THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 137 



All that is faid of Thebes, by poets or hiflorians, after 

 the days of Homer, is meant of Diofpolis ; which was built 

 by the Greeks long after Thebes was deftroyed, as its name 

 teitifies ; though Diodorus * fays it was built by Bufiris. It 

 was on the eail fide of the Nile, whereas ancient Thebes was 

 on the weft, though both are confidered as one city ; and 

 fStrabo fays, that the river J runs through the middle of 

 Thebes, by which he means between old Thebes and Diof- 

 polis, or Luxor and Medinet Tabu. 



While in the boat, I could not help regretting the time 

 I had fpent in the morning, in looking for the place in the 

 narrow valley where the mark of the famous golden circle 

 was vifible, which Norden fays he faw, but I could difcern 

 no traces of it any where, and indeed it does not follow 

 that the mark left was that of a circle. This magnificent 

 inflrument was probably fixed perpendicular to the horizon 

 •in the plane of the meridian ; fo that the appearance of the 

 place where it flood, would very probably not partake of 

 the circular form at all, or any precife fhape whereby to 

 know it. Befides, as I have before faid, it was not among 

 thefe tombs or excavated mountains, but ten flades from 

 them, fo the veftiges of this famous inflrument § could not 

 be found here. Indeed, being omitted in the lateft edition 

 of Norden, it would feem that traveller himfelf was not 

 perfectly well affured of its exiflence. 



Vol. I. S . We 



* Diod. Sic. Bib. lib. i. p. 42. § d. f Strabo, lib. 1 7. p. 943. J Nah. ch. 3. ver. 8, & 9. 



§ A fimilar inflrument, erected by Eratofthenes at Alexandria, cut of copper, ivas ufed by 

 Hipparchus and Ptclemy. — Aim. lib. 1. cap. 11. 3. cap. 2. Vide his remarks on Mr 

 Creave's PyramiJographia, p. 134. 



