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
"We (captains Irby and Mangles, attended by Belzoni) now explored the
other tombs (at Thebes), but found nothing new to add to our former
observations. In the small chamber where Bruce copied the harp he gave
to Mr. Burney for his history of music, _we saw that traveller's name
scratched over the very harp_, which we think strong presumptive
evidence that he drew it himself, though he has been accused of drawing
it afterward from memory. He is erroneous in the number of strings which
he has given to it: the instrument itself is not unlike the original,
though the musician is very indifferently copied."
After roughly copying these ancient harps, which Bruce little thought
would ever be made to vibrate to the dishonour of his character, he made
preparations for proceeding farther in his researches; but his
conductors now lost all subordination. They were afraid that his
intention was to sit in this cave all night (and it really was), and to
visit the rest the next morning. With great clamour and marks of
discontent they dashed their torches against the largest harp, and,
scrambling out of the cave, left Bruce and Balugani in the dark. With
some difficulty they groped their way out of these ancient, gloomy
receptacles of the dead; and, as soon as they came to the sunshine and
freshness of the living world, they abandoned all farther researches and
rode to the boat. At midnight, a gentle breeze springing up, the canja
was wafted up to Luxor, where Bruce was well received by the governor,
who gave him a quantity of provisions: among these were some lemons and
sugar, with which he made for himself and his party a regular bowl of
punch, which they drank in "remembrance of Old England."
"Luxor," says Bruce, "and Carnac, a mile and a quarter below it, are by
far the largest and most magnificent scenes of ruins in Egypt, much more
extensive and stupendous than those of Thebes and Dendera put together."
Two days after the canja had sailed from Luxor, it reached Sheikh Amner,
the encampment of the Arabs Ababdé; and as this tribe extends from
Cosseir on the Red Sea far into the desert which Bruce was to cross, he
thought it politic and highly important to cultivate their friendship.
Sheikh Amner is a collection of villages, composed of miserable huts,
which contained, in Bruce's estimation, about a thousand effective men,
who possessed few horses, being principally mounted on camels. They form
the barrier or bulwark against the prodigious number of Arabs,
principally the Bishareen, who are nominally the subjects of the kingdom
of Sennaar. Ibrahim, the son of the sheikh, who had known Bruce at
Furshoot, and had received from him medicines for his father, recognised
him the moment he arrived; and, after acquainting his father, he came,
with about a dozen naked attendants, armed with lances, to escort Bruce,
who had no sooner arrived at the tent of the sheikh than a bountiful
dinner was placed before him.
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