as he was about to enter upon this perilous undertaking. He had, however, previously spent many years in travelling through Nubia, Syria, and Egypt, and saw many singular scenes, and met with many singular adven tures. 66 'John Lewis Burckhardt was born at Lausanne, in Switzerland, in the year 1784. He came to England in 1806, and being provided with a letter of introduction to Sir Joseph Banks, who you will recollect was the means of introducing both Ledyard and Park to the African Association, he soon imbibed so much of this distinguished man's ardour that he offered his services to the Association, and was accepted. "He accordingly began diligently to study the Arabic language; and as it was thought he would be more likely to proceed undisturbed by the Moors, from whom you will recollect most of Park's sufferings proceeded, if he travelled disguised as a native of the East, the Association instructed him first to proceed to Syria, where he was to remain two years, for the purpose of completing his Arabic studies, and to acquire oriental habits and manners sufficient to make him pass unsuspected by the Moors. He was then to proceed to Cairo, to join one of the caravans which leave that town for Mourzuk, and thus to proceed into the interior of Africa. "Burckhardt sailed from England early in 1809, and arrived at Malta in safety. Here he equipped himself entirely in the style of an oriental, assuming the character of an Indian Mohammedan merchant, and sailed for Acre, whence he hoped to be able to reach Tripoli, in Syria, or Latakia. After being twice duped by the captains of the little trading vessels with whom he engaged a passage, by their telling him, when he was fairly embarked, that they were not going to the place which they had represented, he reached the coast of Syria, at Suedieh. Having bargained with of the muleteers for the transport of himself and his baggage to Aleppo, he was beginning to load the mules, when he received a message from the aga, or Turkish governor of the place, requesting to see him. Our traveller found this dignitary smoking his pipe in a miserable room, and pulling off his slippers, he sat down before him. After having partaken of a cup coffee, Burckhardt asked his highness what he wanted. The aga answered by making a sign with his thumb and forefinger, like a person counting money, at the same time inquiring particularly what was contained in the chests of which our traveller's baggage was composed. Burckhardt, who had among them several packets for the British consul at Aleppo, told him that he did not know, but that he thought there was a sort of Frank or European drink (beer) and some eatables, which he had brought from Malta for the consul. Not to be thus eluded, the aga sent one of his people to examine the contents. The messenger tasted |