MODERN times have called forth the energies of man in various departments of useful knowledge. While some men have turned their attention to the discovery and application of material forces, and others have extended our manufacturing and commercial interests, there has not been wanting men of the Columbus type, who have gone forth to explore the unknown regions of earth.

First among these we shall mention Bruce, the Abyssinian traveller, who spent so much of his life in seeking for the source of the Nile.

The Nile is celebrated alike for its magnitude and inexhaustible fertility, as well as for those interesting associations of antiquity which are inseparably associated with it. The discovery of its real source was an object of intense curiosity to the ancients, as it still remains to the travellers and geographers of modern days. This unknown source this singular mystery of origin-may have impressed, more than any other circumstance, upon the minds of the ancient Egyptians, the idea that the Nile was an incarnate god-a stream to which divine honour should be paid.

James Bruce, descended from a younger son of the famous Robert Bruce, the Scottish hero, was born on the 14th of December, 1730. He was educated at Harrow, and applied himself to the study of the law, for which, however, he contracted a dislike, and determined to push his fortune in the East Indies. Of his marriage with Miss Allan, nothing need be said beyond the fact that it was one of mutual affection, and that her early death overwhelmed her husband with grief-grief from which he experienced no relief but in study and travel.

Through Spain, through Portugal, he travelled, noting the remains of Saracen art, listening to the strange stories of fierce war and faithful love which belong to the desolate palaces of the Caliphs. He acquired the languages of the Spaniards and the Portuguese, imbued his mind with Arabic literature, sought for ancient manuscripts in the monastic houses wherever monastic liberality permitted of his doing so; finally he determined on a journey of discovery to the far East-to visit the coast of Barbary, to find out the source of the Nile. Memoranda of the project were laid before the King, and Mr. Bruce was appointed to a consulship at Algiers. He arrived at Algiers on the 15th of March, 1762.

More than a year was spent at Algiers in converse with the natives and in preparing for the journey. Bruce then proceeded to Mahur, and from Mahur to Carthage. He next visited Tunis and Tripoli, and travelled over the interior part of these states. At Bengazi he was shipwrecked, lost all his luggage, and almost lost his life, but

he lost nothing of his courage. He thence proceeded to Syria and Palestine, surveyed the famous ruins of Palmyra and Baalbec; lastly he prepared for his grand expedition, the accomplishment of which had ever been nearest his heart, namely, the discovery of the supposed source of the Nile.

In the prosecution of this design he left Sidon on the 15th of June, 1768, and proceeded to Alexandria; from thence to Cairo, thence sailing up the Nile as far as Kennè. From Kennè he proceeded across the desert, and arrived at Jissu. In this locality he remained for some time, but was at length permitted to pursue his journey, and on the 15th of February, 1770, reached Gendar, capital of Abyssinia. Towards the end of October he set out for the sources of Bahr-el-Azrek, then incorrectly supposed to be the principal branch of the Nile. He reached this spot on the 14th of November.

After having remained ten years in Abyssinia, Mr. Bruce became desirous of leaving it; but this he found a still more difficult matter than getting into it, for he had become of importance to the king, who was resolved not to part with him. One day, when the king was in more than ordinary good humour, he told Mr. Bruce that he would grant him anything that he should ask. Mr. Bruce seized the favourable opportunity, and told the king, that as he did not keep his health in that climate, he would be glad to return to his native country.

The king seemed astonished at the request, and was at first in a furious rage; but recollecting himself, he, for his oath's sake, like Herod of old, determined to give up his own inclination. Mr. Bruce had by this time collected a good number of drawings, and a number of Abyssinian MSS. Having packed up his books and papers, and provided camels and servants to attend him on his journey, he departed from the capital of Abyssinia, giving out that he was to travel back to Egypt the way he came; but being justly apprehensive that the king would change his mind after he was gone, and, indeed, having received intelligence that there was a design to seize him, and bring him back, he took quite a different course. Instead of

travelling a great way in Abyssinia, he struck off directly for the deserts of Nubia; after getting to which, it was easy to escape from the King of Abyssinia's dominions. He had a dreadful journey during thirty days, through sandy deserts, &c., scorched with the intense heat of a glowing sun, and swept by winds of so pestiferous a quality, as to kill both man and beast, if their lungs are assailed by

the noxious blast.

In the course of his journey, Mr. Bruce lost all his attendants, and all his camels, except one man. During the whole peregrination, they did not meet with any wandering tribe. Mr. Bruce and his remaining attendant, being unable to carry the baggage, and reduced to an almost desperate state, he left his curiosities in the desert, and with his faithful attendant walked on, they knew not whither, only keeping towards the west, and hoping that they should fall in with some inhabited place.

His shoes very soon went to pieces, and he was then obliged to struggle along upon his naked feet, through burning sands and over rocky places, until his feet were prodigiously swelled, blistered, and lacerated. At the termination of ten days, they reached the city of Siana, in the dominion of the Grand Signior. There the Aga, or the officer of the Janisaries, treated them with a good deal of humanity, although he often reproached Bruce very roughly, on account of his being an infidel. Bruce begged that he might have camels and attendants, to go with him into the desert, that he might recover his books and papers. Of what value are any books and papers that you can have, you infidel ?" cried the Aga. Bruce then told him, that he had several receipts for curing diseases, among his papers, which it was a pity should be lost. The Aga was interested by this, and allowed him camels and attendants. With these he set off; and as fortunately no wanderers had been at the place, he found his baggage just where he left it. He went and came in the space of four days upon a camel, that journey which had cost him eight days to come upon foot, when worn out with distress and fatigue.

After a long absence he returned to England, where he

was thought to be dead, and published a narrative of his travels. His researches added much to our knowledge of Abyssinia, but he did not discover that of which he went in search-the source of the Nile.

Perhaps no man could have been better qualified for the work which he had undertaken than James Bruce. He was above six feet in height, possessed of remarkable strength, excelled in all personal accomplishments, trained to exercise and fatigue of every kind a good horseman ; an excellent shot, a first-rate pedestrian and swimmervigorous in body and in mind-he endured without any injurious result, what must have been fatal to most menhe possessed what all intrepid men require, an iron body and an iron will.

We shall next notice that gallant seaman, and successful discoverer, Captain Cook.

Among modern discoverers, Captain Cook occupies a prominent place. He was born on the 27th of October 1728, at Martin, a village in the North Riding of Yorkshire. He acquired at a common school the rudiments of learning, reading and arithmetic; and at thirteen was bound 'prentice to a shopkeeper at Starthy.

Starthy, as most people know, is a fishing village, and there Cook fell in love with the sea. And so he quitted shopkeeping for ship sailing, and led this rough life for seven years-with all the accessories of hard fare and ropes-ending—the life of a 'prentice on board a collier brig. When he was out of his time, he shipped as a common sailor, still in the coal trade, and in course of time rose to the dignity of mate-to the cuffing and ropes-ending of aspiring 'prentices of another generation.

Now, in these days, hostilities were being carried on between France and England; and England wanted men to serve ashipboard. In these days also, press gangs were common, and men were snapped up, carried off, put aboard the tender a ship appointed for the reception of new sailors-told they must serve his most gracious majesty the king, whether he felt disposed or not, and generally, as a first lesson in the business of a sea-faring life, were stripped tied up to the gratings and soundly flogged with