598 |. TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 
duct them. Thefe were all to be thrown away, with other 
not lefs valuable papers, and, with my quadrant, telefcopes, 
and time-keeper, abandoned to the rude and ignorant hands 
of robbers, or to be buriedin the fands. Every memoran-- 
dum, every defcription, fketch, or obfervation fince I depart- 
ed from Badjoura and pafled the defert to Coffeir, till I 
reached the prefent fpot, were left in an undigefted heap, 
with our carrion-camels, at Saffieha, while there remained 
with me, in lieu of all my memoranda, but this mournful 
confideration, that I was now to maintain the reality of thefe 
my tedious perils, with thofe who either did, or might af- — 
fect, from malice and envy, todoubt my veracity upon my #- 
fe dixit alone, or abandon the reputation of the travels which 
I had made with fo much courage, labour, danger, and diffi- 
culty, and which had been confidered as defperate and im- 
practicable to accomplifh for more than 2000 years. 
I woutp be underftood not to mean by this, that my 
thoughts were at fuch a time in the leaft difturbed © ith 
any reflection on the paltry lies that might be propagated 
in malignant circles, which has each its idol, and who, meet- 
ing, as they fay, for the advancement of learning, employ 
themfelves in blafting the fame of thofe who mutt be al- 
lowed to have furpaffed them in every circumftance of in- 
trepidity, forethought, and fair atchievement. The cenfure 
of thefe lion-faced and chicken-hearted critics never entered 
as an ingredient in my forrows on that occafion in the fad- 
nefs of my heart; if 1 had not poffeffed a fhare of ipirit 
enough to defpife thefe, the fmalleft trouble that occurred 
in my travels muft have overcome a mind fo feebly armed. 
My forrows were of another kind, that! fhould, of. courfe, 
be deprived of a confiderable part of an offering I meant 
3 oH 
