THE SOURCE OF THE NILE, 469 



Poncet fet out from Cairo on the 10th of June of the 

 year 1698, and, fifteen days after, they came to Monfalout, 

 a confiderable town upon the banks of the Nile, the rendez- 

 vous of the caravan being at Ibnah, half a league above 

 Monfalout. Here they tarried for above three months, wait- 

 ing the coming of the merchants from the neighbouring 

 towns ^ 



In the afternoon of the 24th of September, they advan- 

 ced above a league and a half diftance, and took up their 

 lodging at Elcantara, or the bridge* on the eailern. bank of 

 the Nile. A large califh, or cut* from the Nile ftretches here 

 to the eaft, and, at that feafon,. was full of water, the inun- 

 dation being at its height.. 



Poncet believes he was on the eaftern banks of the Nile ; 

 but this is a miftake. Siout and Monfalout, the cities he 

 fpeaks of, are both on the weftern banks of that river ; nor 

 had the caravan any thing to do with the eaftern banks, 

 when their courfe was for many days to the weft, and to 

 the fouthward of weft. Nor was the bridge he palled a 

 bridge over the Nile. There are no bridges upon that ri- 

 ver from the Mediterranean till we arrive at the fecond ca- 

 taract near the lake Tzana in Abymnia. The amphitheatre 

 and ruins he fpeaks of are the remains of the ancient city 

 Hiu ; and what he took for the Nile was a califh from the 

 river to fupply that city with water.. 



The 2d of October the caravan fet out in earned, and 

 palled, as he fays, into a frightful defert of fand, having 

 firft gone through a narrow paiTage, which he does not men- 

 tion. 



