MEMOIR OF BRUCE. 63 



gani, annoyed him so grievously, that he almost 

 resolved to abandon the object of his journey, and 

 ask permission to return by Tigre. 



The marvellous boast about the tallow candle 

 had excited the king's curiosity so far, that he pro- 

 fessed himself incredulous of the result until he 

 should see the experiment tried. Bruce, who had 

 no doubt of convincing his majesty, ordered three 

 strong buffalo hides to be suspended against a post 

 close in contact behind each other; and having put 

 one half of a farthing candle into his loaded musket, 

 he discharged the contents through all the shields 

 with such violence, that the tallow was dashed into 

 a thousand pieces against a stone wall, some dis- 

 tance beyond the targets. Shouts of applause from 

 the crowd followed this exploit, which were re- 

 doubled when they saw the other half of the candle 

 fired through a table of sycamore. The priests, 

 who were his great enemies, alleged the whole was 

 done by magic ; but on the king's mind it made 

 the most favourable and lasting impression, so that 

 ever after he treated Bruce with the most decisive 

 marks of confidence and friendship. This simple 

 feat, which every school-boy can perform, raised 

 Bruce into notice, and was long remembered in that 

 country, where the story was told to the English 

 traveller, Henry Salt, forty years afterwards. 



As a more substantial token of court favour, 

 Bruce was created governor of Ras el Feel, a western 

 district adjoining the frontier of Sennaar. 



Meanwhile^ the rebel Fasil no sooner heard f 



