THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 8r 



We palled now a convent of cophts, with a fmall planta- 

 tion of palms. It is a miferable building, with a dome -like 

 to a faint's or marabout's, and Hands quite alone. 



About four miles from this is the village of Nizelet el 

 Arab, confifting of miferable huts. Here begin large planta- 

 tions of fugar canes, the firft we had yet £ee;n ; they were then 

 loading boats with thefe to carry them to Cairo. I procured 

 from them as many as I defired. The canes are about an 

 inch and a quarter in diameter, they are cut in round pieces 

 about three inches long, and, after having been flit, they 

 are fteeped in a wooden bowl of water. They give a very a- 

 greeable tafte and flavour to it, and make it the moll re- 

 frelhmg drink in the world, whilft by imbibing the water, 

 the canes become more juicy, and lofe a part of their heavy 

 clammy fweetnefs, which would occafion thirft. I was fur- 

 prized at finding this plant in fuch a Hate of perfection fo 

 far to the northward. We were now fcarcely arrived in 

 lat. 29 , and nothing could be more beautiful and perfect 

 than -the canes were. 



I apprehend they were originally a plant of the old con- 

 tinent, and tranfported to the new, upon its firft difcovery, 

 becaufe here in Egypt they grow from feed. I do not 

 know if they do fo in Brazil, but they have been in all times 

 the produce of Egypt. Whether they have been found elie- 

 where, I have not had an opportunity of being informed, 

 but it is time that fome fkiirul perfon, vcrfed in the hiftory of 

 plants, fhould feparate fome of the capital productions of the 

 old, and new continent, from the adventitious, before, from 

 length of time, that which we now know of their hiftory 

 be loft. 



Vol. I. L Sugar, 



