EGYPT. 



395 



Climate. 



Statistics, cept occasional showers on the coast of the Mediterra- 

 J nean Sea, which happen in the months of December, 

 January, and February, scarcely a drop of rain falls 

 through all the extent of Egypt. A slight shower in 

 any other part of that vast country is a rare occurrence, 

 and seldom seen by the most aged and observing. 



This peculiarity in the circumstances of Egypt, must 

 be accounted for by natural causes ; and though we 

 cannot pretend to detect every arrangement which 

 tends to produce so striking an effect, yet there are 

 certain causes obvious to reflecting and philosophical 

 minds, which are sufficient to shew in what manner this 

 occurrence takes place. " The tendency of the air," 

 from the cooler regions, " to fill up the rarefied space 

 between the tropics, not only produces the monsoons 

 and trade winds, but also assists us to offer a reason for 

 the deficiency of rain in the districts of Egypt. Being 

 partly within the extent, and altogether within the in- 

 rluence of the northern monsoons, the clouds of that 

 quarter are hurried toward the equator from the month 

 of April to October, and, being carried both rapidly 

 and high, none of them descend upon Egypt, where 

 there are no lofty mountains to attract them, nor do 

 they let fall on its surface any part of their burden, but 

 leaving it unvisited and dry, they hasten to the moun- 

 tains of Abyssinia, and there deposit their watery stores. 

 The heated and rarefied air between the tropics neces- 

 sarily ascends into the higher regions of the sky ; and, 

 yielding to the thicker atmosphere, by which it is dis- 

 placed, it is driven towards the northern mountains to 

 be loaded with vapours, and to return in a lower direc- 

 tion toward the equator." (Dr Wilson's History of 

 Egypt, vol. i. p. 19- and 20.) But though rain seldom 

 falls in Egypt, yet the dews are exceedingly copious, 

 and refresh the ground. 



The comforts of Egypt are diminished, by being sub- 

 ject, in some degree, to thnt suffocating wind of the 

 !e>erts, which spreads terror and desolation. It iscali- 

 rd the sumiel, the simoom, and the chamsin. It ia an- 

 nounced by a lowering, troubled sky, and sometimes 

 by a hissing noise. Its heat may be compared to that 

 of a newly opened oven, and its effects are always dis- 

 ig, and sometimes insupjwrtable. It hardens the 

 skin, and destroys the vegetable growth. It affects the 

 lungs by its pernicious qualities, produces convulsions, 

 and sometimes death. It is felt in Africa, India, Syria, 

 and Arabia ; and it reaches Italy in a more modified 

 condition, where it is called the sirocco, and is guarded 

 against with anxiety and care. 



Every where the human race are subject to diseases, 

 and in Egypt some of them appear in their worst 

 forms. The leprosy, with which the people of that 

 country are frequently affected, does not seem to be so 

 virulent as that which was spoken of in old times. But 

 the diseases of the eyes are violent and dangerous ; and 

 a considerable part of the people are occasionally affect- 

 ed, and sometimes so severely, that some of them lose 

 one, and others both of their eyes. The British soldiers 

 brought this disease with them to Europe; and it is to 

 be hoped that the attention of our experienced surgeons 

 has paved the way for moderating tlie dangers of the 

 disease. The sources of this affection are not well as- 

 certained, though it has been supposed, that it is owing 

 to the small dust with which the air is impregnated, 

 and especially to the nitrous particles with which the 

 soil of Egypt abounds. It may partly be ascribed to 

 the habit of sleeping in the open air, and being expo- 

 *<<! in the daytime to the excessive glare of the reflect- 

 ed sun. Guarding against these inconveniences, will 



promote the health and comfort of the inhabitants. But ^Statutirs.^ 

 of all the diseases which affect this or any other conn- ^~~Y~~*' 

 try, the plague is the most alarming. Like other fevers, 

 it is supposed to proceed from miasmata, or putrid efflu- 

 via, and it spreads its infectious matter in the air. A 

 high degree of heat, as well as the application of cold, 

 is said to abate its violence, and remove its effects. It 

 has frequently been found, that the free access of cold 

 air has removed the symptoms ; and we have no doubt 

 that using the cold bath would be found to be effica- 

 cious. 



There is no room for mineralogy in the district of the Mineral*- 

 Delta, nor does the valley of the river, in any part of gy. 

 its course, afford subjects for the investigation of that 

 science ; but the mountains and higher grounds on 

 each side of the river, yield many curious specimens of 

 the fossil kingdom. The rocks, which form the banks 

 of the lower part of the Nile, are all calcareous, and 

 those on which the pyramids stand abound with shelves, 

 but above the town of Esnah they consist of freestone 

 of various qualities. The chain of mountains on the 

 right, or Arabian side of the river, furnish granite, pe- 

 trosilices, porphyry, and traps. Here too are found 

 pudding stones, and various kinds of breccia. It was 

 a species of the pudding stone of which the colossal 

 statue of Memnon was formed at Thebes, which, ac- 

 cording to ancient tradition, emitted various sounds at 

 the rising or setting of the sun. Granite or primitive 

 rocks are found in Egypt, but they chiefly prevail to- 

 ward the southern parts of the country. One of the 

 mountains toward the Red Sea, is called the Mount of 

 Emeralds, and precious stones had formerly been ob- 

 tained from that part of the country ; for those of the 

 best quality are still called by the Persians, the emeralds 

 of Alsaid. Among the fossil specimens of Egypt are 

 found felspar, hornblende, lapis-ollaris, marble with veins 

 of silver, mica, amethyst, calcedony, carnelian, onyx, 

 jasper, swinestone, &c. In the isthmus of Suez there 

 are various silicious fragments, which serve as a bed 

 for those curious Egyptian pebbles, which, when cut, 

 exhibit portraits, branches of trees, ruined buildings, 

 and other imitations of nature. Egypt does not abound 

 in metals, yet iron as well as manganese has been 

 found there, and it is obvious that lead and copper had 

 formerly been worked in its mines. 



The animals of Egypt are little different from those Zoology. 

 of other countries in a similar situation. The native 

 horses are well made, and by proper care might be 

 rendered highly valuable ; but they are rather neglected 

 for the Arabian horses, which the Turks prefer on ac- 

 count of their fleetness and spirit. Upon the rich pas- 

 tures of the Delta, the ox, the cow, and the buffalo are 

 found in perfection. Sheep and goats have also their 

 proper pasture, and are found in numbers. Bees, in- 

 sects, and reptiles, are also abundant ; and the lakes, as 

 well as the sea and the river, abound with fish. In 

 this country the ass is of considerable beauty, as well 

 as strength, and is employed for riding and various use- 

 ful purposes. The ibis, so much revered in Egypt for- 

 merly, is not to be found in that country at present ; 

 but from the bodies which were so carefully preserved 

 by the ancient Egyptians, it appears to be a curlew, and 

 not a species of the stork. 



Few countries abound so much with ruins as Egypt Antiquities. 

 does, which not only shews its former importance and 

 glory, but is a sad memorial of the reverses and degra- 

 dations to which human affairs are constantly exposed. 

 The situation of Canopus and /amis, with other places 

 of note, may be sought for in the Delta ; but the prin- 

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