Africa.- Bruce (James, of Kinnaird, traveller in Africa, 1730-94) Autograph letter, signed, to an unknown recipient, but probably Joseph Banks, 2pp., 240 x 192mm, Kinnaird, 12th December, 1777, discussing the botany of Egypt and Nubia, "I inclose you a letter to my friend Mr La Trobe who is in possession of the Nubian seeds I wrote you of from Aegypt. I call them Nubian because I found most of them in Abyssinia & Nubia where certainly they never were brought from Aegypt", lightly browned, some light foxing at edges.

⁂ Bruce was the first European to visit Abyssinia in 150 years, arriving at the capital in 1770. In the letter he rejects the claim that Egypt was once under water and therefore had no indigenous plants: "I am convinced it never more than Britain was coverd with Sea, & if, as it is certainly true, no plants are found in Aeygpt but what may from their places found be supposed to have been introduced there are scarce any plants can grow in such a climate where being for many months dried to pulverization they are three month entirely coverd with water'. He goes on 'I shall send you the bird by my ship master ... kindest Compts. to Mr Solander. If you please to wrap up the drawing of the Brucia (Wooginous) carefully...". The Swede Daniel Solander accompanied Banks on James Cook's first voyage to the Pacific, aboard Endeavour and also helped Banks with his Florilegium.