( 308 ) 



.would, carry off a vaft quantity of land, when 

 the canals were ftraight, and had no inter- 

 -ruption. And we are to fuppofe that the fall 

 ef the water-was very confiderable. 



The following -extracts ihew the extent of 

 this lake. 



" 'The labyrinth, fays Herodotus, fueh as 

 "I have been defcribing it, is ftill lefs-fur- 

 " -pri-fing than the Moeris. This lake is in 

 -" circumference 3600 fladia, or 60 fchenes, 

 -" which form the dimenlions of the mari- 

 cc time bafe of Egypt, (75 leagues), itilretches 

 " from north to fouth, and its greateft depth 

 " is three hundred feet. Two pyramids con- 

 " ftrudled in an ifland- towards the middle, 

 " rife from three hundred feet below water, 

 ; and are as high out of it; which proves 

 a that it has been dug by the hand of man. 



",ach of them has on its fummit a coloffal 



ftatue icated on a throne. Their total .ele- 

 " vation, taken from the bafe, is a ftadium 

 " of iix hundred feet. Lake Moeris occupies 

 " a foil very dry, and deftitute of fprings. 

 a It derives its waters from the Nile, which 

 " runs there during fix months. The reft of 

 " the year it reftorcs them to the river. Dur- 

 " ing the former period, the fifhing produces 



" a 



