a 
692 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER - 
you are then on the fame plane with the foot of the ‘column: 
and bottom of the river. This pillar is divided into 20 peeks, 
called Draa El Belledy, of 22 Jnches each*, 
THE two lower ae are not divided at all, but are . 
left abfolutely without mark, to ftand’ for the quantity of 
fludge the water depofits there, and which occupies. the 
place of water. T'wo peeks are then divided on the right 
hand into 24 digits each; then, on the left, four peeks are 
divided each into 24 digits; then, on the right, four; and; 
on the left, another four: again, four on the right, which. 
complete the number of 18 peeks from the firft divifion. 
marked on the pillar each of 22 inches. The whole, mark-- 
ed and unmarked, amounts to 36,7; feet Englith.. 
On the night of St John, when the Nuéta has fallen, thae 
is, when they fee the rain-water from Ethiopia is fo mixed 
pe the Nile that at Cairo it is become exhalable, and falls 
own in dews upon the earth, which till that time it ne- 
ver does, they then begin to cry, having five peeks of wa- 
er marked on the Mikeas, and two unmarked for the fludge; 
of which they take no netice in the proclamation. ‘heir 
fir proclamation, fwppofe the Nile hath rifen 12 digits, is 
v2 from fix, or it wants 12 digits to be fix peeks. When it 
- yifes three more, it is nine from fix, or, Z, iffa am Siite, and fo 
it goes on, fubtracting the digits from the upper number, 
without giving you any information what that fix is, or that 
they began to count from five, which I fuppofe is the af- 
fumed depth of the Nile before it begins to increafe.. 
; WHEN, 
+ Vid. geometrical elevation and plan of the Mikeas. 
