The Life and Adventures of Bruce, the African Traveller — John Shaqi
The Life and Adventures of Bruce, the African TravellerHead, Francis Bond, Sir
History
The Life and Adventures of Bruce, the African Traveller
Head, Francis Bond, Sir
Bruce, James, 1730-1794; Ethiopia -- Description and travel
"With all submission to that learned university, I will not dispute the
lion's title to eating men; but since it is not founded upon patent, no
consideration will make me stifle the merit of the Welled Sidi
Boogannim, who have turned the chase upon the enemy. It is an historical
fact, and I will not suffer the public to be misled by a
misrepresentation of it: on the contrary, I do aver, in the face of
these fantastic prejudices, that I have eat the flesh of lions--that is,
part of three lions, in the tents of the Welled Sidi Boogannim." If the
spirit of these noble animals had entered Bruce's heart, as their flesh
did his stomach, he could not have expressed himself in bolder terms!
From Hydra he went to the ancient Tipasa, where he found a most
extensive scene of ruins; and then entering the eastern province of
Algiers, he reached Medrashem, a superb pile of architecture. Passing
Gibel Aurex and Cassareen, the ancient Colonia Scillitana, he at last
reached Spaitla, in the kingdom of Tunis. The Welled Omran, a lawless,
plundering tribe, disturbed Bruce very much during the eight days which
he occupied in minutely measuring and drawing the extensive and
magnificent ruins of Spaitla. "It was a fair match," he says, "between
coward and coward. With my company I was enclosed in a square, in which
the three temples stood, where there yet remained a precinct of high
walls. These plunderers would have come in to me, but were afraid of my
firearms; and I would have run away from them had I not been afraid of
meeting their horse in the plain. I was almost starved to death, when I
was relieved by the arrival of Welled Hassan and a friendly tribe of
Dreeda that came to my assistance, and brought me at once both safety
and provision."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account