Table Of ContentTRAVELS
TO DISCOVER THE
SOURCE THE
OF NILE,
In the Years 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, I772> and 1773-
IN FIVE VOLUMES.
BY JAMES BRUCE OF KINNAIRD, ESQ. F.R.S.
M-*ttJr
VOL.
I.
Opus aggredior opitnum cafibus, atrox praliis, difcorsfeditlonibus,
Ipfd etiam pacef&vum. Tacit. Lib. iv. Ann.
EDINBURGH:
PRINTED BY RUTHVEN,
FOR AND ROBINSJO. N, PATERNOSTER-ROW,
G. G.
J. J. LONDON.
M.DCC.XC.
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T O T H E
KING.
S R,
I
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
; 9
VOL. I, at
D E D I C A T T O N.
at certain periods, the very fources of that great*
nefs.
But as Pride, Ambition, and an immoderate
thirft of Conqueft, were the motives of thefe re-
searches, no real advantage could pofiibly accrue to
mankind in general, from inquiries proceeding upon:
fuch deformed and noxious principles.
In later times, which have been accounted more
enlightened, itill a worfe motive Succeeded to that of
ambition; Avarice led the way in all expeditions, cru-
elty and oppreffion followed to difcover and to de-
:
ftroy feemed to mean the fame thing and, what was
; i
ftill more extraordinary, the innocent fufferer was.
{tiled 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.
It 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 fimilar,.
It 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 philosophers in many ma-
terial inveifigations and ^delicate calculations, Uni-
verfal benevolence, a diftinguilhing quality of Your
Majesty, led You to take upon Yoiirfelf 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 all alike interefted in
them.
By Your Majesty's command, for thefe great pur-
pofes, Your fleets penetrated into unknown feas,
fraught
DEDICATION,
fraughtwith fubjects, equal, ifnot fuperior, in courage,
fcience, and preparation, to any that ever before had
navigated the ocean.
But
they pofTerTed other advantages, in which,
beyond all comparison, they excelled former difcover-
ers. In place of hearts confufed with fantaftic no-
tions of honour and emulation, which conftantly led
to bloodfhed, theirs were filled with the moft 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
•leafl inftrucled, and always perfectly in their power,
T
h u s, without the ufual, and moft unwarrantable
exceffes, the overturning ancient, hereditary king-
doms, without bloodihed, or trampling under foot,
the laws of fociety and hofpitality, Your Majesty's
fubjecls,
/;.,
DEDICATION.
fubje6ls, braver, more powerful and inftru£ted 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, perfectly
confiftent with thofe principles by which Your Ma-
jesty has always profefled to govern more firm and
;
durable than thofe eftablifhed by bolts and chains, and
X
all thofe black devices of tyrants not even known,
by name, in Your happy and united, powerful and
flourifhing kingdoms..
While thefe great objects were fteadily conduct-
ing to the end which the capacity of thofe employed,
thejuflnefs of the meafures on which they were plan-
ned, and the conflant 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
voi« b protection. r
Lr.
DEDICATION.
protection there, the place was fo unhappily cut off
from the reft ofmankind, 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 moll inclement Ikies, 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 encompaffed 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 confiderable 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
5
or at times aflbciated to beggars and banditti, as they
offered, I undertook this defperate journey, and did
not turn an ell out of my propofed 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, pafT-
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 ofthe 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.
In laying the account of thefe Travels at Your
Majesty's feet, I humbly hope I have fhewn to
the world of what value the efforts of every indivi-
dual of Your Majesty's fubjedls may be that num-
;
bers
DEDICATION.
bers are not always necefTary 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 jufl reign, defervedly looked up to as Queen
of Nations. I am,
SIR,
YOUR MAJESTY'S
Moft faithful Subject,
And moft dutiful^Servant,
JAMES BRUCE.
INTRODUCTION.
HOWEVER 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 fubject of this publication,
from very early ages interefted all fcientific nations Nor
:
was this great objed:feebly profecuted, as men, the firft for
wifdom, for learning, and fpirit (a moft neceflary qualifica-
tion in this undertaking)very earneflly 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 faireft trials, ap-
peared impracticable. Even conquerors at the head of im-
menfearmies,whohad firftdiscovered and thenfubduedgreat
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 wiflaes. 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
