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the bar of Benin River. Here he went on board the brig Castor, lying at Bobee, and remained the welcome guest of Mr. Fell, the supercargo of that vessel, until Mr. Houtson, an English merchant, to whom Mr. Belzoni had letters of introduction, had settled some urgent commercial affairs; availing himself, however, of an opportunity in the interim of paying a short, visit to Warra, a town about a hundred and twenty miles in the interior, the residence of the King of Warra.

It was on the 23d of November, 1823, that Mr. Belzoni and Mr. Houtson left Bobee in a Fantee canoe, belonging to the latter. At parting, Mr. Belzoni seemed a little agitated; particularly when the crew, to each of whom he had made a present, gave him three loud cheers on his stepping out of the vessel. "God bless you, my fine fellows, and send you a happy sight of your country and friends!" was his answer. On the 24th they reached Gato, a distance of sixty-five miles. The 25th, Mr. Belzoni employed in reducing and repacking his trunks and apparel, preparatory to his contemplated journey. He seemed in good spirits, although rather weakly, in consequence of a slight bilious attack he experienced at Bobee. On the morning of the 26th he departed for Benin, distant forty-five miles, and arrived there the same evening. The mode of travelling is in a hammock slung to a long pole, and carried on men's shoulders at the rate of four miles an hour. During the journey Mr. Belzoni complained of a troublesome diarrhoea. On the morning of the 27th, however, he still seemed in good spirits. Mr. Houtson waited on the King, and explained to him the objects of Mr. Belzoni's journey. He represented him as an Indian or Malay, who had resided long in England, and was now on his way to his own country; but who had friends at Houssa, and who therefore requested his Majesty's messengers and protection to that place. Though much jealousy was exhibited on the part of the King and his nobles on the subject, their objections were at length removed; and it was arranged that the King's messenger, with the boatswain of Mr. Houtson's factory, and one boy, should accompany Mr. Belzoni as far as Houssa,

(where the King of Benin has an ambassador,) and wait there until his return from Timbuctoo, and bring letters from him to Mr. Houtson and his friends in Europe, on receipt of which Mr. Houtson entered into a written engagement to make the King a handsome present, and pay his messenger according to Mr. Belzoni's report of his conduct. Although this plan of operation was not exactly that which Mr. Belzoni had premeditated, he expressed his satisfaction at the result of the negotiation. His Majesty sent for him the same evening, but he was too unwell to go. On the morning of the 28th, the flux had assumed every appearance of dysentery; he had lost his usual spirits, and he told Mr. Houtson that the hand of death was on him. In the evening his medicine chest, which, at Mr. Houtson's solicitation, he had sent for from Gato, arrived; and he immediately took some castor oil, and occasionally laudanum. On the 29th, Mr. Houtson advised a course of calomel, combined with opium and rhubarb, until a slight salivation should be effected; but he declined it as too hazardous in his then weakly state. He continued much the same until the morning of the 2d of December, when he begged of Mr. Houtson, as a last request, to send him down to Gato, and thence on board one of the vessels at Bobee, in the hope that the sea-breeze might have a beneficial effect. Mr. Houtson reluctantly consented, having, indeed, but faint expectations of his recovery. He accordingly got the people ready, and sent him off at eight o'clock, accompanied by a gentleman of the name of Smith; Mr. Houtson intending to follow, the moment the hammock-boys should return from Gato. Mr. Belzoni and his companion reached that place late at night. On the road the flux abated; and on his arrival, Mr. Belzoni, although much fatigued, considered himself better, and his spirits revived: he ate some bread, and drank a cup of weak tea; he then fell asleep, and slept until four o'clock on the morning of the 3d of December, when he awoke with a dizziness in the head, and a coldness in the extremities. He did not speak, but his eyes showed delirium : he drank some arrowroot gruel, and continued in a weak state, although apparently

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not suffering much pain, until a quarter before three, P. M., when he breathed his last.

On the morning of his leaving Benin, Mr. Belzoni called Mr. Houtson, and gave directions with respect to his books, papers, clothes, &c. He then, with much difficulty, wrote a few almost illegible lines to a commercial house in London, Messrs. Briggs, Brothers, and Co. Gould Square. He was about to write to Mrs. Belzoni, but his strength failed him. However, he desired Mr. Houtson to bear witness that he died in the fullest and most affectionate remembrance of her, and begged that gentleman would write to her, and send her the amethyst ring which he then wore. During this time he was perfectly collected, and spoke with calm fortitude of his approaching death as an inevitable event; and, when he had concluded his little arrangements, declared that he was satisfied, and committed his life and spirit to the will of God.

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At nine o'clock on the evening of the 4th of December, the remains of Mr. Belzoni were interred under the wide-spreading branches of a large plane tree, with every mark of respect that circumstances permitted. The funeral service was read by Mr. Houtson, and, at the conclusion, Mr. Houtson, Mr. Smith, and their eighteen canoe-men fired three vollies of musketry over the grave. The vessels at Bobee also fired minute guns. At the head of the grave was placed a board, with the following inscription:

"Here lie the remains of G. Belzoni, Esq., who was attacked with a dysentery at Benin, on the 26th of November, on his way to Houssa and Timbuctoo, and died at Gato on the 3d of December, 1823. The gentleman who placed this inscription over the grave of this intrepid and enterprising traveller, hopes that every European visiting this spot, will cause the ground to be cleared, and the fence around it put in repair, if necessary."

Thus was added to the melancholy list of the victims of African enterprize, the name of a man who, if inferior to some of his predecessors in literary and scientific attainments,

was superior to them all in physical power, and yielded to none in courage, in talent for research, in enthusiasm, in perseverance, and in the skill with which he contrived to effect the most difficult and hazardous purposes by means apparently inadequate to their accomplishment. To Belzoni, although a foreigner, England must ever remain deeply indebted for the precious relics of Egyptian antiquity with which, by his indefatigable self-devotion, he enriched her national museum; and we trust care will be taken that the widow, and, through a great part of his career, the faithful and active associate, of a man who, after a life of such severe toil, perished in the glorious attempt of still further extending the boundaries of human knowledge, shall not be allowed to remain in any circumstances that may reflect discredit on the justice and gratitude of the country.

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No. V.

WILSON LOWRY, Esq., F. R. S., &c.

MR. LOWRY was born at Whitehaven, on the 24th of January, 1762. His father, whose name was Strickland Lowry, was a native of that town, and followed the profession of a portrait-painter. At one period of his life he was much employed by Lord Pigot, who was his principal patron. Of his abilities a head of himself, painted with great breadth and simplicity, and bearing considerable resemblance to the portraits of Algernon Sydney, affords a very favourable specimen.

When but four years of age, Wilson Lowry was taken by his parents to the north of Ireland, and there remained until they returned to England, and again became residents of his native town. Mr. Strickland Lowry, it appears, lived subsequently in various parts of Shropshire, Worcestershire, and Staffordshire. The subject of this memoir, while a boy, was so much sequestered from society, that, strange as it may appear, he had scarcely ever seen an engraving until he became fifteen years old. He then, for the first time, met with a collection of prints. They happened to be very fine ones, for they were some of the best works of Woollett. The impression which they made upon his mind was such as never to be effaced. From that moment he determined to be an engraver, although that determination was not immediately acted upon. Soon after this per he was induced to leave his paternal home, in company with a youth of his own age. They had formed a resolution to support themselves by house-painting; and, after wandering up and down the country for a little time, they went to London, and were there actually employed in the business on which they had fixed.

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