32 MEMOIR OF BRUCE. 



of medicines, which afterwards served as a valuable 

 passport in all the countries which he visited. 



No sooner was he relieved from his tedious resi- 

 dence of two years and a quarter at Algiers, than 

 he prepared for his departure ; and accordingly, he 

 sailed on the 25th of August, 17&>> for Tunis and 

 Tripoli, heing furnished with recommendatory letters 

 from the Dey to the Bey of both these regencies. 

 Proceeding along the coast, he visited Bona, the 

 ancient Aphrodisium ; on anchoring at Biserta, he 

 paid a visit to Utica, not so much (as he says) in 

 the expectation of finding any thing remarkable, as 

 out of respect to the memory of Cato. He found 

 the city a heap of rubbish, but the trenches and 

 approaches of the ancient besiegers were still tolera- 

 bly perfect. After doubling Cape Carthage, and 

 rowing along the bay, he saw several buildings and 

 columns still standing under water, by which it 

 appears that Old Carthage had owed part of its 

 destruction to the sea ; and hence may be inferred 

 the absurdity of any attempt to represent the site of 

 that renowned city on paper. 



The inhabitants of Tunis he found to be more 

 civilized than the Algerines, and living under a 

 milder government. Having delivered his letters to , 

 the Bey, he obtained permission to visit the country 

 in any direction he might please ; and about the 

 middle of September, he made an excursion into 

 the interior, accompanied by his draughtsman, ten 

 servants, and a small escort of foot soldiers. From 



