THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 61 



Herodotus* fays, "At the time of the inundation, the 

 x ' Egyptians do not fail from Naucratis to Memphis by the 

 " common channel of the river, that is Cercafora, and the 

 " point of the Delta, but over the plain country, along the 

 " very fide of the Pyramids." 



1 



Naucratis was on the weft fide of the Nile, about lat. 

 3o 30'. let us fay about Terrane in my map. They then 

 failed along the plain, out of the courfe of the river, upon 

 the inundation, clofe by the Pyramids, whatever fide they 

 pleafed, till they came to Metrahenny, the ancient Mem- 

 phis. 



The Etefian wind, fair as it could blow, forwarded their 

 •courfe whilft in this line. They went directly before the 

 wind, and, if we may fuppofe, accomplifhed the navigation 

 in .a very few hours ; having been provided with thofe barks, 

 or canjas, with their powerful fails, which I have already 

 defcribed, and, by means of which, they fhortened their 

 paflage greatly, as well as added pleafure to it. 



But very different was the cafe if the canja was going 

 to Geeza. 



They had nothing to do with the Pyramids, nor to come 

 within three leagues of the Pyramids; and nothing can be 

 more contrary, both to fact, and experience, than that they 

 would ihorten their voyage by failing along the fide of 

 them ; for the wind being at north and north-weft as fair 

 as poffible for Geeza, they had nothing to do but to keep 



as 



*Herod. lib. ii. § 97- p- 123 



