THE SOURCE OF THE NILE, 69 



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CHAP. IV. 



Leave Metrabenny — Come to the I/land Halouan — Falfe Pyramid—* 

 I'hefe buildings end — Sugar Canes — Ruins of Antinopolis — Recep- 

 tion there. 



OUR wind was fair and frefh, rather a little on our 

 beam ; when, in great fpirits, we hoifled our main and 

 fore-fails, leaving the point of Metrahenny, where our rea- 

 der may think we have too long detained him. We faw 

 the Pyramids of Saccara ftill S. W. of us ; feveral villages 

 on both fides of the river, but very poor and miferable ; 

 part of the ground on the eafl fide had been overflowed, 

 yet was not fown ; a proof of the oppreflion and diflrefs the 

 hufbandman fufFers in the neighbourhood of Cairo, by the 

 avarice and difagreement of the different officers of that- 

 motely incomprehenfible government, 



After failing about two miles, we faw three men nfh- 

 ing in a very extraordinary manner and fituation. They 

 were on a raft of palm branches, fupported on a float of 

 clay jars, made f aft together. The form was like an Ifofceles 

 triangle, or face of a Pyramid ; two men, each provided 

 with a calling net,, flood at the two corners, and threw their 

 net into the flream together; the third flood at the apex 

 of the triangle, or third corner, which was foremoft, and 

 threw his net the moment the other two drew theirs out 



4 - of* 



