Part 1

The Lives of Celebrated Travellers, Vol. II.

Harper’s Stereotype Edition.

THE

_LIVES_

OF

CELEBRATED TRAVELLERS.

BY

JAMES AUGUSTUS ST. JOHN.

Wand’ring from clime to clime, observant stray’d, Their manners noted and their states survey’d. POPE’S HOMER.

IN THREE VOLUMES.

VOL. II.

══════════════

NEW-YORK:

PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY J. & J. HARPER,

NO. 82 CLIFF-STREET,

AND SOLD BY THE PRINCIPAL BOOKSELLERS THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES.

1832.

_CONTENTS_.

_JOSEPH PITTON DE TOURNEFORT_.

Born 1656.—Died 1708.

Born at Aix—Education—Early passion for 7 botany—Philosophy of Descartes—Aversion for the study of theology—Travels in France—Spain—The Pyrenees—Taken for a robber—Publishes his first work—Commanded to travel in the East—Candia—Mount Ida—Constantinople—Black Sea—Erzeroom—Georgia—Returns to Smyrna—France—Death

_DR. THOMAS SHAW_.

Born 1692.—Died 1751.

Born at Kendal—Educated at Oxford—Appointed chaplain of 19 Algiers—Arrives in Africa—Environs of Algiers—Departs for Egypt—Alexandria—Cairo—Site of Memphis—Origin and destination of the Pyramids—Animals of Egypt—Dancing Serpents—Cannibals—Visit to Mount Sinai—Hospitality of the Arabs—Route of the Israelites—Is plundered by the Arabs—Curiosities of the desert—Waters of Marah—Returns to Egypt—Descends the Nile—Sails for Syria—Is taken prisoner and ransomed—Extraordinary ignis fatuus—Prodigious flights of storks—Waterspouts—Returns to Algiers—Arabs of Africa—Marries—Earthquakes—Visits the kingdom of Tunis—Ruins of Carthage—Lake of Tunis—City of Tunis—Roman ruins—Virgil’s Nympharum Domus—The Lesser Syrtis—Lake of Marks—Yellow-haired Kabyli—Natural history of Barbary—Locust clouds—Music—Eating of lions—Complexion of the Moors—Superstition—Returns to England—Dies

_FREDERIC HASSELQUIST_.

Born 1722.—Died 1752.

Born in Eastern Gothland—Studies at Upsal—Acquires the 52 friendship of Linnæus—Conceives the design of travelling in the East—Mode of raising travelling funds—Studies the oriental languages—Embarks at Stockholm—Arrives in the Grecian Archipelago—Harbour of Milo—Strange costume of the women—Island of Scio—State of medical science in the East—Smyrna—The Frank carnival—Dances—Beginning of Spring—Beautiful flowers and plants—Turkish cemetery—Excursion to Magnesia—Impregnation of figs—Sails for Egypt—Gardens of Alexandria—Asses of Egypt—Rosetta—Women hatching eggs—Politeness of the Turks—Circumcision feast—Voluptuousness—Serpent-charmers—The Pyramids—Vegetation of the desert—The lion ant—Impregnation of palm-trees—Soils of Palestine—Jerusalem—The Dead Sea—Apples of Sodom—The dudaim, or mandrakes—Silkworm—Cyprus—Dies at Smyrna

_LADY WORTLEY MONTAGUE_.

Born 1690.—Died 1762.

Born in Northamptonshire—Masculine education—Early 72 life—Friendship with Mrs. Wortley—Marriage—Violent love of fame—Accompanies her husband abroad—Holland—Germany—Ratisbon—Absurd quarrels of ambassadors—Descends the Danube—Vienna—Letters of Pope—Coarseness of language—Extravagant costume of the women—Beauty of the empress—Bohemia—Mountain scenery—Dangerous pass—Dresden—New mode of making love—Dwarfs—Taste of royalty for the deformed—Prince Eugene—Hungary—Field of battle—Belgrade—Becomes acquainted with a handsome bey—Servia—Visit to the baths of Sophia—Exquisite female beauty—Ruins of Justinian’s Church—Teeth-money—Adrianople—Pretended intrigues of Lady Mary with the sultan—Beautiful costume of the women—Intrigues—Homeric antiquities—History of inoculation—Enthusiastic admiration of beauty—lovely wife of the kihaya—Dancing girls—Enters a mosque—Singular dwelling—Constantinople—Village of Belgrade—Elysium—Greek slaves—Cosmetics—Balm of Mecca—The Dardanelles—Hero and Leander—Site of Troy—Coast of Africa—Carthage—Arrival in England—Pope—Love—Quarrels—Grows weary of pleasures—Removes to Italy—Remains abroad twenty-two years—Returns to England—Dies

_RICHARD POCOCKE_.

Born 1704.—Died 1765.

Born at Southampton—Education—Visits 101 France—Italy—Returns—Departs for the East—Original travellers—Ruins of Egypt—Alexandria—Egyptian landscape—Mohammedan saints—Cairo—District of Faioum—Lake Mœri—Origin of the fable of the Elysian Fields—The Labyrinth—Ascends the Nile—The Cataracts—Returns—Embarks for the Holy Land—Arab harem—Jerusalem—The Dead Sea—Northern Syria—Mesopotamia—Lebanon—Tripoli—Cyprus—Worship of Venus—Paphos—Amathusia—Crete—White Mountains—Mount Ida—Islands of the Archipelago—Asia Minor—Constantinople—Mount Athos—Vale of Tempé—Field of Pharsalia—Zeitoun—Tremendous earthquake—Thermopylæ—The Euripus—Bœotia—Attica—Returns to England—Dies

_JOHN BELL_.

Born 1690.—Died 1780.

Born at Antermony—Embarks for Petersburg—Sets out for 125 Persia—Descends the Volga—The Caspian—Falcons—Extraordinary incident— Shamakia—Tabriz—Koom—Kashan—Scorpions—Ispahan—Returns to Petersburg—Departs for China—Arrives at Kazan—Beehives—Fogs and frosts of Siberia—Asbestos—Tobolsk—Swedish prisoners—Game—Singular manuscripts—Ancient tombs or barrows—Curious antiquities—White hares—Sable hunters—The Baikal Lake—Mongolia—Great wall of China—Pekin—Character of the Chinese—Fine arts—Population—Imperial hunt—Departs from China—Returns to Petersburg—Journey to Derbend—And to Constantinople—Returns to Scotland—Dies

_JOHN LEDYARD_.

Born 1751.—Died 1788.

Born at Groton in North America—Early studies—Intends 163 becoming a missionary—Escapes from college to the woods—Returns—Again leaves college—Sails down the Connecticut alone in a canoe—Studies theology—Becomes a common sailor—Sails for Gibraltar—Enlists as a soldier—Is released—Returns to America—Sails for England—Arrives at Plymouth—Begs his way to London—Enters into the marine corps, and accompanies Captain Cook on his last voyage—The Cape—New-Holland—New-Zealand—Love adventure—Watteeoo—Tongataboo—Simple manners—Quarrels with the natives—Tahiti—Discovery of the Sandwich Islands—Nootka Sound—Behring’s Straits—Adventure on Onalaska—Return to the Sandwich Islands—Death of Cook—Returns to England—Sails for America—Leaves the English service—Sails for France—Stay at Paris—Proceeds to London—Disappointments—Undertakes a journey across Siberia—Sweden—Travels round the Gulf of Finland—Petersburg—Sets out for Siberia—Tobolsk—Irkutsk—Yakutsk—Is arrested—Returns to Europe—Engages to travel for the African Association—Sails to Egypt—Dies

_GEORGE FORSTER_.

Born 1750.—Died 1791.

Birth and parentage not exactly known—Enters the civil 198 service of the East India Company—Madras—Calcutta—Benares—Mythology of the Hindoos—Assumes the Mohammedan character—Sails up the Ganges—Crosses the southern ridge of the Himalaya—Arrives in Kashmere—Richness and beauty of the landscape—Lake—Gardens of the Shalimar Rose of Kashmere—Shawl manufacture—Imitations—Wool—Number manufactured—Departs from Kashmere—Crosses the Indus—Sleeps in a mosque, where the moollah endeavours to rob him—Afghan cavalry—Arrives at Pashawer—Intense heat—Joins a kafilah—Travels by night—Mountain torrent—Drowning of a lady—Kabul—Is seized by a fever—Recovers—Reassumes his character of Christian—Quickly repents this step—Insults and difficulties—Ghizni—Mahmood—Kandahar—Proceeds to Herat—Once more assumes the Mohammedan character—Joins a caravan—Enters Khorasan—Tremendous cold—Poetry supplies the place of food—A conjurer—Host of pilgrims—Descendant of Mohammed—Anecdote—Mazenderan—Caspian Sea—Baku—Astrakhan—Petersburg—Arrives in England—Returns to India—Dies

_JAMES BRUCE_.

Born 1730.—Died 1794.

Born at Kinnaird—Educated at Harrow—Wishes to become a 233 clergyman—Returns to Scotland—Becomes a sportsman—Studies the law—Marries—Loses his wife—Visits Spain and Portugal—Returns through Germany and Holland—Projects an expedition against Spain—Is appointed consul of Algiers—Travels in Italy—Arrives in Algiers—Disputes with the dey—Leaves Algiers—Visits Tunis and Tripoli—Is shipwrecked, and plundered by the Bedouins—Embarks at Bengazi for Caramania—Sails for Syria—Visits Palmyra—Embarks for Egypt—Cairo—Transactions with the bey—Anecdote—Ascends the Nile—The Ababde Arabs—The Tigrè chief—Assuan—Descends the Nile—Proceeds to Kosseir—Adventure among the Arabs—Visits the mountains of emeralds—Crosses the Red Sea to Jidda—Anecdote—Surveys the Red Sea—Arrives at Masuah—Is in extreme danger—Escapes, and enters Abyssinia—Crosses Mount Taranta—Arrives at Dixan—Slave trade—Rich scenery—Fair in the forest Adowa—Palace of Ras Michael—Ruins of Axum—Beautiful scenery—Live cow eating—Monks of Waldubba—Crosses Mount Lamalmon—Arrives at Gondar—The book of the prophet Enoch—Visits the queen-mother—Becomes a physician, and excites the jealousy of the monks—Has an interview with Ras Michael—Triumphal entry of the Ras into Gondar—Beautiful wife of the Ras—Is promoted to a high office at court—Shoots through a shield and a table with a piece of candle—Profligate manners of the Abyssinians—Is appointed governor of a district—Visits the great cataract of the Nile—Sets out to discover the source of the Nile—Is entertained by a rebel chief—Placed under the protection of the Gallas—Reaches the sources of the Nile—Returns to Gondar—Leaves Abyssinia—Traverses the deserts of Nubia—Reaches Assuan—Descends the Nile—Embarks for Marseilles—Arrives in England—Publishes his Travels—Dies

_JONAS HANWAY_.

Born 1712.—Died 1786.

Born at Portsmouth—Educated in London—Apprenticed to a 301 merchant at Lisbon—Conceives an unsuccessful passion—Renounces all ideas of marriage—Returns to England—Visits St. Petersburg—Appointed agent of the Russian company in Persia—Arrives at Lanjaron—Proceeds to Astrabad—Burning forest—Persian compliments—City of Astrabad taken and plundered—Loses all his merchandise—Sets out in company with a hajji and an escort—Deserted by his guides, and left at a fisherman’s hut—Embarks in a canoe—Arrives at Teschidezar—Presented with a horse by the shah’s officers—Arrives at Balfroosh—Sets out alone for the camp of Nadir Shah—Extraordinary privation—Dangers and difficulties—Reaches Lanjaron—Hospitably entertained by Captain Elton—Desolating effects of the shah’s tyranny—Arrives at the royal camp—His tent near the royal standard—Narrowly escapes being burnt to death—Petitions for restitution of his merchandise—Nadir detested by his followers—Magnificence of the imperial camp—Splendid equipments of his numerous army—Hanway obtains an order for restitution of his property—Sets out on his return to Astrabad—Beautiful scenery—Orange groves, &c.—Curse of despotism—Loses himself in a forest—Attacked by an enormous wolf—Deserted by his escort—Instances of ferocious cruelty—Receives an offer of payment in female slaves—Refuses the offer—Regains his property—Invests it in silks—Arrives at Moscow—Succeeds to considerable property in England—Settles at St. Petersburg—Establishes himself as a merchant there—Desire of visiting home awakened—Peter I.—Dry dock of Cronstadt—Returns to England—Resides in London—Compiles his travels—Visits the Continent—Opposes the naturalization of the Jews—Promotes the paving of the streets of London—Absurdity of the French invasion—Founds the Marine Society—Discourages tea-drinking—Founds the Magdalen Hospital—Ridicules the custom of _vails giving_—Ludicrous anecdotes of this subject—Prince Eugene—Scheme for bettering the condition of chimney-sweeps—Laughable story—Devil taking a holyday—Ridiculous anecdote connected with Hanway’s frontispieces—Death—Amiable character

_ANTONIO DE ULLOA_.

Born 1716.—Died 1795.

Born at Seville—Enters into the Spanish navy—Intrusted 320 with the conduct of an expedition for measuring a degree of the meridian near the equator—Sails from Cadiz—Arrives at Porto Bello—Rapid river Chagre—Magnificent landscape—Curious trees, fruits, birds, insects, &c.—Monkeys crossing a river—Arrives at Panama—Employs himself in making astronomical observations—Sails for Guayaquil—Received with distinguished politeness—Extraordinary sufferings from mosquitoes—Arrives at the foot of the Andes—Mamarumi, or “mother of stone”—Beautiful cascade—Dexterity of mules in descending the mountain slopes—Chimborazo—Arrives at Quito—Pillars of sand—Their fatal effects—Enormous caves—Singular effects of the moon on the waters within them—Ascends Pichincha—Interesting description of his encampment there—Extraordinary manner of living—Intense cold—Delightful serenity of those lofty regions—Storms and tempests beneath—Difficulty of respiration—Danger of being blown down the precipices—Fall of enormous fragments of rock—Violence of the wind—Snow-storms—Effects of the climate on the limbs—Conversation painful from the state of their lips—Curious effect of intense cold on ardent spirits—Deserted by his attendants—Becomes reconciled to the hardships of his situation—Proceeds with his astronomical observations—Recalled to Lima—War between England and Spain—Commissioned to put the city in a state of defence—Lord Anson the English admiral—Returns to Quito—Resumes his scientific pursuits—Recalled to the coast—Sack of Payta by the English fleet—Honoured with the command of a frigate—Arrival of reinforcements—Returns to Quito—Comet of 1744—Impatient to revisit Europe—Embarks at Callao—Attacked by two English privateers—Escapes—Sails for North America—Arrives at Louisburg—Compelled to surrender to the English—Humanity and politeness of Commodore Warren—Sails for England as a prisoner of war—Arrives at Portsmouth—Courtesy and generosity of Captain Brett—Pretender—Is received with distinguished hospitality and politeness by the Duke of Bedford, Lord Harrington, and the Commissioners for French and Spanish prisoners—Obtains his papers—Martin Folkes—Is elected a member of the Royal Society—Embarks for Lisbon—Arrives at Madrid—Flattering reception—Travels through Europe—Receives the command of the Indian fleet—Appointed Governor of Louisiana—Returns to Europe—Dies in the Island of Leon

_THE LIVES_

OF

CELEBRATED TRAVELLERS.

JOSEPH PITTON DE TOURNEFORT.

Born 1656.—Died 1708.

TOURNEFORT was born at Aix, in Provence, on the 5th of June, 1656. He received the first rudiments of his education at the Jesuits’ College of that city; where manifestations of his passion for botany, to the gratification of which he devoted the whole of his life, appeared at a very early age. As soon as he beheld plants, says Fontenelle, he felt himself a botanist. He desired to learn their names; he carefully observed their differences, and sometimes absented himself from his class in order to botanize in the country, preferring nature to the language of the ancient Romans, which at that time was regarded as the principal object of education. Like the majority of those who have distinguished themselves in any department of science or art, he was his own master, and in a very short time had made himself acquainted with the plants found in the environs of his native city.

For the philosophy then taught in the schools he had but little predilection. Being in search of nature, which was almost wholly banished from the prevailing systems, he considered himself fortunate in discovering accidentally among his father’s books, the works of Descartes, which appeared to contain the philosophy which he sought. He was not, however, permitted to enjoy this gratification openly; but his ardour and enthusiasm were apparently exactly proportioned to the mystery by which it was attended.

Tournefort, being designed by his father for the church, of course included theology in his studies, and even went so far as to enter into a seminary. But his natural inclinations prevailed. The fathers and the doctors of the Sorbonne were less attractive than the plants of the field; and when he should have been engaged with

Councils, classics, fathers, wits,

he stole away to the garden of an apothecary of Aix, who delighted in the same studies, and there pursued in secret the course he had chosen for himself. But the treasures of the apothecary’s garden were soon exhausted. It therefore soon became necessary to discover a wider field; and as botanists, like most other mortals, consider stolen joys the sweetest, he occasionally penetrated into forbidden grounds, and exposed himself to the suspicion of having less exalted views than those by which he was really actuated. In fact, being one day discovered in a garden by some peasants, he was taken for a robber, and narrowly escaped the fate of St. Stephen.

There is something in the circumstances under which the science of botany is studied, which has a tendency to confer upon it a kind of poetical charm. It is not a sedentary pursuit. It leads the student abroad among the most magnificent and beautiful scenery of the earth, in all seasons, but more particularly during those in which external nature is loveliest. That botany should be pursued with passion is, therefore, not at all surprising; but it is difficult to understand how the imagination should become enamoured of anatomy, which, instead of generating cheerful and enlivening images, dwells wholly upon decay and dissolution. Tournefort, however, associated this gloomy science with botany, and is said to have equally delighted in both.

The death of his father, which took place in 1677, delivered him from theology and the church. He was now entire master of his time; and, in order the more completely to gratify his inclinations, made a tour through the mountains of Dauphiny and Savoy, where he collected a great number of fine plants, which formed the nucleus of his herbarium. This journey increasing instead of gratifying his curiosity, and probably adding fresh vigour to his naturally robust frame, while it at the same time enhanced his gayety, was merely the prelude to others more adventurous and extensive. In 1769 he set out from Aix for Montpellier, where, besides improving himself in his anatomical and medical studies, he enjoyed all the advantages which the rich botanical garden created by Henry IV. could afford an enlightened botanist.

At Montpellier Tournefort remained nearly two years. He then undertook an excursion into Spain, where he made large accessions to his herbary; and after wandering for some time among the mountains of Catalonia, accompanied by several physicians and young medical students, he directed his footsteps towards the Pyrenees. Fontenelle, in speaking of this excursion of Tournefort, seems to be principally astonished at the intrepidity with which our traveller encountered, not the dangers, but the cookery of the Pyrenees, which, to the Rouen epicurean, appeared more terrible than precipices or robbers. He was quite aware, says he, that in these vast solitudes he should find no subsistence, except such as the most austere anchorets might have partaken, and that the wretched inhabitants from whom even this was to be obtained were not more numerous than the robbers who might deprive him of it. In fact, he was more than once attacked and plundered by Spanish outlaws; and the contrivance by which he succeeded on such occasions in concealing a small quantity of money is sufficiently ingenious. He thrust a number of reals into the coarse black bread which he carried about with him as his only food, and this the robbers considered so utterly worthless that, although by no means fastidious, they invariably relinquished it to the traveller with extreme contempt.

Tournefort, having thus overreached the dull-headed banditti of Spain, roamed about at leisure through the wild regions of the Pyrenees, climbing the most abrupt and apparently inaccessible pinnacles. New plants, however, were found at almost every step, and the pleasure derived from this circumstance, which none but a discoverer can conceive, amply compensated him for the fatigues and dangers he underwent. One day during this tour he narrowly escaped with his life: a miserable house, in which he had taken shelter, fell down upon him, and for two hours he lay buried under the ruins, but was at length dug out by the peasantry.

Towards the end of the year 1681 he returned through Montpellier to Aix, where he classed and arranged all the plants which he had collected in Provence, Languedoc, Dauphiny, Catalonia, the Alps, and the Pyrenees; and the pleasure afforded him by the sight of his collection was an ample reward for all the fatigue and danger which he experienced in procuring it.

Tournefort’s reputation now began to diffuse itself. M. Fagon, principal physician to the queen, a man who ardently desired to advance the interests of botany, learning his extraordinary merit, invited him to Paris in 1683; and on his arrival obtained for him the place of botanical professor in the Jardin des Plantes. This appointment, however, by no means restrained his passion for travelling; for, although botany was perhaps his principal object, the delight arising from visiting new scenes was strongly associated with the weaker and more tranquil gratification afforded by science. He therefore once more undertook a journey into Spain, and while in Andalusia, where the palm-tree abounds, endeavoured to penetrate the mysterious loves of the male and female of this celebrated tree, but his researches were unsuccessful. He proceeded next into Portugal, from whence, when the object of his journey had been accomplished, he returned to France.