158 EGYPT. 



Rivers. ...The only river of this country is the celebrated Nile, 

 which is formed by the junction (in the country of Sennaar, between 

 Egypt and Abyssinia) of two great rivers, one of which, called the 

 Bahr el Azrek, or the Blue river, rises in Abyssinia, where its source 

 is honoured as the head of the Nile, and will be described in our ac- 

 count of that country. The other river, which, as being the longest 

 and largest stream, is rather to be considered as the true Nile, is 

 called the Bahr el Abiad, or the White river, and rises at a place 

 named Douga, about ten days' journey south of Darfur, or the country 

 of Fur, and twenty days' journey from the confines of Bornou, am j:sg 

 the Gebel el Cumri, or Mountains of the Moon. Douga, according 

 to Mr. Browne, lies in about 7 degrees of north latitude, and 25 of 

 east longitude. The whole length of the course of the Nile may be 

 estimated at about 2000 miles. 



Lakes,. ..In the northern part of Egypt, or Lower Egypt, are several 

 lakes, the largest of which is the lake of Menzala, which is separated 

 from the Mediterranean only by an extremely narrow ridge of land, 

 and communicates with that sea by one or two outlets. It is sixty 

 miles long, and from two to twelve broad. The lake of Bereios, which 

 adjoins in like manner to the Mediterranean, between Damietta and 

 Rosetta, is thirty miles long, and about ten broad. The lake of Kerun, 

 or Birket el Kerun, forty miles to the south-west of ,\ lexandria, is 

 thirty miles in length, and about six in breadth. The ancient lake of 

 Marcotis is now dry. 



Metals ; minerals.. ..Egypt appears not to be productive of any 

 metals. The mountains contain various kinds of marbles, as porphyry, 

 the celebrated verde antico, or green marble, with white and dark 

 spots ; and many valuable gems, as the emerald, topaz, chalcedony, 

 onyx, &c. 



Climate, air... .It is observed by M. Volney, that during eight 

 months in the year, from March to November, the heat is almost in- 

 supportable by an European. " During the whole of this season, the air 

 is inflamed, the sky sparkling, and the heat oppressive to all unaccus- 

 tomed to it." The other months are more temperate. The southerly 

 winds which sometimes blow in Egypt, are by the natives cahed poi- 

 sonous winds, or the hot winds of the desert. They are of such ex- 

 treme heat and aridity, that no animated body exposed to them can 

 withstand their fatal influence. During the three days which it gene- 

 rally lasts, the streets are deserted; and woe to the traveller whom 

 this wind surprises remote from shelter : when it exceeds three clays, 

 it is insupportable. Very frequently the inhabitants are almost biinded 

 with drifts of sand. These evils are remedied by the rising and over- 

 flowing of the Nile. 



Soil and produce.... Whoever is in. the least acquainted with liter- 

 ature, knows that the vast fertility of Egypt is not owing to rain (little 

 falling in that country) but to the annual overflowing of the Nile. It 

 begins to rise when the sun is vertical in Ethiopia ; and the annual rain 

 falls there, viz. from the latter end of May to September, and some- 

 times October. At the height of its flood in the lower Egypt, nothing 

 is to be seen in the plains but the tops of forests and fruit trees, their 

 towns and villages being built upon eminences either natural or arti- 

 ficial. When the river is at its proper height, the inhabitants celebrate 

 a kind of jubilee, with all sorts of festivities. The banks, or mounds, 

 which confine it are cut by the Turkish pasha, attended by his gran- 

 dees ; but according to Nouien, who was present on the occasion, the 



