60 History of Nature. [BooK V. 



made it: 72 Miles from thence is Memphis, the Castle in 

 old time of the Egyptian Kings. From which to the 

 Oracle of Hammon is 12 Days' Journey ; and to the Division 

 of Nilus, which we have called Delta, 15 Miles. The Nilus, 

 rising from unknown Springs, passeth through Deserts and 

 burning Countries: and going a vast way in Length, is 

 known by Fame only, without Arms, without Wars, which 

 have discovered all other Lands. It hath its beginning, so 

 far as King Juba was able to search, in a Mountain of the 

 lower Mauritania, not far from the Ocean, near to a stag- 

 nant Lake, which they call Nilides. In it are found the 

 Fishes called Alabetae, 1 Coracini, Siluri, and also the Cro- 

 codile. Upon this argument the Nilus is thought to spring 

 from hence, for that it is seen dedicated by him at Caesarea, 

 in Iseum, at this day. Moreover, it is observed, that as the 

 Snow or Rain fills the Country in Mauritania, so the Nilus 

 increases. When it is run out of this Lake, it scorneth 

 to pass through the sandy and unclean Places, and hideth 

 itself for some Days' Journey. By and by out of another 

 greater Lake it breaketh forth in the Country of the Mas- 

 saesyli, of Mauritania Caesariensis ; and as if it looks about for 

 the Company of Men, with the same arguments of living 

 Creatures, again becomes received within the Sands, where 

 it is hidden a second time for 20 Days' Journey in the 

 Deserts, as far as to the next ^Ethiopas : and so soon as it 

 hath again espied a Man, forth it leapeth (as it should seem) 

 out of that Spring, which they called Nigris. And then 

 dividing Africa from ^Ethiopia, being acquainted, if not pre- 

 sently with people, yet with the frequent company of wild and 

 savage Beasts, and creating the shade of Woods, it cutteth 



1 The first named, Alabes or Alabetae, is a species of Lota of Cuvier, 

 or Burbot : though, perhaps not the same with the fish of that name that 

 inhabits the fresh waters of Europe. The name Coracinus has been 

 applied to more than one fish of a sooty colour : but the species referred 

 to by Pliny is probably the Perca Nilotica of Linnaeus : the Lates Nilo- 

 ticus of Cuvier. The Silurus of Pliny is perhaps a species of Cuvier's 

 genus Schilbe, although true Siluri are found in the Nile. The Croco- 

 dile will be more particularly referred to in another place. Wern. Club. 



