fic TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 
From what I have juft now mentioned, I hope it is fuffi- 
ciently plain to the reader, that the length and divifion of 
the column in the Mikeas, by which the quantity of water, 
and confequently the increafe of the foil, was to be determin- 
ed, was utterly unknown to thofe travellers who. int un- 
dertaken this mae of determining it. | 
I SHALL now situa oerher oil were better inftructs 
ed in the length of that meafure, which, after the Sa- 
racen. conqueft, was introduced into the Nilometer, of 
Geeza, where it has remained unaltered fince the year 245 ? 
Dr Shaw introduces the confideration of this fubje@ by an 
enumeration of many different peeks, feven of which he 
quotes from Arabian authors, as being then in ufe. Firft, 
the Homareus 13 digit of the common cubit. 2. The Ha- 
- famean, or greater peek, of 24 digits. 3. The Belalean, lefs 
than the Hafamean. 4. The black cubit lefs than the Bela- 
lean 2} digits. 5. The Joflippean 7 of a digit lefs than the 
black cubit. 6. The Chord, or Afaba, 17 digit lefs than the: 
black peek. 7. The Maharanius, 23 aides lefs than the 
black cubit*. Now, I will appeal to any one to what alk 
this information amounts, when I am not told the length of 
the common peek to which he refers the reft, as being 12 
digit, or 2 digits more or lefs. He himfelf thinks that the 
meafuring peek is the Stambouline peek, but then, for com- 
putation’s fake, he takes a peek of his own invention, being 
a medium of 4 or 5 guefles, and fixes it at 25 inches, for 
which he has no authority but his own imagination.. 
I wit. 
* Shaw, p. 380. 382. 
