Coo TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



as I was, after lefrefhing myfelf with my laft bread and 

 water, I fet out in the afternoon to gain a rifing ground, 

 that I might fee, if poffible, what was to the weflward ; for 

 the mountains feemed now rocky and high Hke thofe of 

 the Kennoufs near Syene. I arrived, with great difficulty 

 and pain, on the top of a moderate hill, but was exceeding- 

 ly difappointed at not feeing the river to the weltward ; 

 however, the vicinity of the Nile was very evident, by the 

 high, uniform mountains that confine its torrent when it 

 comes out of Nuhia. The evening was ftill, fo that fitting 

 do vvn and covering my eyes with my hands, not to be di- 

 verred by external objects, I liilened and heard dill:in6lly 

 the noife of waters, which I fuppofed to be the cataradt, 

 but it feemed to the fouthward of us, as if we had pafled 

 it. I was, however, fully fatislied that it was the Nile, 



Just before I left my ftation the fun was already low, 

 when 1 faw a flock of birds, which, in Syria, where they 

 are plenty, are called the Cow Bird. In Egypt they are alfo 

 numerous upon the Nile, but ! do not know their name. 

 They are a fmall fpecies of the heron, about a third of the 

 fize of the common one, milk-white, having a tnft of flefli- 

 coloured feathers upon their brcaft, of a coarfer, ilronger, 

 and more hairy- like quality than the fliorter feathers. A 

 flock of thefe birds was flying in a ftraighc line, very low, evi- 

 dently feeking food along the banks of the river. It was 

 not an hour for birds to go far from their home, nor does 

 this bird feed at a diflance from its accuftomcd haunt at 

 any time. Satisfied then that, continuing our courfe N. W. 

 we fliould arrive at or below Sycne, I returned to join my 

 dCompanions., but it was aow dark, and I found Idris and 

 ,2 the 



