THE SOURCE OF THE NILE 349 
Tue miffionaries therefore finding it impoffible that ever 
their congregation could increafe, and that this accident did 
fruftrate all their labours, laid their cafe before the College 
of Cardinals de propaganda fide, at Rome. Thefe took it up as 
a matter of moment, which it.really was, and-fent over 
vifitors {killed in furgery, fairly to report upon the cafe as 
it ftood; and they, on their return, declared, that the heat 
of the climate, or fome other natural caufe, did, in that par- 
ticular nation, invariably alter the formation fo as to make 
a ditference from what was ordinary in the fex in other 
countries, and that this difference did occafion a difguft, 
which muft impede the confequences for which matrimony 
was inftituted. The college, upon this report, ordered that 
a declaration, being firft made by the patient and her pa- 
rents that it was not done from Judaical intention, but be- 
caufe it difappointed the ends of marriage, “ Si modo 
“ matrimonii fructus impediret id omnino tollendum ef- 
“fer:” that the imperfection was, by all manner of means, 
to be removed ; fo that the Catholics, as well as the Cophts, 
in Egypt, undergo excifion ever fince. This is done with a 
knife, or razor, by women generally when the child is about 
eight years old *. 
THERE is another ceremony with which I fhall clofe, and 
this regards the women alfo, and I fhall call it zxcifion, This 
ba: is 
* The reader will obferve, by the obfcurity of this paflage, that it is with reluétance I 
have been determined to mention it at all; but as it is an hiftorical fa, which has had 
material confequences, I have thought it not allowable to omit it altogether. Any naturalift, 
swithing for more particular information, may confult the French copy. 
