THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 47 



ferior to the fineft Spa. Drink largely of this without fear, 

 according as your appetite requires. By violent perfpira- 

 tion the aqueous part of your blood is thrown off; and it is 

 not fpiritous liquor can reftore this, whatever momentary 

 ftrength it may give you from another caufe. When hot, 

 and almoft fainting with weaknefs from continual perfpira- 

 tion, I have gone into a warm bath, and been immediately 

 reftored to ftrength, as upon firft rifmg in the morning. 

 Some perhaps will object, that this heat fhould have weak- 

 ened and overpowered you ; but the fact is otherwife ; and 

 the reafon is, the quantity of water, taken up by your ab- 

 forbing vefTels, reftored to your blood that finer fluid which 

 was thrown off, and then the uneafinefs occafioned by that 

 want ceafed, for it was the want of that we called uneafinefs. 



In Nubia never fcruple to throw yourfelf into the coldeft ri- 

 ver or fpring you can find, in whatever degree of heat you are. 

 The reafon of the difference in Europe is, that when by vio- 

 lence you have raifed yourfelf to an extraordinary degree 

 of heat, the cold water in which you plunge yourfelf checks 

 your perfpiration, and fhuts your pores fuddenly. The me- 

 dium is itfelf too cold, and you do net ufe force fuificicnt to 

 bring back the perfpiration, which nought but action occa- 

 fioned; whereas, in thefe warm countries, your perfpiration 

 is natural and conftant,. though no action be ufed, only from 

 the temperature of the medium ; therefore, though your 

 pores are fhut v the moment you plunge yourfelf in the cold 

 water, the fimple condition of the outward air again covers 

 you with pearls of fweat the moment you emerge ; and 

 you begin the expence of the aqueous part of your blood 

 afrefh from the new ftock that you have laid in by your 

 immerfion. 



2m 



