668 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



Nile is generally found at Cairo to be at its highefl, and be- 

 gins to diminfh every day after. 



Thus faras to the caufe and progrefs of the Nile's inun- 

 dation in our northern hemifphere ; but fo much light and 

 confirmation is to be drawn from our consideration of the 

 remainder of the fun's journey fouthward, that I am per- 

 fuaded my following him thither will require no apology to 

 my philofophic or inquifitive reader. 



Immediately after the fun has paffed the Line he begins 

 the rainy feafon to the fouthward, ftill as he approaches the 

 zenith of each place; but the fituation and neceffities of this 

 country being varied, the manner of promoting the inunda- 

 tion is changed. A high chain of mountains run from about 

 6° fouth all along the middle of the continent towards the 

 Cape of Good Hope, and interfects the fouthern part of the 

 peninfula nearly in the fame manner that the river Nile does- 

 the northern. A ftrong wind from the fouth, flopping the 

 progrefs of the condenfed vapours, daihes them againit the 

 cold fummits of this ridge of mountains, and forms many 

 rivers which efcape in the direction either eafl or weft, as 

 the level prefents itfelf. If this is towards the well, they 

 fall down the fides of the mountains into ihe Atlantic, and 

 if on the eaft, into the Indian Ocean. Now all thefe would 

 be ufelefs to man, were the hteiian winds to reign, as one 

 would think muil be the cafe, analagous to what paffes in 

 Egypt; nay, if any one wind prevailed, thefe rivers, fwelled. 

 with rains, would not be navigable, but another wife and 

 providential dilpofition has remedied this. 



Tiis 



