THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 469 



PoNCET fet out from Cairo on the 10th of June of the 

 year 1698, and, fifteen days after, they came to Monfalour-, 

 a confiderable town upon the banks of the Nile, the rendez- 

 vous of the caravan being at Ibnah, half a league above 

 Monfalout. Here they tarried for above three months, wait* 

 ing the coming of the merchants from the neighbouring 

 towns. 



In the afternoon of the 2-4th of September, they advan- 

 ced above a league and a half diftance, and took up their 

 lodging at Elcantara, or the bridge, on the eaftern bank of 

 the Nile. A large califli, or cut, from the Nile flretches here 

 to the eaft, and, at that feafon, was full of water, the inunf^ 

 dation being at its height, 



FoNCET believes he was on the eaftern banks of the Nile ; 

 but this is a miftake. Siout and Monfalout, the cities he 

 fpeaks of j are both on the weftern banks of that river ; nor 

 had the caravan anything to do with the eaftern banks, 

 when their courfe was for many days to the weft, and to 

 the fouthward of weft. Nor was the bridge he paftTed a 

 bridge over the Nile. There are no bridges upon that ri- 

 ver from the Mediterranean till we arrive at the fecond ca- 

 taracft near the lake Tzana in Abyflinia. The amphitheatre 

 and ruins he fpeaks of are the remains of the ancient city 

 Ifm ; and what he took for the Nile was a caliih from ths^ 

 river to fupply that city with water. 



The 2d of Odlober the caravan fet out in earneft, and 

 pafTcd, as he fays, into a frightful defert of fand, having 

 firft gone, through a narrow paflage, which he dees not men- 

 tion, , 



