an extensive country of Africa, lying between 30° and 36° of east longitude, and between 21° and 31° of north latitude; and bounded by the Mediterranean on the north; by the Red Sea and Isthmus of Suez, which divide it from Arabia, on the east; by Abyssinia or Ethiopia, on the south; and by the deserts of Barca and Nubia, on the west; being five hundred miles in length from north to south, and from one hundred to two hundred in breadth from east to west. Egypt is subject to the grand signior, and governed by a bashaw, or viceroy. It owes its fertility to the annual overflowing of the Nile, which it begins to do in the months of May and June, and is usually at its height in September, from which time the waters decrease till May or June again. By this supply of water, Egypt is rendered fruitful, as to serve Constantinople and other places with corn, as it did Rome and Italy of old. They only harrow their grain into the mud, on the retiring of the water, and in March following usually have a plentiful harvest; and the lands, not sown, yield good crops of grass for the use of the cattle. According to Mr. Sandys, no country in the world is better furnished with grain, flesh, fish, sugar, fruits, melons, roots, and other garden stuff, than the lower Egypt.