306 



far increased, as to lie nearly upon a level with those 

 cities, the inhabitants were then obliged to mound them 

 round, or else to rebuild them. The former experi- 

 ment seems to have been often repeated at Memphis, 

 the want whereof hatli been the reason no doubt, why 

 we are not sure, at present, even of the place where 

 this famous city was founded.''* 



From the superficial remarks which I have made on 

 the current of the Nile and its alluvion ; and also the 

 effects of the tides of the Mediterranean, in opposing 

 this current, together with the result of the direct and 

 indirect labours of man in the formation of the delta of 

 the Nile, and, I may add, the plains of Egypt, some 

 general ideas may be formed of the respective agency 

 of each, in this stupendous work. But in order to 

 have a more comprehensive view, and correct ideas of 

 the subject, it becomes necessary to examine lastly, 

 the operations of the winds, and the agency which they 

 may have had in producing, and presenting to view 

 these phenomena of nature. 



The winds, that mostly prevail in those countries, 

 are of two kinds the one called the Levant winds ; 

 the other the Etesian winds. The first of these blow 

 from the south east and east, varying sometimes to the 

 north east, and blowing with great violence. Dr. Shaw 

 says that at Algiers the east winds prevail from May 

 to September.! 



These easterly winds, or Levanters, so called, when 

 of long continuance, sometimes increase with such vio- 



* Shaw's Travels, page 439. f Do. p. 218. 



