of that nation, which, from his preaching, believed in Chrift and his gofpel. All thefe might pafs for dreams not worthy of examination, if they were not invented for particular purpofes.

Till the death of Chrift, who lived feveral years after Bazen, very few Jews had been converted even in Judea. We have no account in fcripture that induces us to believe, that the Apoftles went to any great diftance from each other immediately after the crucifixion. Nay, we know pofi- tively, they did not, but lived in community together for a coniiderable time. Befides, it is not probable, if the Abyf- frnians were converted by any of the Apoftles, that, for the fpace of 300 years, they mould remain without biihops, and without church-government, in the neighbourhood of many flates, where churches were already formed, without calling to their affiftance fome members of thefe churches, who might, at leaft, inform them of the purport of the coun- cils held, and canons made by them, during that fpace of 300 years ; for this was abfolutely neceffary to preferve or- thodoxy, and the communion between this, and the church- es of that time. And it mould be obferved, that if, in Philip's time, the Chriftian religion had not penetrated (as we fee in effect it had not) into the court of Candace, fo much nearer Egypt, it did not furely reach fo early into the

more

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 505

more diftant mountainous country of Abyfiinia; and if the Ethiopia, where Candace reigned, was the fame as Abyfiinia, the ftory of the queen of Saba muft be given up as a falfe- hood ; for, in that cafe, there would be a woman fitting up- on the throne of that country 500 years after flic was ex- cluded by a folemn deliberate fundamental law of the land.

But it is known, from credible writers, engaged in no controversy, that this Candace reigned upon the Nile in Atbara, much nearer Egypt. Her capital alio was taken in the time of Auguftus, a few years before the Converfion, by Philip; and we fhall have occafion often to mention her fuo- ceffors and her kingdom, as cxifting in the reign of the Abyf- finian kings, long after the Mahometan conqueft ; they ex- ifted when I palled through Atbara, and do undoubtedly exift there to this day. What puts an end to all this argument is a matter of fact, which is, that the Abyfiinians continued |ews and Pagans, and were found to be fo above 300 ye s after the time of the Apoftles. Inftead, therefore, of taking the firft of this lift (Bazen) for the prince under whom Abyf- iinia was converted from Judaifm, as authors have advanced, in conformity to the Abymnian annals, we fhall fix upon the 1 3th (Abrcha and Atzbeha, whom we believe to be but one prince) and, before we enter into the narrative of that remarkable event, we fhall obierve, that, from Bazen to Abrcha, being 341 years inclufive, the eighth of Bazen be- in ^ the lirft of Chrift, bv this account of the converfion, which happened under Abrcha and Atzbeha, it muft have been about t,^^ years after Chriit, or 341 after Bazen.

But wc certainly know, that the fir ft bifhop, ordained

for the converfion of Abyfiinia, was fent from Alexandria by

Vol. I. 3 S St

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St Athanafms, who was himfelf ordained to that See about the year 326. Therefore, any account, prior to this ordina- tion and converfion, mufl be falfe, and this converiion and ordination muft have therefore happened about the year 330, or poflibly fome few years later ; for Socrates * fays, that St Athanafms himfelf was then but newly elected to the Sec of Alexandria.

In order to clear our way of difficulties, before we begin the narrative of the converfion, we fliall obferve, in this place, the reafon I juft hinted at, why fome ecclefiaftical writers had attributed the converfion of Abyflinia to the Apoftles. There was found, or pretended to be found in Alexandria, a canon, of a council faid to be that of Nice, and this canon had never before been known, nor ever feen in any other place, or in any language, except the Arabic ; and, from inflection, I may add, that it is fuch Arabic that fcarce will convey the meaning it was intended. Indeed, if it be conftrued according to the ftricT. rule of grammar, it will not convey any fenfe at all. This canon regulated the pre- cedency of the Abuna of Ethiopia in all after councils, and it places him immediately after the prelate of Seleucia. This moft honourable antiquity was looked upon and boaft- ed of for their own purpofes by the Jefuits, as a difcovery of infinite value to the church of Ethiopia.

I shall only make one other obfervation to obviate a dif- ficulty which will occur in reading what is to follow. The Abyffmian hiftory plainly and pofitively fays, that when

Frumentius

■'* L'jdolf, vol. ; lib, iiL caj\ :".,

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 507

Frumentius (the apoftle of the AbyfQnians) came firft into that country, a queen reigned, which is an abfolute contra- diction to what we have already ftated, and would feem to favour the ftory of queen Candace. To this I anfwer, That though it be true that all women are excluded from the Abyffinian throne, yet it is as true that there is a law, or cuftom, as flri6tly obferved as the other, that the queen upon whofe head the king mail have put the crown in his life-time, it matters not whether it be her hufband or fon, or any other relation, that woman is regent of the king- dom, and guardian of every minor king, as long as me fhall live. Suppofmg, therefore, a queen to be crowned by her hufband, which hufband mould die and leave a fon, all the brothers and uncles of that fon would be banifhed, and confined prifoners to the mountain, and the queen would have the care of the kingdom, and of the king, du- ring his minority. If her fon, moreover, was to die, and a minor fucceed who was a collateral, or no relation to her, brought, perhaps, from the mountain, flie would (till be re- gent ; nor does her office ceafe but by the king's coming of age, whofe education, cloathing, and maintenance, fhe, in the mean time, abfolutely directs, according to her own will ; nor can there be another regent during her life-time. This regent, for life, is called Itegbe ; and this was probably the fituation of the kingdom at the time we mention, as hi- ftory informs us the king was then a minor, and conse- quently his education, as well as the government of his kingdom and houfehold, were, as they appear to have been, in the queen, or Itegbe' s hands ; of this office I fhall fpeak more in its proper place.

: 3 2 Meropiu?

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MerophpSj a< philolbphcr at Tyre, a Greek by nation and by religion, had taken a paiiagc in a lhip on the Red Sea da India, and had with him two young men, Frumentius and CEdefms, whom lie intended to bring up to trade, after ha- < ine given them a very liberal education. It happened' tln-ir veflel was call away on a rock upon the eoall of A- bvliinia. Meropius, defending himfelf, was 11a In by. the natives, and the two boys carried. to-Axum, the capital of Abvlllnia, where the Court then relidcd. Though young, they foon began to Ihcw the advantages attending a liberal education. They acquired the language very i'peedily ; and, as that country is naturally inclined to admire ftran- 2ers, thel'e were- foon looked upon as two prodigies. (Ede- fms, probably the dulled of the two, was let over the king's houfehold and wardrobe, a place that has been filled con- flan tly by a flranger of that nation to this very day. Fru- mentius was judged worthy by the queen to have the care of the young prince's education, to which, he dedicated, himfelf entirely..

After having mflructed his pupil in all forts of leaxnblgj he ilrongly imprelTed him with a love and veneration for the Chriftian religion ; after which he himfelf fet out for Alexandria, where, as has been already, faid, he found St. Athanafius* newly elected to that See.

He related to him briefly what had palled in Ethiopia* and the great hopes of the converfion of that nation, if pro- per pallors were fent to initruct them. Athanafius embraced that opportunity with all the earneftnefs that became his

11 at ion

* Yid. Baion, torn. 4. p. 331. et alibi paflim.

T HE SOURCE OF THE N IX E. 509;

flation and profellion. He ordained Frumentius bifhop of that country, who inftantly returned and. found the young king liis pupil in the fame good difpofition as formerly ; he embraced. Chriiiianity ; the greatefl part of Abyflinia fol- lowed liis example, and the church of Ethiopia continued with this biihop in perfect unity and friendship till his death; and though great troubles arofe from herelics being propagated in the Eaft, that church, and the fountain whence it derived its faith (Alexandria,) remained uncontaminated.by any falfe doctrine..

But it was not long after this, that Arianifm broke out under Conftantius the Emperor, and was ftrongly favoured by him. We have indeed a letter of St Athanafius to that Emperor, who had applied to him to depofe Frumentius from, his See for ref ufmg to embrace that herefy, or admit it im to his diocefe. .

It mould feem, that this converfion of Abyflinia was> quietly conducted, and without blood; and this is the more, remarkable, that it was the fecond radical change of reli- gion, effected in the fame manner, and with the fame faci- lity and moderation. No fanatic preachers, no warm faints, or madmen, ambitious to make or to be made martyrs, dU fturbed either of thefe happy events, in this wife, though barbarous nation, fo as to involve them in bloodfhed : no persecution was the confequence of this difference of te- nets, and if wars did follow, it was from matters merely temporal.

z, CHAR

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-SSBCJ^

CHAP. VIII.

War of the Elephant — Fir/} Appearance of the Small-Pox — Jews perfe- cutc the Chrijlians in Arabia — Defeated by the Abyfinians — Mahomet pretends a divine MiJJion — Opinion concerning the Koran — Revolu- tion under Judith— Ref oration of the Line of Solomon from Shoa.

IN the reigns of the princes Abreha and Atzbeha, the A- byflinian annals mention an expedition to have happen- ed into the fartheft part of Arabia Felix, which the Arabian authors, and indeed Mahomet himfelf in the Koran calls by the name of the War of the Elephant, and the caufe ' of it was this. There was a temple nearly in the middle of the peninmla of Arabia, that had been held in the greateft ve- neration for about 1400 years. The Arabs fay, that Adam, when fliut out of paradife, pitched his tent on this fpot ; while Eve, from fome accident or other I am not acquaint- ed with, died and was buried on the fliore of the Red Sea, at Jidda. Two days journey eaft from this place, her grave, "of green fods about fifty yards in length, is fhewn to this day. In this temple alfo was a black ftone, upon which Jacob faw the vifion mentioned in fcripture, of the angels defcending, and afcending into Heaven. It is like wife laid, with more appearance of probability, that this temple was

* built

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 511

built by Sefoftris, in his voyage to Arabia Felix, and that he was worfhipped there under the name of Ofiris, as he then was in every part of Egypt.

The great veneration the neighbouring nations paid to this tower, and idol, fuggefled the very natural thought of making the temple the market for the trade from Africa and India ; the liberty of which, we may fuppofe, had been in fome meafure reftrained, by the fettlements which fo- reign nations had made on both coafts of the Red Sea. To remedy which, they chofe this town in the heart of the country, acceffible on all fides,, and commanded on none, calling it Becca, which fignifies the Houfe ; though Maho- met, after breaking the idol and dedicating the temple to the true God, named it Mecca, under which name it has continued, the centre or great mart of the India trade to this day.

In order to divert this trade into a channel more conve- nient for his prefent dominions, Abreha built a very large, church or temple, in the country of the Homerites, and nearer the Indian Ocean. To encourage alfo the refort to this place, he extended to it all the privileges, protection, and emoluments, that belonged to the Pagan temple of Mecca..

One particular tribe of Arabs, called Beni Koreifh, had the care of the Caba, for fo the round tower of Mecca was called. Thefe people were exceedingly alarmed at the prof- peel of their temple being at once deferted, both by its vo- taries and merchants, to prevent which, a party of them, in the night, entered Abrcha's temple, and having fir A:

burned

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burned what part of it could be con fumed, they polluted the part that remained, by bcfmearing it over with human

excrements.

This violent facrilege and affront was foon reported to Abreha, who, mounted upon a white elephant at the head of a confiderable army, refolved, in return, to dellroy the temple of Mecca. With this intent, he marched -through that ilripe of low country along the lea, callexl Tehama, where he met with no oppoiition, nor fuffcred any diitrefs but from want of .water ; after which, at the head of his army, he fat down before Mecca, as he fuppofed.

Abou Thaleb (Mahomet's grandfather, as it is thought) was then keeper of the Caba, who had interetl: with his countrymen the Bcni Koreifh to prevail upon them to make no refiftancc, nor mew any figns of wifhing to make a de- fence. He had prefented himfelf early to Abreha upon his march. There was a temple of Ofiris at Taief, which, as a rival to that of Mecca, was looked upon by the Bcni Koreifh with a jealous eye. Abreha was fo far milled by the intel- ligence given him by Abou Thaleb, that he millook the Temple of Taief for that of Mecca, .and razed it to the foundation, after which he prepared to return home.

He was foon after informed of his miftake, and not re- penting of what he had already done, refolved to dcftroy Mecca alfo. Abou Thaleb, however, had never left his fide ; by his great hofpitality, and the plenty he procured to ihe Emperor's army, lie fo gained Abreha, that hearing, on in- quiry, he was no mean man, but a prince of the tribe of Bcni Koreifh, noble Arabs, he obliged him to lit in his pre-

fence

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 513

fence, and kept, him conflantly with him as a companion. At laft, not knowing how to reward him fufficiently, Abre- ha defired him to aik any thing in his power to grant, and he would fatisfy him. Abou Thaleb, taking him at his word, wifhed to be provided with a man, that fhould bring back forty oxen, the foldiers had flolen from him.

Abreha, who expected that the favour he was to afk, was to fpare the Temple, which he had in that cafe refolved in his mind to do, could not conceal his aftonifhment at fo filly a* requeft, and he could not help teflifying this to Abou Tha- leb, in a manner that fhewed it had lowered him in his ef- teem. Abou Thaleb, fmiling, replied very calmly, If that before you is the Temple of God, as I believe it is, you fhall never deflroy it, if it is his will that it mould Hand : If it is not the Temple of God, or (which is the fame thing) if he has ordained that you mould deftroy it, I fhall not only affile you in demolifliing it, but fhall help you in carrying away the laft flone of it upon my moulders : But as for me, I am a fhepherd, and the care of cattle is my profeffion ; twenty of the oxen which are ftolen are not my own, and I fhall be put in prifon for them to-morrow ; for neither you nor I can believe that this is an affair God will interfere in ; and therefore I apply to you for a foldier who will feek the thief, and bring back my oxen, that my liberty be not ta- ken from me.

Abreha had now refrefhed his army, and, from regard to his gueft, had not touched the Temple ; when, fays the Arabian author, there appeared, coming from the fea, a flock of birds called Ababil, having faces like lions, and each of them in his claws, holding a fmall flone like a pea,

Vol, I. 3 T which

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which he let fall upon Abreha's army, fo that they all were deftroyed. The author of the manufcript * from which I have taken this fable, and which is alfo related by feveral other hiftorians, and mentioned by Mahomet in the Koran, does not feem to fwallow the ftory implicitly. For he fays, that there is no bird that has a face like a lion, that Abou Thaleb was a Pagan, Mahomet being not then come, and that the Chriftians were wormippers of the true God, the God of Mahomet ; and, therefore, if any miracle was wrought here, it was a miracle of the devil, a victory in favour of Paganifm, and deftruftive of the belief of the true God. In i conclufion, he lays, that it was at this time that the fmall-pox and mealies firft broke out in Arabia, and almoft totally def- troyed the army of Abreha. But if the ftone, as big as a pea, thrown by the Ababil, had killed Abreha's army to the laft man, it does not appear how any of them could die af- terwards, either by the fmall-pox or meafles..

All that is material, however, to us, in this fact, is, that the time of the fiege of Mecca will be the sera of the firft appearance of that terrible difeafe, the fmall-pox, which we mall fet down about the year 356; and it is highly probable, from other circumftances, that the Abyflinian army was the- firft victim,to it.

As for the church Abreha built near the Indian Ocean, it: continued free from any further infult till the Mahometan conqueft of Arabia Felix, when it was finally deftroyed in the Khalifat j- of Omar. This is the Abyflinian account, and

this

WPt— *■—">■ " ■'■ " ' " ' ' ** " *"' ' " "" "' ' ' ■-■■■■■

* El Hameely's Siege of Mecca. f Fetaat el Yemen.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 515

this the Arabian hiftory of the War of the Elephant, which I have ftated as found in the books of the moll credible wri- ters of thofe times.

But it is my duty to put the reader upon his guard, againfl adopting literally what is here fet down, without being fatisfied of the validity of the objection that may be made againfl the narrative in general. Abreha reigned 27 years ; he was converted to Chriftianity in 333, and died in 360 ; now, it is fcarcely poflible, in the fliort fpace of 27 years, that all Abyflinia and Arabia could be converted to Chrifti- anity. The converfion of the Abyflinians- is reprefented to be a work of little time, but the Arab author, Hameefy, fays, that even Arabia Felix was full of churches when this expe- dition took place, which is very improbable. And, what adds Hill more to the improbability, is, that part of the ftory which dates that Abreha converfed with Mahomet's father, or grandfather. For, fuppoiing the expedition in 356, Ma- homet's birth was in 558, fo there will remain 202 years, by much too long a period for two lives. I do believe we mud bring this expedition down much lower than the reign >of Abreha and Atzbeha, the reafon of which we lliall fee afterwards.

As early as the commencement of the African trade with Paleftine, the Jewifh religion had fprcad itfelf far into Ara- bia, but, after the deflruclion of the temple by Titus, a great increafe both of number and wealth had made that people abfolute matters in many parts of that peninfula. In the Neged, and as far up as Medina, petty princes, calling them- felves kings, were eftablifhed ; who, being trained in the wars of Paleftine, became very formidable among the pa-

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cific commercial nations of Arabia, deeply funk into Greek degeneracy.

Phineas, a prince of that nation from Medina, having beat St Aretas, the Governor of Najiran, began to perfecute the Chriftians by a new fpecies of cruelty, by ordering cer- tain furnaces, or pits full of fire, to be prepared, into which he threw as many of the inhabitants of Najiran as refufed to renounce Chriftianity. Among thefe was Aretas, fo call- ed by the Greeks, Aryat by the Arabs, and Hawaryat, which lignifies the evangelical, by the Abyffinians, together with ninety of his companions. Mahomet, in his Koran, men- tions, this tyrant by the name of the Mafter of xhzjiery pits, without either condemning or praifmg the execution ; only faying, « the fufferers mall be witnefs againfl him at the lafl day.'

Justin, the Greek Emperor, was then employed in. an unfuccefsful war with the Pernans, fo that he could not give any affiftance to the afnkfted Chriftians in Arabia, but in the year 522 he fent an embaffy to Caleb, or Elefbaas, king of Abyilinia, intreating him to interfere in favour of the Chriftians of Najiran, as he too was of the Greek church; On the Emperor's firft requeft, Caleb fent orders to Abreha, Governor of Yemen, to march to the affiftance of Aretas, the fon of him who was burnt, and who was then collecting troops. Strengthened by this reinforcement, the young fol- dier did not think proper to delay the revenging his father's death, till the arrival of the Emperor ; but having come up with Phineas, who was ferrying his troops over an arm of the fea, he entirely routed them, and obliged their prince, for fear of being taken, to fwim with his horfe to the near-

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. Si7

eft fhore. It was not long before the Emperor had croiTed the Red Sea with his army ; nor had Phineas loft any time in collecting his fcattered forces to oppofe him. A battle was the confequcnce, in which the fortune of Caleb again prevailed.

It would appear that the part of Arabia, near Najiran, which was the fcene of Caleb's victory, belonged to the Grecian Emperor Juftin,becaufe Aretas applied directly to him at Conftantinople for fuccour ; and it was at Juftin's requeft only, that Caleb marched to the affiftance of Aretas, as a friend, but not as a fovereign ; and as fuch alfo, Abreha, Governor of Yemen, marched to aflift Aretas, with the A- byfiinian troops, from the fouth of Arabia, againft the ftranger Jews, who were invaders from Paleftine, and who had no connection with the Abymnian Jewifh Homerites, natives of the fouth coaft of Arabia, oppofite to Saba.

But neither of the Jewifh kingdoms were deftroyed by the victories of Caleb, or Abreha,nor thefubfequent conqueft of the Perfians. In the Neged, or north rat of Arabia, they continued not only after the appearance of Mahomet, but till after the Hegira. For it was in the 8th year of that azra that Hybar, the Jew, was befieged in his own caftle in Neged, and flain by Ali, Mahomet's fon-in-law, from that time called Hydar Ali, or Ali the Lion..

Now the Arabian manufcripts fays pofitively that this Abreha, who affifted Aretas, was Governor of Arabia Felix, or Yemen ; for, by this laft name, I fhall hereafter call the part of the peninfula of Arabia belonging to the Abyf- fmians ; fo that he might very well have been the prince who converled with Mahomet's father, and loft his a my

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before Mecca, which will bring down the introduction of *he fmall-pox to the year 522, jufl 100 years before the He- gira, &nd both Arabian and Abyffinian accounts might be then true.

The two officers who governed Yemen, and the oppofite coaft Azab, which, as we have above mentioned, belonged to Abyflinia, were filled Naja/bi, as was the king alfo, and both of them were crowned with gold. I am, therefore, perfuaded, this is the reafon of the confufion of names we meet in Arabian manufcripts, that treat of the fovereigns of Yemen. This, moreover, is the foundation of the ftory found in Arabic manufcripts, that Jaffar, Mahomet's brother, iled to the Najafhi, who was governor of Yemen, and was kindly treated by him, and kept there till he joined his bro- ther at the campaign of Hybarea. Soon after his great vic- tory over the Beni Koreifh, at the lafl battle of Beder Hu- nein, Mahomet is faid to have written to the fame Najafhi a letter of thanks, for his kind entertainment of his brother, inviting him (as a reward) to embrace his religion, which the Najafhi is fuppofed to have immediately complied with. Now, all this is in the Arabic books, and all this is true, as far as we can .conjecture from the accounts of thofe times, very partially writ by a fet of warm-headed bigotted zea- lots ; fuch as all Arabic authors (hiflorians of the time) un- doubtedly are. The error only lies in the application of this (lory to the Najafhi, or king of Abyflinia, fituated far from the fcene of thefe actions, on high cold mountains, very unfavourable to thofe rites, which, in low flat and warm countries, have been temptations to flothful and in- active men to embrace the Mahometan religion.

A MOST

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 519

A most fhameful proftitution of manners prevailed in the Greek church, as alio innumerable herefies, which were firfl: received as true tenets of their religion, but were foon after perfecuted in a moft uncharitable manner, as being erroneous. Their lies, their legends, their faints and mi- racles, and, above all, the abandoned behaviour of the prieflhood, had brought their characters in Arabia almoft as low as that of the detefled Jew, and, had they been confi- dered in their true light, they had been ftill lower,

The dictates of nature in the heart of the honefl Pagan, constantly employed in long, lonely, and dangerous voyages, awakened him often to reflect who that Providence was that invifibly governed him, fupplied his wants, and often mercifully faved him from the deftruction into which his own ignorance or rafhnefs were leading him. Poifoned by no fyflem, perverted by no prejudice, he wifhed to know and adore his Benefactor, wTith purity and fimplicity of heart, free from thefe fopperies and follies with which ignorant priefts and monks had difguifed his worfhip. PofTelled of charity, Heady in his duty to his parents, full of veneration for his fuperiors, attentive and merciful even to his beafls ; in a word, containing in his heart the principles of the firfl religion, which God had inculcated in the heart of Noah, «he Arab was already prepared to embrace a much more per- fect one than what Chriflianity, at that time, disfigured by foily and fuperftitionr appeared to him to be.

Mahomet, of the tribe of Beni Koreifh (at whofe infli- gation is uncertain) took upon himfelf to be the apoftle of a new religion, pretending to have, for his only object, the worfhip of the true God. Oflenfibly full of the morality of

1 1 the

52o TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

the Arab, of patience and felf-dcnial, fuperior even to what is made necefifary to falvation by the gofpel, his religion, at the bottom, was but a fyftem of blafphemy and falfe- hood, corruption and injuftice. Mahomet and his tribe were moll: profoundly ignorant. There was not among them but one man that could write, and it was not doubt- ed he was to be Mahomet's fecretary, but unfortunately Ma- homet could not read his writing. The ftory of the angel who brought him leaves of the Koran is well known, and fo is all the reft of the fable. The wifer part of his own re- lations, indeed, laughed at the impudence of his pretending to have a communication with angels. Having, however, gained, as his apoftles, fome of the bell foldiers of the tribe of Beni Koreifli, and perfifting with great uniformity in all his meafures, he eftablifhed a new religion upon the ruins of idolatry and Sabaifm, in the very temple of Mecca.

Nothing fevere was injoined by Mahomet, and the fre- quent prayers and warnings with water which he directed, were gratifications to a fedentary people in a very hot country. The lightnefs of this yoke, therefore, recommend- ed it rapidly to thofe who were difgufted with long fall- ing, penances, and pilgrimages. The poifon of this falfe, yet not fevere religion, fpread itfelf from that fountain to all the trading nations : India, Ethiopia, Africa, all Afia, fuddenly embraced it ; and every caravan carried into the bofom of its country people not more attached to trade, than zealous to preach and propagate their new faith. The Temple of Mecca (the old rendezvous of the Indian trade) perhaps was never more frequented than it is at this day, and the motives of the journey are equally trade and reli- gion, as they were formerly.

3 I SHALL

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. jai

I shall here mention, that the Arabs begun very foon to ftudy letters, and came to be very partial to their own lan- guage ; Mahomet himfelf fo much fo, that he held out his Koran, for its elegance alone, as a greater miracle than that of raifmg the dead. This was not univerfally allowed at that time ; as there were even then compofitions fuppofed to equal, if not to furpafs it. In my time, I have feen in Bri- tain a fpirit of enthufiafm for this book in preference to all others, not inferior to that which polIeHed Mahomet's followers. Modern unbelievers (Sale and his difciples) have gone every length, but to fay directly that it was dictated by the Spirit of God. Excepting the command in Genefis chap. L ver. 3. " And God laid, Let there be light ; and there was light ;" they defy us to mew in fcripture a paffage equal in fublimity to many in the Koran. Following, with- out inquiring, what has been handed down, from one to the other, they would cram us with abfurdities, which no man of lenfe can fwallow. They fay the Koran is compo- fed in a ftyle the moft pure, and chafte, and that the tribe of Beni Koreifh was the mod poliee, learned, and noble of all the Arabs.

But to this I anfwer — The Beni Koreifh were from the earliefl days, according to their own * account, part cila- blifhed at Mecca, and part as robbers on the fea-coaft, and they were all children of Ifhmael. Whence then came their learning, or their iuperior nobility ? Was it found in the defert, in the temple, or did the robbers bring it from the fea? Soiouthy, one of thofe moil famous then for

Vol. I. 3 U knowledge

EJ Haraeefy.

j»i TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

knowledge in the Arabic, has quoted from the Koran many hundred words, either Abyffinian, Indian, Perfian, Ethiopic, Syrian, Hebrew, or Chaldaic, which he brings back to the root, and afcribes them to the nation they came from. In- deed it could not be otherwife ; thefe caravans, continually crowding with their trade to Mecca, mull have vitiated the original tongue by an introduction of new terms and new idioms, into a language labouring under a penury of vocabu- les. But fliall any one for this perfuade me, that a book is a model of pure, elegant, chafle Englifh, in which there mall be a thoufand words of Welfh, Irifh, Gaelic, French, Spanifh, Malabar Mexican, and Laponian ? What would be thought of fuch a medley ? or, at leaft, could it be recom- mended as a pattern for writing pure Englifh ?.

What I fay of the Koran may be applied to the lan- guage of Arabia in general : when it is called a copious language, and profeffors wifely tell you, that there are fix hundred words for a fword, two hundred for honey, and three hundred that fignify a lion, flill I mull obferve, that this is not a copious language, but a confufion of languages: thefe, inftead of diitinct names, are only different epithets. For example, a lion in Englifh may be called a young lion, a white lion, a frnall lion, a big lion : I flyle him moreover the fiercG, the cruel, the enemy to man, the bead of the-defert,, the king of beads, the lover of blood. Thus it is in Ara- bic ; and yet it is faid that all thefe are words for a lion. Take another example in a fword ; the cutter, the divider, the friend of man, the mailer of towns, the maker of widows > the fliarp, the flraight, the crooked ; which may be faid in Hnglifh as well as in Arabic,

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 327,

The Arabs were a people who lived in a country, for the moll part, defert ; their dwellings were tents, and their prin- cipal occupation feeding and breeding cattle, and they mar- ried with their own family. The language therefore of fuch a people fliould be very poor ; there is no variety of imarrcs in their whole country. They were always bad poet.;, as their works will teftify; and if, contrary to the general rule, the language of Arabia Deferta became a copious one, it muft have been by the mixture of fo many nations meet- ing and trading at Mecca. It muft, at the fame time, have been the moll corrupt, where there was the greatcii cuii- courfe of llrangers, and this was certainly among the Beni Koreilh at the Caba. When, therefore, I hear people prai£ ing the Koran for the purity of its flyle, it puts me in mind of the old man in the comedy, whole reafon for loving his nephew was, that he could read Greek ; and being alked if he underllood the Greek fo read, he anfwered, Not a word of it, but the rumbling of the found pleafed him.

The war that had dillraeted all Arabia, firft between the Greeks and Perfians, then between Mahomet and the Arabs,in fupport of his divine million, had very much hurt the trade carried on by univerlal confent at the Temple of Mecca. Caravans, when they dared venture out, were furprifed up- on every road, by the partizans of one fide or the other. Both merchants and trade had taken their departure to the fouth- ward, and ellablilhed themfelves fouth of the Arabian Gulf, in places which (in ancient times) had been the markets for commerce, and the rendezvous of merchants. Azab, or Saba, was rebuilt ; alfo Raheeta, Zcyla, Tajoura, Soomaal, in the Arabian Gulf, and a number of other towns on the In- dian Ocean. The conquell of the Abyilinian territories in

- U 2 Arabia

524 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

Arabia forced all thofe that yet remained to take refuge on the African fide, in the little diftricts which now grew into confideration. Adel, Mara, Hadea, AufTa, Wypo, Tarfhiih, and a number of other ftates, now aflumed the name of kingdoms, and foon obtained power and wealth fuperior to many older ones.

The Governor of Yemen (or Najami) converted now to the faith of Mahomet, retired to the African fide of the Gulf. His government, long ago, having been fhaken to the very foundation by the Arabian war, was at laft totally deflroyed. But the Indian trade at Adel wore a face of profperity, that had the features of ancient times.

Without taking notice of every objection, and anfwer- ing it, which has too polemical an appearance for a work of this kind, I hope I have removed the greateft part of the reader's difficulties, which have, for a long time, lain in the way, towards his underltanding this part of the hiitory. There is one, however, remains, which the Arabian hiflori- ans have mentioned, viz. that this Najalhi, who embraced the faith of Mahomet, was avowedly of the royal family of Abyffinia. To this I anfwer, he certainly was a perfon of that rank, and was undoubtedly a nobleman, as there is no nobility in that country but from relationlhip to the king, and no perfon can be related to the king by the male line. But the females, even the daughters of thofe princes *vho are banifhed to the mountain, marry whom they pleafe ; and all the ■ defcenden-ts of that marriage become noble, be- caufe they mull be allied to the king. So far then they may truly affert, that the Mahometan Governor of Yemen, and $us noilcrity, were this way related to the king of Abyifiniai

But

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. S25

But the fuppofition that any heirs male of this family be- came mufTulmen, is, beyond any fort of doubt, without foun- dation or probability.

Omar, after fubduing Egypt, deftroyed the valuable libra- ry at Alexandria, but his fuccefTors thought very differently from him in the article of profane learning. Greek books of all kinds (efpecially thofe of Geometry, Aftroflomy, and Medicine,) were fearched for every where and tranflated. Sciences flourifhed and were encouraged. Trade at the fame time kept pace, and increafed with knowledge. Geo- graphy and aftronomy were every where diligently fludied and folidly applied to make the voyages of men from place to place fafe and expeditious. The Jews (conflant fervants of the Arabs) imbibed a confiderable fhare of their tafte for earning.

They had, at this time, increafed very much in number, By the violence of the Mahometan conquefb in Arabia and Egypt, where their feci: did principally prevail, they became very powerful in Abyffinia. Arianifm, and all the various herefies that diftraeled the Greek church, were received there in their turn from Egypt ; the bonds of Chriflianity were diiTblved, and people in general were much more wil- ling to favour a new religion, than to agree with, or coun- tenance any particular one of their own, if it differed from that which they adopted in the merefl trifle. This had def- troyed their metropolis in Egypt, juft now delivered up to the Saracens ; and the difpofition of the Abyflinians fcemed fo very much to referable their brethren the Cophts, that a revolution in favour of Judaifm was thought full as feafible in the country, as it had been in Egypt in favour-

J o£''

526 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

of the newly-preached, but unequivocal religion of Maho-

met.

An independent fovereignty, in one family of Jews, had always been preferved on the mountain of Samen, and the royal refidence was upon a high-pointed rock, called the Jews Rock : Several other inacceflible mountains ferved as natural fortrefles for this people, now grown very confider- able by frequent acceffions of flrength from Paleftine and Arabia, whence the Jews had been expelled. Gideon and Ju- dith were then king and queen of the Jews, and their daugh- ter Judith (whom in Amhara they call Eftber, and fometimes Saat, i. e.fre *J was a woman of great beauty, and talents for intrigue ; had been married to the governor of a fmall diftrict called Bugna, in the neighbourhood of Lafta, both which countries were likewife much infected with Judaifm.

Judith had made fo urong a party, that flie refolved to attempt the fubverfion of the Chriftian religion, and, with it, the fuccenion in the line of Solomon. The children of the royal family were at this time, in virtue of the old law, confined on the almoft inacceliible mountain of Damo in Tigre. The fhort reign, fudden and unexpected death of the late king Aizor, and the defolation and contagion which an epidemical difeafc had fpread both in court and capital, the weak Mate of Del Naad who was to fucceed Aizor and was an infant ; all thefe circumftances together, imprclled Judith with an idea that now was the time to place her fa- mily upon the throne, and eftabliih her religion by the

extirpation

She is alfe called by Victor, TrcdJa Gakz.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 527

extirpation of the race of Solomon. Accordingly (he fur- prifed the rock Damo, and flew the whole princes there, to the number, it is faid, of about 400.

Some nobles of Amhara, upon the firfl news of the cataf- trophe at Damo, conveyed the infant king Del Naad, now the only remaining prince of his race, into the powerful and loyal province of Shoa, and by this means the royal family was preferved to be again reftored. Judith took pofTeffion of the throne in defiance of the law of the queen of Saba, by this the firfl interruption of the fucceflion in the line of Solomon, and, contrary to what might have been ex- pected from the violent means flie had ufed to acquire the crown, fhe not only enjoyed it herfelf during a long reign of 40 years, but tranfmitted it alfo to five of her poflerity, all of them barbarous names, originating probably in Lafta: Thefe are faid to be,

Totadem,

Jan Shum,

Garima Shum,

Harbai,

Marari,

Authors, as well Abyflinian as European, have differed widely about the duration of thefe reigns. All that the Abyflinians are agreed upon is, that this whole period was one fcene of murder, violence, and oppreflion.

Judith and her dependents were fucceeded by relations of their own, a noble family of Lafta. The hiftory of this revolution, or caufe of it, are loft and unknown in the conn-- try, and therefore vainly fought after elfewhere. What we

4, know

5*5 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

know is, that with them the court returned to the Chriftian religion, and that they were ftill as different from their pre- deceffors in manners as in religion. Though ufurpers, as were the others, their names are preferved with every mark of refpect and veneration. They are,

Tecla Haimanout,

Kedus Harbe,

Itibarek,

Lalibala,

Imeranha Chriflos,

Naacueto Laab.

Not being kings of the line of Solomon, no part of their hiftory is recorded in the annals, unlefs that of Lalibala, who lived in the end of the twelfth, or beginning of the thir- teenth century, and was a faint. The whole period of the ufurpation, comprehending the long reign of Judith, will by this account be a little more than 300 years, in which time eleven princes are faid to have fat upon the throne of So- lomon, fo that, fuppofing her death to have been in the year 1000, each of thefe princes, at an average, will have been a little more than twenty-four years, and this is too much. But all this period is involved in darknefs. We mieht £uefs, but fmcc we are not able to do more, it anfwers no good purpofe to do fo much. I have followed the hii- tories and traditions which arc thought "the moll authen- tic in the country, the fubject of which they treat, and where I found them; and though they may differ' from other ac- counts given by European authors, this docs not influence me, as I know that none of thefe authors could have any othcr authoritics than thofe I have fecn, and the difference only

mni1

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. ^

mufl be the fruit of idle imagination, and ill-founded con. jecturcs of their own.

In the reign of Lalibala, near about the 1200, there was a great perfecution in Egypt againfl the Chriftians, after the Saracen conqueft, and efpecially againfl the mafons, builders, and hewers of flone, who were looked upon by the Arabs as the greatefl of abominations; this prince open- ed an aiylum in his dominions to all fugitives of that kind, of whom he collected a prodigious number. Having be- fore him as fpecimens the ancient works of the Troglo- dytes, he directed a number of churches to be hewn out of the folid rock in his native country of Lafta, where they remain untouched to this day, and where they will proba- bly continue till the lateft poflerity. Large columns with, in are formed out of the folid rock, and every fpecies of or- nament preferved, that would have been executed in build- ings of feparate and detached flones, above ground.

This prince undertook to realize the favourite preten- fions of the Abyffinians, to the power of turning the Nile out of its courfe, fo that it mould no longer be the caufe of the fertility of Egypt, now in pofleffion of the enemies of Ins religion. We may imagine, if it was in the power of man to accomplish this undertaking, it could have fallen in- to no better hands than thofe to whom Lalibala gave the ex- ecution of it ; people driven from their native country by thofe Saracens who now were reaping the benefits of the river, m the places of thofe they had forced to feek habi- tations far from the benefit and pleafure afforded by its itream. J

Vou '• 3 x Tms

53© TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

This prince did not adopt the wild idea of turning the courfe of the Nile out of its prefent channel ; upon the pof- iibility or impoilibiiity of which, the argument (fo warmly and ib ioug agitated) always moil improperly turns. His idea was to famim Egypt :. and, as the fertility of that coun- try depends not upon the ordinary liream, but the extraor- dinary increaie of it by the tropical rains, he is laid to have found, by an exact furvey and calculation, that there ran on the fummit, or higheft part of the country, ieveral rivers which could be intercepted by mines, and their ftream directed into the low country fouthward, inftead of joining the Nile, augmenting it and running northward. By this he found he fhould be able fo to difappoint its increafe, that it never would rife to a height proper to fit Egypt for culti- vation. And thus far he was warranted in his ideas of fuc- ceeding (as I have been informed by the people of that country), that he did interfeet and carry into the Indian O- eean, two very large rivers, which have ever iince flowed that way, and he was carrying a level to the lake Zawaia, where many rivers empty themfelves in the beginning of the rains, which would have effectually diverted the courfe of them all, and could not but in fome degree diminiih the current below.

Death, the ordinary enemy of all thefe fhipendous Her- culean undertakings, interpofed too here, and put a flop to this enterprize of Lalibala. But Amha Yafous, prince of Shoa (in whofe country part of thefe immenfe works were) a young man of great underftanding, and with whom 1 li- ved feveral months in the moft intimate friendfhip at Gon- dar, allured me that they were vifible to this day ; and that they were of a kind whole ufe could not be miftakeni that

he

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. S$t

he himfelf had often vifkecl them, and was convinced the un- dertaking was very poflible with fuch hands, and in the cir- cumftanccs things then were. He told me likewife, that, in a written account which he had feen in Shoa, it was faid that this prince was not interrupted by death in his underta- king, but perfuaded by the monks, that if a greater quan* tity of water was let down into the dry kingdoms of Hadea, Mara, and Adel, increafing in population every day, and, even now, almoft equal in power to Abyffinia itfelf, thefe barren kingdoms would become the garden of the world ; and fuch a number of Saracens, diflodged from Egypt by the firfl appearance of the Nile's failing, would fly thither ": that they would not only withdraw thofe countries from their obedience, but be flrong enough to over-run the whole kingdom of Abyffinia. Upon this, as Amha Yafous informed me, Lalibala gave over his firft fcheme, which was the fa- miihing of Egypt ; and that his next was employing the men in fubterraneous churches ; a ufelefs expence, but more level to the understanding of common men than the for- mer.

Don Roderigo de Lima, ambaffador from the king of Portugal, in 1522 faw the remains of thefe vail works, and travelled in them feveral days, as we learn from Alvarez, the chaplain and hiftorian of that embafly*, which we mail take notice of in its proper place.

Lalibala was dininguifhed both as a poet and an ora- tor, The old fable, of a fwarm of bees hanging to his lips

3X2 in

'See Alvarez, his relation of this EmbaiTy,

532 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

in the cradle, is revived and applied to him. as foretelling the fweetnefs of his elocution.

To Lalibala fucceeded ImeranhaChriflos, remarkable for nothing but being fon of fuch a father as Lalibala, and fa- ther to fuch a fon as Naacueto Laab ; both of them diflin* guifhed for works very extraordinary, though very differ- ent in their kind. The firft, that is thofe of the father we have already hinted at, confuting in great mechanical un- dertakings. The other was an operation of the mind, of flill more difficult nature, a victory over ambition, the vol- untary abdication of a crown to which he fucceeded with- out imputation of any crime.

TeclaHaimanout, a monk and native of Abyflmia, had been ordained Abuna, and had founded the famous monaf- tery of Debra Libanos in Shoa. He was a man at once cele- brated for the fanctity of his life, the goodnefs of his undei- flanding, and love to his country; and, by an extraordinary influence, obtained over the reigning king Naacueto Laab,' he perfuaded him, for confeience fake, to refign a crown, which (however it might be faid with truth, that he re- ceived it from his father) could never be purged from the (lain and crime of ufurpation.

In all this time, the line, of Solomon had been continued from Del Naad, who, we have feen, had efcaped from the mafTacre of Damo, under Judith. Content with poilefling the loyal province of Shoa, they continued their royal refi- Icnce there, without having made one attempt, as far as hiftory tells us, towards recovering their ancient kingdom.

RACE

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. S33

RACE of SOLOMON banished, but reigning in SHOA.

Del Naad, Mahaber Wedem, Igba Sion, Tzenaf Araad, Nagaili Zare, Asfeha, Jacob,

Bahar Segued, Adamas Segued, Icon Amlac

Naacueto Laab, of the houfe of Zague, was, it fecms,. a juft and peaceable prince.

Under the mediation of Abuna Tecla Haimanout, a treaty was made between him and Icon Amlac confifling of four articles, all very extraordinary in. their kind.

The firft was, that Naacueto Laab, prince of the houfe of Zague, fhould forthwith reiign the kingdom of Abyffmia to Icon Amlac, reigning prince of the line of Solomon then in Shoa.

The fecond, that a portion of lands in Laila mould be given to Naacueto Laab and his heirs in abfolute property, irrevocably and irredeemably ; that he mould preferve, as marks of fovereignty, two filver kettle-drums, or nagareets ; that the points of the fpears of his guard, the globes that furmounted his fendeck,.(that is the pole upon which the

3 colours

534 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

colours are carried), fhould be filver, and that he fhould fit upon a gold ilool, or chair, in form of that ufed by the kings of Abyfllnia ; and that both he and his dependents fhould be abfolutely free from all homage, fervices, taxes, or pub- lic burdens for ever, and itiled Kings of Zague, or the Laf- ta king.

The third article was, That one third of the kingdom mould be appropriated and ceded abfolutely to the A- buna himfelf, for the maintenance of his own flate, and fupport of the clergy, convents, and churches in the king- dom ; and this became afterwards an asra, or epoch, in Abyf- finian hiftory, called the sera of partition.

The fourth, and laft article, provided, that no native Abyf- finian could thereafter be chofen Abuna, and this even tho' he was ordained at, and fent from Cairo. In virtue of this treaty, concluded and folemnly fworn to, Icon Amlac took poflefiion of his throne, and the other contracting parties of the provisions reflectively allotted them.

The part of the treaty that fhould appear mod liable to be broken was that which erected a kingdom within a kingdom. However, it is one of the remarkable facts in the annals of this country, that the article between Icon Amlac and the houfe of Zague was obferved for near 500 years; for it was made before, the year 1300, and never was broken, but by the treacherous murder of the Zaguean prince by Alio Paul in the unfortunate war of Begemder, in the reign of Joas 1768, the year before I arrived in Abyih- nia ; neither has any Abuna native of Abyllinia ever been known fince that period. As for the exorbitant grant of one

third

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 55s

third of the kingdom to the Abuna, it has been in great meafure relumed, as we may naturally fuppofe, upon differ- ent pretences of mifbehaviour, true orallcdged, by the king or his minifters, the firft great invailon of it being in the fubfcquent reign of king Theodorus, who, far from lofing popularity by this infraction, has been ever reckoned a mo- del for fovereigns.

&-*■"■ ' gfisgg

END OF VOLUME FIRST.

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