THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 697 



that the inundation mould retire in time to leave the far- 

 mer the ground firm enough for plowing and fowing. 



Let any one read what I have already quoted from Stra- 

 bo; it is juft what I have here repeated, but in fewer, 

 words. Let him confider how fair an experiment this of 

 Petronius was, that by re-eftablifhing the works of Maoris, 

 and putting the inundation to the fame profit that Mseris 

 did, he found the fame quantity of water overflow the fame 

 quantity of ground, and confequently, that the land of 

 Egypt had not been railed an inch from Maris's time to 

 that of Petronius, above 1400 years. 



Now the fecond part of the queflion comes, what differ- 

 ence of meafure was made by the Saracens, and how does 

 it now Hand, after that period, as to the fuppofed rife of a 

 foot in a hundred years ? It is now above 1100 years fince 

 the f firil of the Hegira, and near 900 years fince the erec- 

 tion of the prefent Mikeas, which being equal to the period 

 between Maris and Herodotus, and again to that between 

 Herodotus and Julian, we fhould begin to be certain if any 

 fuch increafe in the land has ever, from Maris to the pre- 

 fent time, been indicated by the Nilometer. 



The reader will 'perhaps be furprifed, at what I am going 

 to advance, That thofe writers, as well as their fupporters 

 Who have pronounced fo pofitively on this fubjeet, have not 

 furnifhed themfelves with the data which are abfolutely 

 neceffary to folve this queftion. Quantity is only to be af- 

 Vol. III. 4 x certained 



t A. C. 622. 



