Today in 1770 the adventurer James Bruce reportedly discovered the source of the Nile in north-west Ethiopia. Bruce travelled extensively through north Africa in search of the rivers source, even becoming a respected friend of the Abyssinian royal family, and in 1790 he published a lengthy account of his travels. Due to a self-confidence bordering on arrogance he made many enemies, notably Samuel Johnson, who criticised his writings and cast doubt on their veracity. Very little was known about Africa at the time, and this lent credence to the claims that Bruce had embellished his account. Although he turned out to be mistaken about the source of the Nile, the descriptions of his travels in Africa have since proven largely accurate.
Posted on: Thu, 14 Nov 2013 08:07:57 +0000
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