THES0URCE0FTHEN1LE. 609 



it had turned back behind them, and that they had left it as 

 far north as lat. 1 1° They reported then to Alexander what 

 was truth, that they had afcended the Nile as far fouth as lat. 

 9°, where it unexpectedly took its courfe to the eaft, and was 

 feen no more. The river, moreover, was not known, nor to 

 be heard of near the Line, or farther fouthward, nor was 

 it diminished in fize, nor had it given any fymptom they 

 were near its fource ; they had found the Nile cakntem, (warm) 

 while they expe&ed its rife among melting mows. 



This difcovery (for fo far it was one) of the courfe of 

 the river to the eaft,feems to have made a ftrong impreflion 

 on Alexander's mind, fo that when he arrived at near the 

 head of the Indus, then fwelled with the thawing fnows of 

 mount Caucafus, and overflowing in fummer, he thought 

 he was arrived at the fource of this famous river the Nile 

 which he had before feen in the weft, and rejoiced at it ex- 

 ceedingly, as the nobleft of his achievements * ; he imme- 

 diately wrote to acquaint his mother of it ; but being foon 

 convinced of his error, and being far above propagating a 

 falfehood, even for his own glory, he inftantly erafed what 

 he had wrote upon that fubject. This however did not en- 

 tirely diflatisfy Alexander, for he propofed an expedition in 

 perfon towards thefe fountains, if he had returned from 

 India in fafety. 



Vol. III. 4 H Nou 



Aniarms de Exped. Alexandri, lib. vi. 



