THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 21 



The reafon of this I have already explained, it is fome 

 time or other to be a fubflitute to Mecca, and to be blcfled 

 with all that holinefs, that the pollemon of the reliqucs, of 

 their prophet can give it. 



Dr Shaw* having always in his mind the flrengthening 

 of Hcrodotus's hypothecs, that Egypt is created by the Nile, fays,. 

 that perhaps this was once a Cape, becaufe Rafhid has 

 that meaning. But as Dr Shaw underftood Arabic perfectly 

 well, he mult therefore have known, that Rafhid has no 

 fuch Signification in any of the Oriental Languages. Ras, 

 indeed, is a head land, or cape ; but Raifit has no fuch fig- 

 nification, and Rafhid a very different one, as I have al- 

 ready mentioned. 



Rashid then, or Rofetto, is a large, clean, neat town, or 

 village, upon the eaftern fide of the Nile. It is about three 

 miles long, much frequented by fbudious and religious 

 Mahometans ; among thefe too are a confiderable number of 

 merchants, it being the entrepot between Cairo and Alex- 

 andria, and vice <ver[a; here too the merchants have their 

 faclors, who fuperintend and watch over the merchandife 

 which pafTes the Bogaz to and from Cairo. 



There are many gardens, and much verdure, about Ro- 

 fetto ; the ground is low, and retains long the moifture it 

 imbibes from the overflowing of the Nile.. Here alfo are 

 many curious plants and flowers, brought from different 

 countries, by Fakirs, and merchants, Without this, Egypt, 



fubject 



'Shaw's Travels, p. 294.- 



