[ 496 J 



frefhed by rain. ado. It fcarce ever rains in Egypt, particularly 

 in Upper Egypt. Now it is to be obferved, that Egypt is fa 

 fituated betwixt lofty mountains that no wmd can enter it with- 

 out pafling over them, but the northerly winds, which iffue from 

 the Mediterranean ; for a foutherly wind muft pafs over the moun- 

 tains of Abyffinia ; an eafterly, over thofe that intercede between, 

 the Red Sea and the Nile, and proceeding from the Defarts of 

 Arabia, can convey little or no vapour j and wefterly winds muft 

 pafs over the Defarts of Africa and Mount Atlas. Now the 

 northerly wind does not begin to blow until the month of June, 

 when Egypt is fo fcorched as to emit fcarce any vapour, and the 

 few clouds it may convey arc attraded by the mountains of Abyf- 

 finia. Towards the middle of June the inundation of the Nile, it 

 is true, commences, and then, as the northerly wind ftill con- 

 tinues, perhaps rain might be expeded, but little attention being- 

 paid to it then, we are not informed whether any falls or not, per- 

 haps the clouds then aifo pafs to the mountains of Abyffinia, whi- 

 ther this wind conveys them, and which they deluge with rain ;. 

 all other winds depofit their moiflure on the reverfe of the moua 

 tains they pafs oven 



CHAP. 



