THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 38 j 



blc to fay whether it was from their hardnefs or beauty, or 

 what other reafon governed the mind of man in making 

 this ftandard of barter. The hiftory of the particular tran- 

 factions of thofe times is loft, if, indeed, there ever was 

 fuch hiftory, and, therefore, all further inquiries are in 

 vain. The choice, it feems, was a proper one, fince it has 

 continued unaltered fo many ages in India, and has been 

 univerfally adopted by all nations pretty much in the pro- 

 portion or value as in India, into which continent gold and 

 filver, from this very early period, began to flow, have con- 

 tinued fo to do to this day, and in all probability will do to 

 the end of time. What has become of that immenfe quan- 

 tity of bullion, how it is con fumed, or where it is depoiited, 

 and which way, if ever it returns, are doubts which I never 

 yet found aperfon that could fatisf actor ily folve. 



The Cufhite then inhabited the mountains, whilft the 

 northern colonies advanced from Meroe to Thebes, bufy 

 and intent upon the improvement of architecture, and build- 

 ing of towns, which they began to fubilitute for their caves; 

 they thus became traders, farmers, artificers of all kinds, 

 and even practical aftronomers, from having a meridian 

 night and day free from clouds, for fuch was that of the 

 Thebaid. As this was impomble to their brethren, and fix 

 months continual rain confined them to theie caves, we 

 .cannot doubt but that their fedentary life made them ufe- 

 ful in reducing the many obfervations daily made by thofe- 

 ef their countrymen who lived under a purer iky. Letters 

 too, at leaft one fort of them, and arithmetical characters, we 

 are told, were invented by this middle part of the Ctnliites, 

 while trade and afcronomy, the natural hiftory of the winds 



1 and.: 



