elty so perfectly inexcusable in his whole conduct towards this young man, who very materially assisted him in his researches, that it can admit of no apology.[1]
In March, 1770, (vide Vol. IV. p. 430-1,) Mr. Bruce remarks, "I more than twenty times resolved to return by Tigré, to which I was the more inclined by the loss of a young man (Balugani) who accompanied me, when a dysentery, which had attacked him in Arabia Felix, put an end to his life at Gondar. A considerable disturbance was apprehended from burying him in a churchyard: Abba Salama used his utmost endeavours to raise the populace and take him out of his grave; but some exertions of the Ras quieted both Abba Salama and the tumult." These events, told with such apparently minute and circumstantial fidelity, are by the evidence of Mr. Bruce's own papers completely disproved; for it appears, that Signor Balugani did not die at the period stated; but that he lived to accompany Mr. Bruce up to the sources of the Nile, and was alive on the 14th of February, 1771.
The proofs of this are as follows: first, that a regular journal of transactions, in the Italian language, kept by Signor Balugani, was found among Mr. Bruce's papers, copious extracts from which are given in the last edition;[2] secondly, that a letter in Italian, in Sig. Balugani's hand writing, was found among Mr. Bruce's papers, written by him after their return to Gondar, addressed to an Italian nobleman;[3] and thirdly, that there is an entry in the weather-journal, in Sig. Balugani's hand writing, so late as February 14, 1771;[4] whence Mr. Murray, editor of the last edition of Mr. Bruce's work, infers, "that he died a few days afterwards."[5]
This very extraordinary anachronism respecting Signor Balugani's death, might, possibly, be thought to pro-
- ↑ Mr. Bruce mentions Sig. Balugani only three times in his work: the first is in the preface, where he slightly notices his being engaged; the second is in Vol. IV. p. 431, where he antedates his death, and the third is in Vol. VII. p. 248, where he makes some additional remarks respecting him, and again mentions his death.
- ↑ Vide Vol. V. p. 438.
- ↑ Vide Vol. I, p. ccciii.
- ↑ Vide Vol. VI. p. 51.
- ↑ Vide Vol. VII. p. 50.
