JOSEPH PITTON DE TOURNEFORT.

Born 1656.—Died 1708.

Born at Aix—Education—Early passion for botany—Philosophy of Descartes—Aversion for the study of theology—Travels in France—Spain—The Pyrenees—Taken for a robber—Publishes his first work—Commanded to travel in the East—Candia—Mount Ida—Constantinople—Black Sea—Erzeroom—Georgia—Returns to Smyrna—France—Death[7]

DR. THOMAS SHAW.

Born 1692.—Died 1751.

Born at Kendal—Educated at Oxford—Appointed chaplain of Algiers—Arrives in Africa—Environs of Algiers—Departs for Egypt—Alexandria—Cairo—Site of Memphis—Origin and destination of the Pyramids—Animals of Egypt—Dancing Serpents—Cannibals—Visit to Mount Sinai—Hospitality of the Arabs—Route of the Israelites—Is plundered by the Arabs—Curiosities of the desert—Waters of Marah—Returns to Egypt—Descends the Nile—Sails for Syria—Is taken prisoner and ransomed—Extraordinary ignis fatuus—Prodigious flights of storks—Waterspouts—Returns to Algiers—Arabs of Africa—Marries—Earthquakes—Visits the kingdom of Tunis—Ruins of Carthage—Lake of Tunis—City of Tunis—Roman ruins—Virgil’s Nympharum Domus—The Lesser Syrtis—Lake of Marks—Yellow-haired Kabyli—Natural history of Barbary—Locust clouds—Music—Eating of lions—Complexion of the Moors—Superstition—Returns to England—Dies[19]

FREDERIC HASSELQUIST.

Born 1722.—Died 1752.

Born in Eastern Gothland—Studies at Upsal—Acquires the friendship of Linnæus—Conceives the design of travelling in the East—Mode of raising travelling funds—Studies the oriental languages—Embarks at Stockholm—Arrives in the Grecian Archipelago—Harbour of Milo—Strange costume of the women—Island of Scio—State of medical science in the East—Smyrna—The Frank carnival—Dances—Beginning of Spring—Beautiful flowers and plants—Turkish cemetery—Excursion to Magnesia—Impregnation of figs—Sails for Egypt—Gardens of Alexandria—Asses of Egypt—Rosetta—Women hatching eggs—Politeness of the Turks—Circumcision feast—Voluptuousness—Serpent-charmers—The Pyramids—Vegetation of the desert—The lion ant—Impregnation of palm-trees—Soils of Palestine—Jerusalem—The Dead Sea—Apples of Sodom—The dudaim, or mandrakes—Silkworm—Cyprus—Dies at Smyrna[52]

LADY WORTLEY MONTAGUE.