668 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 
Nile is generally found at Cairo to be at its ene = 
gins to diminfh every day after. 
Tuus faras to the caufe and progrefs of the Nile’s inun- 
dation in our northern hemifphere ; but fo much light and 
confirmation is to be drawn from our confideration of the 
remainder of the fun’s journey fouthward, that I am per- 
fuaded my following him thither will require no alee to 
my philofophic or inquifitive reader. 
Immeprarexy after the fun has paffed the Line he begins: 
the rainy feafon to the fouthward, ftill as he approaches the 
zenith of each place; but the fituation and neceflities of this 
country being varied, the manner of promoting the inunda- 
tion is changed. A high chain of mountains run from about » 
6° fouth all along the middle of the continent towards the 
Cape of Good Hope, and interfeéts the fouthern part of the 
peainfula nearly in the fame manner that the river Nile does 
the northern. A ftrong wind from the fouth, ftopping the 
progrefs of the condenfed vapours, dafhes them againit the 
cold fummits of this; ridge of mountains, and forms many 
rivers which efcape in the direction either eaft or weit, as 
the level prefents itfelf. If this is towards the weft, they 
fall down the fides of the mountains into the Atlantic, and 
if on the eaft, into.1he Indian Ocean. Now all thefe would 
be ufelefs to man, were the Etefian winds to reign, as one 
would think mut be the cafe, analagous to what paffes in 
Egvprt; nay, if any one wind prevailed, thefe rivers, {welled 
with rains, would not be navigable, but another wife and 
provi iden tial difpofition has remedied this, ? 
Tue 
