Lord Valentia's motive in sending Mr. Salt to the Ras was explained to be an anxious desire to promote an intercourse of friendship between two such powerful countries as England and Abyssinia, the inhabitants of which were of the same religion; and it was represented" that Abyssinia having hitherto been accustomed to receive all her imports at the third or fourth hand, an immoderate duty had been paid at every separate transfer; whereas an intercourse with the English, who are uncontrolled masters of the sea, would enable the Ras to supply himself at once with whatever commodities he might want, and of a quality far superiour to any that had hitherto found their way into his country." To this the Ras listened willingly, and asked Mr. Salt whether Massowah or any other port in the neighbourhood would be the most convenient for English vessels to deliver their cargoes at. He expressed much displeasure at the conduct of the Nayib, and said there was a place on the coast belonging to himself call ed Buré, not more than four days journey from Antalow, well supplied with water and cattle; the inhabitants of which had often solicited permission to open a trade with the ships that were constantly passing within sight of them. If this place should be deemed sufficiently convenient, he would immediately turn the trade into that channel. It was agreed that one of the party should go to Buré and examine the spot. A hope was expressed in lord Valentia's letters, that Mr. Salt might go to Gondar. This could not be, because Gondar was in possession of Gusmatick Guxo who was on bad terms with the Ras. It was settled, however, that he should go to Axum; meantime Mr. Carter was to make his journey to Buré, and captain Rudland to remain with the Ras.

In the church at Muccullah, Mr. Salt observed I. N. R. I. written on across in Roman characters, the

meaning of which the priests seemed perfectly to comprehend. The shirt or under garment which the priests and all persons about the king wear, seems to be another vestige of the Portuguese, for comice, the name by which they call it, is probably a corruption of comisa. Wherever he went the people had great faith in his extraordinary powers. A woman applied to him to heal a child who was afflicted with an evil spirit; another wanted him to restore one who was deaf and dumb; and on two occasions he, in their opinion, betrayed his proficiency in the black art. The date tree he found only in the neighbourhood of religious houses of unknown antiquity, and from that circumstance conjectures that it was introduced by the Christian fathers who came from Egypt-a probable inference. He past through Adowa, where Bruce resided for four months. It is a place of considerable extent. Near it are the remains of Fremona, a Jesuit convent. Bruce has "thought proper" to represent the buttresses as flanking towers, and the belfry as a citadel; but it does not appear to have been ever a place of strength. This is another of those sneers which might have been spared. Bruce only says it has towers in the flanks and angles, by which the round abutments which Mr. Salt mentions are probably meant. The credit of this traveller suffers a ruder shock from Mr. Salt's inquiries at Axum. He has misdrawn the great obelisk there, misrepresented the church, and there seems great reason to conclude that no such inscription as that which he pretends to have restored, could possibly have existed; there is not the least trace of it. Yet the granite stones where he describes it, "connot have been much disturbed during the last thirty-five years, as they have not been applied to any purpose,' says Mr. Salt, "and are rendered nearly inaccessible to the barefooted natives by being surrounded on all sides with nettles of a large species,

which sting more than any I have before felt. Nor can I believe that an inscription which had stood for ages, would have totally vanished in so short a period, without leaving even a trace behind. I therefore conceive Bruce's inscription to be altogether fictitious."

But there is an inscription at Axum which Bruce overlooked, though his attention ought to have been directed to it both by the Jesuits* and by Ludolf. This Mr. Salt discovered, and by his indefatigable industry a copy was obtained so perfect, that Dr. Vincent has been enabled com

pletely to explain its contents. It is a monument of singular importance. "The parts which are most valuable in this inscription, are the beginning and the end, which establish the fact of Axum having been the capital of a people called the Axomites; and gives great credibility to numerous accounts handed down by several authors of that people, and of different embassies sent to them by the Romans; all of which had before been very dubious, from the want of any known fact or monument existing in Abyssinia in confirma

tion.

"It proves the existence of a king called Aeizana, king of the Axomites, who had a brother called Saiazana; which in the most decided way, establishes the authenticity of a letter addressed by the emperour Constantius to these brothers, under the title of Tupavvides AğoμiTWV.† Now, on this letter, the fact of the introduction of Christianity at that period into Abyssinia in a great measure rests. It farther establishes, that the empire of Abyssinia was even at this early period very powerful; and that their king had already, at least, assumed the sovereignty over a great part of Arabia, which makes the duration of their power in that country, and consequently in the Red Sea, much longer than had ever been before suspected.

"By being found so far in the interiour, we may deduce from it, that the Greek language had become very familiar in the country; and herein it confirms the account given in the Periplus of the learning of Zoscales. This inscription contains, moreover, the first intimation which we have of the Abyssinians having adopted the Gods of Greece, and as I have before

partly stated, sets aside the descent from the nation to Judaism, as also up to the the queen of Saba, and the conversion of period of its erection, the authenticity of those chronicles, called the Chronicles of Axum, so far at least as they refer to the religion of the country." Vol. III. p. 191.

New light is also thrown by this discovery upon the famous Adulite with great hesitation from Dr. Vininscription, which Mr. Salt (differing cent) supposes to be composed of two distinct ones, hitherto mistaken for one. The arguments are weighty, and to us they appear satisfactory.

At Axum a singular custom was observed. When any person is injured he gets hold if possible of his adversary's garment and ties it to his own; if he can do this the offender neither attempts to deliver himself, nor to leave the garment behind him, but quietly follows to the presence of his superiours, who are to judge him. Such a respect, to the legal form of arrest would hardly have been expected in a country so barbarous as Abyssinia. On his return through Adowa, Mr. Salt had an interview with an Ozoro, or princess, whose manners were very superiour to those of her countrywomen.Having rejoined the Ras, he had the vexation to learn that by some unlucky mistake, Mr. Carter had not taken his expected journey to Buré, important as that object was. Cap

tain Rudland meantime had been left without an interpreter to be fed by the Ras's own hands. His journal is very amusing: when he had eaten enough he was obliged by " nods, winks, and smiles," to make it known, lest he should be choaked with kindness. This, .however, was not understood with respect to drinking, and sleepless nights and morning head-aches were the consequences. Necessity teaches every thing. Having suffered three miserable nights amid swarms of bugs, lice, and fleas, he at last showed his skin to the Ras, and by dint of winks and gestures acquainted him that he could not get a wink of sleep; upon which his quarters were bettered. They understood each other at last "tolerably well in the eating and drinking way," and the captain learnt to feed the young ladies, as he was fed by their mothers.

A horrible scene was exhibited soon after Mr. Salt's return. The Ras held a muster of his soldiers, and each man brought in bloody, and indubitable tokens of the number of men whom he had slain. There were some savage enough to produce unquestionable evidence that boys not men had been the victims of their fury. At this, says the traveller, I expressed my abhorrence so strongly to the Ras, that actuated by the same feelings, he refused them those marks of his approbation which he had invariably shown to others; an interesting fact, for it shows the effect which the expression of European feelings may produce, when they are founded in humanity and truth. Mr. Salt had now given up all thought of further incursions into the country. Want of money compelled him to do this, for a bill of exchange which he had brought from the Banian at Massowah, was of no value; and besides this cogent reason, the time was fast approaching when the Panther would come for them. It now appeared upon a conference with the Ras, which passed through an hones

ter interpreter than had before been employed, that the motives of this visit had never till now been fully comprehended, and that many attempts had been made to prejudic the Ras against them. It is curious to find the same scene of policy enacted here, which was played against Vasco de Gama three centuries ago at Calicut. The Moslem about the Ras were in the interest of the sheriffs of Mecca, and they made use of every artifice to injure the English, being fully aware that if a trade were once opened with this country, his gainful traffick would be at an end. Every thing, however, was now clearly explained and understood; yet though the Ras entered, like an enlightened man, into their views, and appeared ready, with all his power, to facilitate an intercourse so desirable for Abyssinia, his mind was nevertheless so affected by the suspicions which had been instilled into him, as to make Mr. Salt and captain Rudland swear that whatever physick they left with him should not poison him. Pearce, by the Ras's invitation, and at his own desire, remained in the country; an excellent man for such a situation, for he knew about as much of physick as a barber-surgeon, and painted saints to the admiration of the priests. Besides these accomplishments, he is a man of good sense, and has the right feelings of a Briton. When the Ras told him he need be under no apprehension, for all the chiefs would treat him as a brother, and he would keep him always near his own person; he made answer that, being an Englishman, he never knew what fear was. The old chief was delighted at this reply, and said that old as he himself was, his heart was the same. Many Abyssinians, and some among them of considerable consequence, offered to accompany Mr. Salt to England; it is to be wished that it had been prudent in him to have brought over some. The Ras was much affected at parting from his English friends, and could

not speak when he took them by the hand.

This good old man is the son of Kefla Yasous, often mentioned by Bruce, whom we here find to have been one of the last and most unfortunate victims of Michael Suhul. That merciless barbarian, the ablest but the most ferocious of the Abyssinians, died at last like Sylla, to the disgrace of human nature, in peace, though dispossessed of his power. His family have been spared, they owe this and whatever they enjoy to the disapprobation which they had the virtue to express at the horrible execution of Kefla Yasous, and to the mild disposition of the present Ras. His power is considerably less than what Michael Suhul possessed, and he has lessened it for the sake of tranquillity, oftentimes remitting a portion of tribute to conciliate a chief. It is still very great; above 10,000 troops were assembled at the review of which Mr. Salt was a spectator; and it was said that more than double that number could be raised in time of war; but he has no authority at Gondar, for Ayto Gualoo, the present king, was set on the throne by his enemy Guxo, and the capital is in that chief's possession. Many revolutions have taken place in Abyssinia since Bruce left it. His friend Tecla Haimanout, was dethroned by Powussen, in curious conformity with the remarkable prediction which Bruce has recorded in his history of the Black Eagle; the present sovereign is his tenth successour! all have been deposed, and yet not one has either fallen in defending his crown, or been put to death by the opposite party. The old system of confining the prince of the blood is no longer continued; in fact all laws of succession are at an end; the king is only the puppet of the ruling chieftains, and the kingdom is in the worst state of anarchy.

Many persons remembered Bruce; some of them spoke of him with regret, and all of them agreed that he

had been in great favour with the king, the Iteghé, and Ozoro Esther; but they also uniformly asserted that no land or government had ever been given him, that he never held any command, nor was in any of the battles, at which he declares that he was present. It is said, also, that he neither understood Amharick or Tigre well, and was far from being a good Arabick scholar; this we cannot but doubt: for how could he compile his history of Abyssinia if he did not understand the chronicle which he brought home? That he was at the head of the Abyssinian Nile is admitted, but the whole history of his personal adventures, must be considered as so mingled with fiction, that even what may be true, must be thought doubtful. Fortunately the more important parts of his work are established by Mr. Salt; his history of the transactions which took place in his own time, is accurate, and it excited the utmost astonishment in the people to find the English so well acquainted with it. Every person confirmed the cha racter of Michael Suhul as he has described it.

Mr. Salt has annexed to his journal a dissertation on the history of Abyssinia. It is his opinion that the present race were originally refugees from Egypt, who conquered and mingled with the earlier possessors of their country; and this opinion is well supported. In the sixteenth century they must have sunk under the Mahomedan power, had not the Portuguese come to their assistance. The history of their transactions in this country has been ill written by Geddes, because he hated the Jesuits, and by Bruce, because he never looked into some of the Portuguese documents, especially the important work of Diego de Couto. Abyssinia was saved by these allies, and the improvements adopted from them have been the sole cause of the superiority which it still retains over the surrounding nations. But weakened, as they now are, by intes

tine wars, they cannot long hold out against the Galla, unless they receive the assistance of some more enlightened power. So great is this danger, and such the growing predominance of the Galla and Mahomedan tribes, that Mr. Salt says: "There is reason to fear that, in a short time, the very name of Christ may be lost among them. Some events have lately occurred likely to hasten their fall, namely, the death of their late Aboona, and the failure of their endeavours to procure ano ther from Egypt. Divisions among the priests have already ensued, the consequence of which is, that their most holy rites are likely to become objects of derision, from the slovenly manner in which they are performed: and the sacred character of the priesthood to fall into contempt, from the dubious authority by which the priests are now ordained to its duties. To this may be added, that the little learning they have among them will soon be exhausted, being cut off entirely from the source that supplied it. It appears to me that these circumstances call for the serious consideration of all Christians."

The direct communication be

tween Abyssinia and Europe, was closed in 1558, when Massowah, Dhalac, and Suakin, were conquered by the Turks. That communication lord Valentia considers as again opened by this visit of Mr. Salt. Its political consequences are greater than may immediately be perceived. In India, the French can obtain no footing while we preserve our present superiority; but if they establish themselves, as they are attempting to do in the Persian Gulf and in the Red Sea, this superiority will then indeed, be endangered. Let us not deceive ourselves; we are, indeed, a greater, as well as a better people, than the French. We have accomplished greater things with less means. In the field we shall always continue to beat them, unless the preponderance of numbers, on their

VOL. III.

D

part, be irresistible: and upon the seas, we laugh them to scorn; but they excel us in policy. They never begin a campaign without a perfect knowledge of the whole country in which it is to be carried on, and in forming their gigantick plans for the future, they bring to their aid full information of the past. Their treaty with Persia shows that it is their object to divert the trade of the east into its old channel. Ormuz has lain neglected for two centuries, since, in an evil hour, we assisted in taking it from the Portuguese to deliver it into the hands of a barbarian. Should the French succeed in establishing themselves there, or in any part of the gulf, wo to the trade of India. The same circumstances of rough weather and narrow seas, which have made us lords of the ocean, have taught maritime skill both there and in the Red Sea; and in both seas the French, through our imprudence, would find perilous allies. In the Persian Gulf we have submitted to have our merchant vessels plundered, and our cruisers insulted by the piratical states on its shores, especially by the Johesserm Arabs, whose coast extends from cape Mussendom to Bahrein. "Through the systematick forbearance of the Bombay government,” says lord Valentia, "they have risen to a great maritime power, and possess at least thirty five dows of different sizes, carrying from fifty to three hundred men each. They attack chiefly by boarding, stabbing with their crooked daggers every one who resists. The company's cruisers have positive orders to treat these pirates with civility, never to attack them, but only to act on the defensive. The consequence is, that they only look at the stronger vessels, but take every one that has not the power of resistance."

In the Red Sea the French have secured the Imaun of Sana, who hates the British name, and are securing the Wahabee, to whose growing strength we appear to be