THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. . 427 



every other fublunary concern. It was one of the moll 

 magnificent, ftupendous fights in the creation, though de- 

 graded and vilified by the lies of a groveling, fanatic pea- 

 fan t. 



I was awakened from one of the moft profound reveries 

 that ever I fell into, by Mahomet, and by my friend Dr'wk, 

 who now put to me a thoufand impertinent queftions. It 

 was after this I meafured the fall, and believe, within a few 

 feet, it was the height I have mentioned ; but I confefs 1 

 could at no time in my life lefs promife upon precifion ; 

 my reflection was fufpended, or fubdued, and while in 

 fight of the fall I think I was under a temporary alienation 

 of mind; it feemed to me as if one element had broke loofe 

 from, and become fuperior to all laws of fubordination; that 

 the fountains of the great deep were extraordinarily opened, 

 and the deftruction of a world was again begun by the agen- 

 cy of water. 



It was now half an hour pad one o'clock, the weather per- 

 fectly good ; it had rained very little that day, but threatened a 

 fhowery evening ; I peremptorily refufed returning back to 

 Alata, which our landlord importuned us to. He gave us a 

 reafon that he thought would have weight with us, that 

 he, too, had his meery, or money, to fend to the king, 

 which would be ready the next morning as earlv as we 

 pleafed. The mention of to-morrow morning brought all 

 my engagements and their confequences into my mind, 

 and made me give a flat refufal, with fome degree of pee- 

 vifhnefs and ill-humour. I had foon after found, that he 

 had otherwife made up this affair with Mahomet our guide; 

 but being refolute, and, a moment after, taking leave of 



3 H 2 our 



