Page:A voyage to Abyssinia (Salt).djvu/97

"Mr. Bruce arrived at Loheia on the 18th of July, 1769, where he remained till his departure for Abyssinia. He made observations of latitude or longitude there on July 21st, 26th, August 5th, &c. Balugani's journal of this period is complete." (Vide Mr. Murray's Appendix to Bruce, Vol. II. page 264, last edition.) It was within this period, from the 27th of July to the 6th of August, that Mr. Bruce pretends to have made the voyage to Babelmandeb and Asab. The voyage from Cosseir to the Emerald Island and back, is also given up by Mr. Murray, as Mr. Bruce did not arrive at Cosseir till the 22d of March, though he describes the voyage to have taken place between the 14th and 20th of that month. (Vide Appendix to Book First, in Vol. II. page 262.) As both these voyages contain a vast number of very minute details, both of observations and transactions, the reader may form from them a pretty just estimate of the inventive talents of this author. Had not the testimony^[1] on the subject been unquestionable, I should have scarcely thought it possible to have carried on a narrative with so much apparent internal evidence of authenticity; and, indeed, at the time that Lord Valentia started his doubts on both points, I differed in opinion from him on the subject, as I had not at that time sufficiently investigated the question.

I shall now return to the general course of my narrative.

Soon after our coming to an anchor the super-cargo of the ship, Mr. Coffin, went on shore with the three native fishermen, who, before they left us, saluted us with the accustomed greeting; "allah, meschine, bukshis," meaning literally, "in the name of God, poor man, a present," an appeal, which the wretchedness of their appearance rendered irresistible. In the evening, Mr. Coffin returned on board, and brought us the satisfactory intelligence, that Captain Rudland, my former companion

quiries on the subject, but never could learn the good tidings of any such column or other ruins being at present in existence.

1. The public is greatly indebted to the relations of Mr. Bruce, and his publishers, for the very candid manner in which they have made known the important facts on which this testimony rests.