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The Dey[11] continued my fast friend; he furnished me with all the necessary letters to his provinces. I told him I was going for some necessaries to Mahon. I should then go down the coast by Bona, to Tunis. I should then come back to Constantine and return again to Tunis by the foot of Mount Atlas.
He assured me of every mark of friendship and protection, which he kept through the whole course of the voyage.
The Ambassador, in the Phœnix, man-of-war, and I in a small Mahonese barque, sailed together from Algiers for Mahon.[12]
In the night we were overtaken by a violent storm of wind, which lasted all the next day, broke our mainsail yard, and did us other considerable damage. We saw no more of the Phœnix; she had held her wind, which though violent was fair, and arrived at Gibraltar.
I put into Quarantine Island in Mahon, and announced my arrival there and the reason of it to General Townshend, desiring it might be entered in some book, where the authentic evidence of day and date might be referred to. Every sort of politeness was shown me by that officer, who ordered immediately to give me pratique. Having nothing to do in Mahon, I refused it, and set sail for Tunis.
As the first portion of Bruce’s journey is not given in the order in which he made it, I subjoin the dates of the various stages, as nearly as they can be made out.
1765.
- About August 19, left Algiers.
- Middle of October, left Tunis for Medjez-el-Bab, Dougga, and Kef.
- November 5, left Kef.
- „ 6 to 9, Zanfour, Mukther.
- „ 10, Oulad Ayar.
- „ 11, Sbiba—Oulad Hassan.
- „ 12 to 14, Sbaitla.
- „ 15, six miles north of Sbaitla.
- „ 16, Zeghalma.
- „ 17, Djebel Hannech.
- „ 18, Mountains of Zeghalma.
- „ 19-20, Hydera.
- „ 21 to 23, Tebessa.
- „ 24, Mountains of Hannencha, fourteen miles from Tebessa.
- „ 25, Oulad Aissa at Bucowash.
- „ 26, passed Miskiana and ‘entered eastern province of Algiers.’
- „ 27, eight miles E. of Sidi Bou-geise.
- „ 28, Sigus.
- „ 29, Boo Marzook.
- „ 30, Constantine.
- December 2, five miles south of Constantine.
- „ 3, Ain Fisgeeah.
- „ 4, Tattubt.
- „ 5, encamped at Smala of the Bey, nine miles from Tattubt.
- „ 6, Zana.
- „ 7, Djebel Mustowa, seven miles from Zana.
- „ 8, The Medrassen.
- „ 9, 10, Tezzoute (Lambessa).
- „ 11, eight miles S.E. of Lambessa.
- „ 12, Timegad.
- „ 13, four miles from Baggai.
- „ 14, head of the Miskiana.
- „ 15, five miles from Ain Shabrou.
- „ 16, Tebessa.
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