James Bruce

James Bruce 1730-94, Scottish explorer in Africa. He explored Roman ruins in N Africa (1755) from Tunis to Tripoli and visited Crete, Rhodes, and Asia Minor. In 1768 he traveled down the Red Sea as far as the straits of Bab el Mandeb. From Massawa he struck inland for Gondar, then the capital of Ethiopia. He rediscovered (1770) the source of the Blue Nile, which he followed (1771) to its confluence with the White Nile. He wrote Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile, 1768-73 (3d ed. 1813). For his travels in Barbary, see R. L. Playfair, Travels in the Footsteps of Bruce (1877).

Bibliography: See biography by J. M. Reid (1968).

Bruce, James (1730–94). British explorer. Bruce established his claim to fame by revealing to the western world that the Blue Nile had its source in Lake Tana, in Abyssinia (Ethiopia). From Cairo in 1768 he travelled upstream as far as Aswan continuing his journey to Lake Tana, which he reached in November 1770. After a perilous homeward journey he reached England in 1774, only to encounter serious doubts about the truth of his discoveries. His claims were vindicated by later travellers.

Bruce, James (1730–94). British explorer. Bruce established his claim to fame by revealing to the western world that the Blue Nile had its source in Lake Tana, in Abyssinia (Ethiopia). As British consul in Algiers from 1763 he became interested in the antiquities of north Africa and travelled extensively around the Mediterranean. From Cairo in 1768 he set out to discover the source of the Nile, travelling upstream as far as Aswan. From there he struck eastward to the Red Sea and then inland again to Gondar. Although the country was troubled by political disturbances, he continued his journey to Lake Tana which he reached in November 1770. After a perilous homeward journey he reached England in 1774, only to encounter serious doubts about the validity of his discoveries. His claims were vindicated by later travellers.

Kenneth Ingham