a great river of Egypt in Africa, which has

It must be remarked, that nightingales sing also in the day. Nile has its source in Abyssinia, in about eight degrees north latitude. It runs generally from south to north through Abyssinia, Senna, and Nubia, into Egypt in one stream, till it comes below Cairo to the Delta, where it divides into several branches, the two principal of which discharge themselves into the Mediterranean, the one at Damietta, and the other at Rosetta.

There are several cataracts in this river in Upper Egypt, but not so dreadful as ancient authors have reported. There are great rejoicings every year in Egypt when the Nile rises to a certain height, because their future harvest depends upon it. At the time of its rising they publish every day how many cubits and inches it is risen. But to know this, we must remember, that each cubit contains 24 inches: when the water is augmented to 16 cubits, then they open a sluice, which runs across the city of Cairo; and when it is come to 22 cubits, it is reckoned very advantageous, if it ascends no higher: but if it rises to 24, it puts them into a terrible consternation, and then they publish that it extends from one mountain to the other. They are likewise in a great fright when the water ascends very slowly, because they are then afraid that it will not rise high enough to render the land fertile. The inundation generally continues from the 20th of July to the beginning of November; at which time the dry land begins to appear, if it can be called dry, after it has been so long soaked in the water. As soon as the land is fit, they sow their corn, and in April it becomes yellow and fit for reaping. When the water is let into the great canal, it is conveyed from thence into reservoirs and cisterns, to be distributed into their fields and gardens. But all the low wet places are sowed with rice, which grows best in the water. This overflowing of the Nile is owing to the great rains which fall annually between the tropics upon the high mountains of Abyssinia, near which the source of the Nile is, and from which the water falls down in great torrents into that river. The Nile does not contain a great number of fish, perhaps because there are so many crocodiles and other voracious animals. The water, when it is clear, is very fit for drinking.