Chap. 6.1 Overflowings of tie Nik. 499 



runs a courfe of not lefs than eleven hundred leagues, 

 comprehending the Niger, which feme have iuppofed 

 to fall into it. Later accounts, however, feem to affirm 

 that the Niger is loft in the fands, about three hundred 

 miles up from the weftern coafts of Africa. Be this 

 as it may, the Senegal is well known to be navigable 

 for more than three hundred leagues up the country ; 

 and how much higher it may reach is not yet difco- 

 vered, as the dreadful fatality of the inland parts of 

 Africa, not only deter curiofity, but even avarice, which 

 is a much (Ironger parlion. The celebrated river Nile 

 is faid to be nine hundred and feventy leagues, from 

 its fource among the mountains of the Moon, in Up- 

 per ^Ethiopia, to its opening into the. Mediterranean 

 Sea. Upon its arrival in the kingdom of Upper 

 JEgypt, it runs through a rocky channel, which fome 

 late travellers have miftaken for its cataracts. In the be- 

 ginning of its courfe, it receives many iefFer rivers into 

 ic ; and Pliny was miftaken, in faying that it received 

 none. In the beginning alfo of its courfe, it has many 

 windings ; but, for above three hundred leagues from 

 the fea, runs in a direct line. Its annual overflowings 

 arife from a very obvious caufe, which is almoft univer- 

 fal with the great rivers that take their fource near the 

 line. The rainy feafon, which is periodical in thofe 

 climates, floods the rivers ; and as this always happens 

 in our fummer, fo the Nile is at that time overflown. 

 From theie inundations, the inhabitants of Egypt de- 

 rive happinefs and plenty; and, when the river does 

 not arrive to its accuftomed heights, they prepare for 

 an indifferent harveft. It begins to overflow about the 

 1 7th of June; it generally continues to augment for 

 forty days, and decreafes in about as many more. The 

 time of increafe and clecrtafe, however, is much more 

 K k 2 incon- 



