THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 389 



qualities adapted to the office he is employed to difcharge. 

 The drieft thiftle, and the bared thorn, is all the food this 

 itfeful quadruped requires, and even thefe, to fave time, 

 he eats while advancing on his journey, without flopping, 

 or occafioning a moment of delay. As it is his lot to crofs 

 immenfe deferts, where no water is found, and countries 

 not even moiilened by the dew of heaven, he is endued with 

 the power at one wate ring-place to lay in a- ilore, with 

 which he fupplies himfelf for thirty days to come- To 

 contain this enormous quantity of fluid, Nature has form- 

 ed large citterns within him, from which, once filled, he- 

 draws at pleafure the quantity he wants, and pours it into 

 his ftomach with the fame efTecl as if he then drew it from 

 a fpring, and with this he travels, patiently and vigorouily, 

 all day long, carrying ;a prodigious load upon him, through 

 countries infected .with poifonous winds, and glowing with 

 parching and never-cooling fands. Though his fize is im- 

 menfe, as is his ftrength,; and his body covered with a thick 

 fkin, defended with flrong hair, yet ftill he is not capable 

 to fuftain the violent punctures the fly makes with -his 

 pointed probofcis. ; He mud lofe no dme in removing to the 

 fands of Atbara ; for, when once attacked by this ily, his 

 body, head, and legs break cut into large holies, which fweil, 

 break, and putrify, to the certain deftruction of the creature. 



Even the -elephant, and rhinoceros, who, by reafon of- 

 their enormous bulk,, and the vaft quantity of food and ,: 

 water they daily need, cannot fhift to defert and dry places 

 as the feafon may require, are obliged to roll tliemfelves in 

 mud a;:d mire, which, when, dry, coats them over like ar- 

 mour, and enables them to Hand their ground againft this 

 :d ankiun-, yet I have found fome of thefe tubercules- 



2. upon. 



