THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. ^g-^ 



whereas, when Salidan's brother conquered this country, 

 the Arabian books fay they found it deftitute of all this 

 fruitfulnefs. But, with all fubmiffion to the Arabian books, 

 to Abbe Renaudotand his immenfe reading, Iwill maintain, 

 that neitlier Salidan, nor his brother, nor any of his tribe, 

 ever conquered the country Poncet defcribes, nor were in 

 it, or ever faw it at a diftance. 



The province where Poncet found thefe beautiful fcenes* 

 lies between lat. 12 and 13°. The foil is rich, black mould, 

 which fix months tropical rain are needed to water fuffici- 

 ently, where the fun is vertical to it twice a-year, and fta- 

 tionary, with r£fpe6t to^it, for feveral days, at the diftance of 

 ro°, and at a lelTer diftance ftill for feveral months ; where 

 the fun, though fo near, is never feen, but a thick fcreen of 

 watery clouds is conftantly interpofed, and yet the heat is 

 fuch, that Fahrenheit's thermometer rifes to 100° in the 

 Ihade. Can any one be fo ignorant in natural hiftory, as to 

 doubt that, under thefe circumftances, a luxuriant, florid, 

 odoriferous vegetation muft be the confequence ? Is not this 

 the cafe in every continent or ifland within thefe limits all 

 round -the globe ? ■. 



But Poncet contradids the Arabian books, and alltra^ 

 vellers, modern and ancient ; for they unanimoufly agree 

 that this country is a dreary miferable defert, producing no- 

 thing but Dora, which is millet, and fuch like things of 

 little or no value. I wifli fincerely that M. Renaudot, when 

 he was attacking a man's reputation, had been fo good as 

 to name the author whofe authority he relied on. I fhali 

 take upon me to deny there ever was an Arabian book 

 ■which treated of this country. And witli regard to the an- 

 cient- 



