63 TRAVELS:TO DISCOVER 
to difcover the fountains of the Nile, in which he had pros. 
bably. fucceeded: had he not miftaken the river itfelf. He- 
fuppofed the Siris, now the Tacazzé, was the Nile, and, af. 
cending in the direction. of its ftream, he came to Axum, 
the capital.of the province of Siré and of Ethiopia. But the. 
ftory he tells about the {now. which he found knee-deep on 
the mountains of Samen, makes me queftion whether he: 
ever croffed the Sitis, or was himfelf an ocular. witnefs of: 
what he fays he obferved there... 
- Czsar, between the acquifition of a rich and ‘ powerful’ 
kingdom, andthe enjoyment of the fineft woman in the: 
world, the queen of ‘it, is faid to have employed {o intereft-. 
ing an interval.in a calm inquiry.after the fource of this. 
river, and, in. fo doing-at fuch.a.time, furely has paid it a. 
greater comphment than it ever yet received from any that 
attempted the difcovery: On:that night, which completed | 
the deftruction. of the Egyptian monarchy, it is faid this, 
was the topic. upon. which. he.entertained the learned of | 
Alexandria at fupper; addrefling himfelf to Achoreus, high. 
prieft of: the Nile, he fays,. 
Nibil ried nofcere malim, 
Quam flurvii caufas, per:fecula tanta latentis, . 
Ienotumgue caput: fpes fit mibi certa vidends.. 
Nikacos fontes, bellum civile relinquam. - 
Luca No . 
Tur poet here pays Czfara-compliment upon his curio-- 
fity, or defire of knowledge, very much at the expence of his. 
patriotifm ; for he makes him declare, in fo many words, | 
. that. he confidered making war. with his country as the 
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