124 TRAVELS IN 
*^ the earth covered with hoar froft, or a thiri 
" coat of fnow." The author adds, " A foil 
" impregnated with fait inoft produce falfugi- 
nous plants ; and, indeed, fuch are found in 
Egypt, and in greater number than in any 
*' other part of the Levant." 
Egypt is fituated on the north fide of the 
tropic of Cancer, and I found myfelf near 
that of Capricorn ; that is to fay, at the fame' 
diftance from the equator. What Haifrelquift 
bad taught me refpeding the northern part of 
Africa^ I found to be the cafe with the fouth- 
ern under the fame latitude, w^hich ftruck 
me with aftonifhment, I wondered why 
nature prefented fuch an evident refemblance 
in tvv'o countries, diftant ahxioft twelve hun- 
dred leagues, though lying under the fame 
parallels* 
I am no chemift, and I have often had oc- 
cafion to regret my deficiency in that refpe6!i 
It is much to be wifhed, that in travellers every- 
branch of ufeful knowledge were united ; but 
each is generally directed in his fludies by a 
tafte fo predominant as almoft to exclude every 
other ; and, as a naturalift, I had abandoned 
myfelf entirely to the animal kingdom. Every 
thing, 
