bably, owes that it is now submitted to his view. To the friendship of Mr. Braithwaite of the Post-Office, he may place this, and other material helps he has experienced in the course of publication. But he should ask these gentlemen's forgiveness, for involving them in a question, where their names are used less to their advantage than to that of the author.

It behoves him to say a word or two on the head of the Plates. His knowledge of drawing is so confined, that more than a sketch of the places through which he passed, exceeded the author's art. The antiquities of Egypt have given employment to the pencils of a Norden and a Pococke, and were not to be expected from the title of these travels. But drawings of particular scenes, in which he was engaged, and representations of the singular customs of the country, would have brought them forward to the reader's eye. He must ever lament the deficiency of his work in this respect : but he is happy at the same time to ob-, serve, that there is a remedy at hand, for those who delight in novel pictures. The reputation of Mr. Dalton, his Majesty's antiquarian, was established by the work which he produced in 1752, consisting of plates of various antiquities in Greece and Egypt. The connoisseurs, therefore, are not likely to be difappointed in the Supplement to that work, which Mr.

b

Dalton

Dalton is about to publish. The designs which 'relate to Egypt, obtained as they must have been withi great difficulty, and executed as they are with great spirit, will prove such an elucidation to his labors, that the author must beg Mr. Dalton's pardon, if he presumes to recommend those designs to the reader, which are fo peculiarly adapted to this work, that nothing but its unworthiness should divide them from each other.

He has but one thing more to add, which concerns the companions of his travels. To the two gentlemen who accompanied him to Europe, he trusts an apology is needless, as they will readily acquit him of a design to pay any but a proper tribute to their characters. By the other person, whom the hand of mischance separated from their company, he would wish to be understood. The circumstances which produced that separation should have been buried in oblivion, had not a regard for his own honor obliged the author to place the intentions of his companions and himself in their true light. The narrative of that affair—as it appears in this work-- was signed by Major Henry Alexander, Mr. Anthony Hammond, and the author, and transmitted to India at the time. The paper may have miscarried, but the parties are alive to testify the fact. All that delicacy and humanity could fug

gest,

geft, has been observed on the occasion. The name of the unhappy person is suppressed, and self-vindication alone could have induced him to revive a subject, which more nearly affected the author and his companions, than all their subsequent misfortunes !

To conclude. Were books, any more than men, to be judged only by their good intentions were no regard to be paid to the figure which they make in the world--this work would have a better chance to maintain its ground. But as there are other points to be considered ; as truth can only be rendered efficacious in an amiable dress, and as the justest descriptions must be disgraced by inelegant language, the author cannot diveft himself of certain fenfations, which muft disturb the firmeft mind, on the eve of committing its thoughts to the discussion of the public.

C O N T E N T S.

L E T T E R I. Page 1.
ADDRESS—The author pursues his voyage from Madras to Suez

:--Tedious pasage across the Indian ocean-Makes the island of
Socotra, Cape Guardafoy, the Arabian sbore-Enters the Red-fea by
the straits of Babelmandel - Hard gale— Arrival in Mocha road
Occurrences at that city-Embarks again-Contrary winds—The
vesel driven by currents on the Arabian coast-In imminent danger
of being wrecked among the shoals and breakers--Obliged to put into
the port of Yambo for a pilot

-The author, &c. feduced ashore,
and made prisoners by the vizier of that place --Incidents during
their confinement—The craft and villainy of the Arabs apparent in
their attempts to poless themselves of the vessel-Stratagem for that
purpose-Its success—The vesel brought into the barbor, and the
author, &c. return aboard under a guard, until an answer is received
from the Xerif of Mecca, touching their destiny- A description of

the town and environs of Yambo-Interviews with the vizier-In-
sances of bis duplicity and pride-Various disappointments in the
bope of a speedy answer-The shawbunder of Judda at length ar-
rives, charged with powers from the Xerif, to dispose of the vessel
and crew—Negociations on that bead-The vessel is carried to Yud-
da, under charge of an Arabian pilot, and the author and his fellow -
travellers are allowed to proceed— Presents to the vizier on this oc-
cafion—Egregiously imposed upon by this minister in the hire of a vej-
fel-They embark on an open boat for Suez.

Journal

ο ο Ν Τ Ε Ν Τ S.

xiii Journal of the boat Imposition-Detained by contrary winds at the

mouth of the harbor — Alarm at the sudden disappearance of one of the author's fellow-travellers and the interpreter-They are sent back to the boat by the vizier-The boat fails to the northward, and puts into a bay on the coast-Encounters two barks bound to the southward-Unhappy symptoms of a disordered mind appear in the gentleman who abfconded-He awakens the apprehenfons of the Arabs, who infft on his quitting the boat, and returning on one of the barks to Judda—The absolute necesity of complying with this requistionThe distress of the author and his companions on this mel.incholy occafion—The boat fails again-Difficulties of this extraordinary navigation-Touches at several islands on the Arabian coast–Tedious passage to the gulf of Akaba-Strange instance of the notion of the dominion of evil spirits-Makes the shore adjacent to Mount SinaiCape Mahomet --Enters the gulf of Sueze-The boat is run over to the Egyptian pare in the nigbt, and instead of Suez, by the treachery of the Arabs, is carried to Cofire, a port of Upper Egypt, near four degrees to the southward of Suez-The vexation of the author and his companions-Concluson.

L E T T FR II.

Page 119. ADDRES S-- The author, &c. land at Cofire—Their reception

and accommodation there—Occurrences at that place. The demands of the government for its protection of our travellers_Unaccountable behavior of the Arab Maik_They set out with the caravan for Ghinnah on the Nile, under the care of the shaik's fonPart with the caravan- Alarm-Inconveniency of this made of travelling—Intense heat of the fun—They replenis.) their skins at some Springs—Pursue their way, and experience extreme distress from thirst, beat, and fatigue-Relieved by their arrival at the NileSurprized at being carried to Banute instead of Ghinnah-RemonArate with the young Naik, who confents to take them to that city,

Set