^78 
PROCEEDINGS IN ENGLAND. 
one end of Habesh to the other without meeting an enemy, as may 
be easily supposed, for a cannon has not been seen there since the 
time of the Portuguese ; and the sound alone would terrify a race 
of people, who have never heard a louder explosion than that of a 
matchlock. That the connection with England may tend to tran- 
quillize Abyssinia, and restore it to its former independence, is the 
wish nearest my heart, and that such a result is now likely to take 
place seems extremely probable. The communication being once 
opened, I trust that it will never be closed by the baneful spirit of 
monopoly, and that the interests of individuals will not be per- 
mitted to interfere with the truly British objects of greatly in- 
creasing our foreign trade, and at the same time benefiting, in 
every point of view, an amiable, oppressed, and, what ought to 
have still greater weight, a Christian country. Mr. Salt departed 
for Abyssinia the end of February 1809. 
I have annexed to my Chart of the Red Sea, a map of that part 
of Abyssinia, through which Mr. Salt travelled, as laid down by 
himself, chiefly from the daily observations of the bearings of his 
journey. I have also felt it my duty to mark the track of Mr. Bruce, 
as given by himself. The very great difference between the two, re- 
quires that I should state to the public some circumstances, which 
may enable them to judge of the credit safely to be given to the 
observations of Mr. Salt. Fortunately for him, Taranta, which lies 
close to Dixan, is visible from Massowah. The bearings of it were fre- 
quently taken by Captain Court, and perfectly confirmed the im- 
portant fact, that it lay nearly due south from that place. This 
being so, it is impossible that Dixan should be where Mr. Bruce 
has placed it; indeed his own journal is as irreconcileable with his 
