400 ROSETTA. 
led to a conversation respecting that traveller. He said, that he 
had known him well, while on his way to the Red Sea ; that he had 
accompanied him in his canja to Cairo, and had been constantly 
with him during his residence there ; that he had therefore begun 
to read his book as soon as he received it, but had never finished 
it, from finding so many mis-statements respecting Ali Bey, all the 
adventures with whom were, to his knowledge, romances. " You 
may know," said he, " that Bruce never saw Ali Bey, by the descrip- 
tion he gives of the diamonds in his turban : every one will inform 
you, that no Mameluke ever wore any jewels there ; it is contrary to 
their custom." Rosetti was in Italy when Bruce returned, and saw 
him, as he says, at Venice. He and another gentleman were shewn 
the drawings made in Egypt and Abyssinia; but the latter observed 
that they were in the Italian manner, which so extremely oiBfended 
Bruce, that he refused to exhibit any more. I expressed to him my 
regret that he had not himself given us an account of Ali Bey, and 
the revolutions which had since taken place, a task which no one 
was so competent to execute. He replied, that he had once begun a 
work of that sort, but that his partner had committed it to the 
flames in a time of tumult, fearful that his enemies might seize it, 
and use it as an instrument to injure him with the Beys. He said he 
was now too old to begin it again ; but at my request promised 
that he would mark in Savary, Volney, and the other authors who 
had written on Egypt, what was true, and what was false. 
March 14. — I had the pleasure in the morning of hearing from 
my friend Captain Court, that the Pacha's letter had had a very 
beneficial effect on the Dola of Suez, who expressed the greatest 
anxiety to comply with his Highnesses orders ; in consequence of 
