— 
THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 683 
juft high enough not to pay the meery*, for then he has 
all the harveft to himfelf, and pays nothing, though he has 
very near the fame quantity as if he was fubject co the tax. 
The other is, when near the whole of thefe 12,000 feet is 
overflowed by the Nile, but before the water is in contact 
with the current of the river; for then, though he is liable 
to pay the meery, he has fown the greateft part of his land 
poffible, without additional labour or expence; more than 
this is lofs, for then the water of the inundation is put like- 
wife in motion, and all the floating pulverifed earth that 
has been trode into an impalpable powder, during March, 
April, and May, is {wept away by the current into the fea, 
and nothing left but a bare, cold, hard till, which produces 
— little, and is not eafily pulverifed by the poor inftruments of 
hufbandry there in ufe, when neither farmer nor landhold- 
er pays any thing, becaufe, indeed, there is not any re- 
Cent «9 . 
However, from this uncertainty one thing arifes which 
does not feem to have been underftood; for the tenant, not 
knowing precifely the quantity of feed-that he may want, 
comes to his farm unprovided, and, being uncertain of its 
produce, takes his land only from year to year; the land- 
lord furnifhes him with feed +, and even with all labour- 
ing utenfils. ; 
Anp here I am to explain what I have before advanced, 
what to fome will feem a paradox, That the fubftituting 
4 R 2 i falfe 
Pe ee 
* The king’s yearly Jand-tax, or rent. 
+ Gen. chap, xlvit. ver. 20 & 23. 
