THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 451 



a quantity of pure gold, independent of what came from 

 the top of the Arabic Gulf, which was now carried into 

 AfTyria, and circulated in the trade of his country. This 

 fupply of gold belonged properly and cxclufively to Egypt; 

 and a very lucrative, though not very extenfive commerce, 

 was, by its means, carried on with India. He found out. 

 that the people, pofleffing thefe treafures, were called Mac- 

 robii, which fignifics long livers; and that they pofTefTed a coun- 

 try divided from him by lakes, mountains, and deferts. But 

 what flill affected him moll was, that in his way were a mul- 

 titude of warlike Shepherds, with whom the reader is al- 

 ready fufheiently acquainted. 



Cambyses, to flatter, and make peace with them, fell fu- 

 rioufly upon all the gods and temples in Egypt ; he mur- 

 dered the facred ox, the apis, deflroyed Memphis, and all 

 the public buildings wherever he went. This was a grati- 

 fication to the Shepherds, being equally enemies to thofe 

 that worlhipped beails, or lived in cities. After this intro- 

 duction, he concluded peace with them in the moft folemn 

 manner, each nation vowing eternal amity with the other. 

 Notwithftanding which, no fooner was he arrived at Thebes 

 (in Egypt) than he detached a large army to plunder the 

 Temple of Jupiter Amnion, the grcatcft object of the worfliip 

 of thefe Jhcpherds ; which army utterly perifhed without a 

 man remaining, covered, as I fuppofe, by the moving fands. 

 He then began his march again!! the Macrobii, keeping clofc 

 to the Nile. The country there being too high to receive 

 any benefit from the inundation of the river, produced no 

 corn, fo that part of his army died for want of provifion. 



3 L 2 Another 



