316 



many other cities which are sometimes inundated with 

 sand) this was regularly removed, and the level of the 

 primitive foundation of the city preserved ; whilst the 

 neighbouring lands without the mounds were constant- 

 ly gaining in height by the annual deposites of allu- 

 vion, and sand brought upon them by the winds. 



When in the course of time, the lands became ele- 

 vated to a height equal to the mounds, and the city 

 threatened with destruction, by an inundation over 

 them, the inhabitants were obliged to demolish the 

 buildings, and raise the foundation of the city, and 

 also the mounds, in order to secure their future safety. 



This, says Dr. Shaw, " seems to have been often 

 repeated at Memphis," and no doubt with many other 

 cities of Egypt ; but in particular with that of Bubas- 

 tis. " When this city was rebuilt, and raised higher, 

 to secure it from the inundation ; the temple, for the 

 beauty of it, was left standing in its primitive situa- 

 tion, and being therefore much lower than the new 

 buildings, they looked down upon it from every part 

 of the city."* 



This is a striking instance of the difficulties with 

 which the ancient Egyptians had to contend, in this 

 respect, and one that is calculated to prove that the 

 formation of the plains of Egypt, and also the delta, 

 did not depend so much upon the alluvion of the Nile, 

 as upon the winds, as I shall endeavour to shew. 



* Shaw's Travels, p. 439. 



