AFRICAN EXPLORERS OF TEE EIGETEENTE CENTURY. 95 
Cassange in West Africa to the Zambesi; ancl afterwards, 
in 1831-32, by an expedition in the opposite direction 
under Monteiro and Gamitto. This was all we knew of 
this part of Africa till Livingstone crossed the continent. 
True, the Portuguese have recently been telling us of 
other expeditions which in past years have crossed 
Africa from East to West and vice versa ; but of these it 
is difficult to get authentic details, and their contribu¬ 
tions to the geography of Central Africa are of in¬ 
significant value. 
It may be stated that the native king collected 
Lacerda’s notes and journals, and ordered them to be 
sent with his remains to Mozambique. But unfor¬ 
tunately the caravan entrusted with these precious 
memorials was attacked, and the remains of the unfor¬ 
tunate Lacerda were left in the heart of Africa. His 
notes were brought to Europe by a nephew, who had 
accompanied the expedition. 
We now come to the account of the expeditions 
undertaken in the east of Africa, foremost amongst 
which is that of the well-known traveller Bruce. A 
Scotchman by birth, like so many other African ex¬ 
plorers, James Bruce was brought up for the bar ; but 
the sedentary nature of his occupation had little charm 
for him, and he embraced an opportunity of entering- 
commercial life. His wife died a few years after their 
marriage, and Bruce started for Spain, where he em¬ 
ployed his leisure in studying Arabic monuments. He 
wished to publish a detailed account of those in the 
Escurial, but the Spanish Government refused him the 
necessary permission. 
Returning to England, Bruce began to study Eastern 
languages, and more especially the Ethiopian, which 
at that time was known only through the imperfect 
works of Ludolf. One day Lord Halifax half jestingly 
proposed to him an exploration of the sources of the 
Nile. Bruce entered enthusiastically into the subject, 
and set to work to realise it. He overcame every ob¬ 
jection, conquered every difficulty, and in June, 1768, 
left England for the shores of the Mediterranean. Bruce 
