EGYPT, AND SYRIA. 39 
difcontents at the appearance of novelty, concernmg the fources 
of which we are ignorant. I have ever obferved the Egyptians, 
as all the Orientals, paffionately fond of trees and water ; and if 
in this inftance they preferred being without them, it might 
poffibly be from diftruft of bringing on themfelves fome real 
evil, by the purfuit of an imaginary advantage. 
The enfuing night, when the Arabs were to go to the lake 
for a lading of natron, S'^ F. appointed his company of five 
Sclavonians to attend me, and I fet off at nine in the evening 
on horfeback. We continued our march, chiefly in a weftern 
direction, till feven the following morning, at which time we 
came to a fpring of frefh water, that rifes among fome rufhes 
near the lake, which, though it afford no very copious fupply 
of water, was yet a feafonable refrefhment, as the heat of the 
fun was already inconvenient. The latitude at the eaftern ex- 
tremity of the moft weftern lake I found 30°, 31', north ; but 
this is not decided by a fingle obfervation. The difference of 
time between Terane and the Convents of St. George, gave a 
diftance, as nearly as I could compute it, of thirty-five miles. 
The road from Terane is level, with very fmall exception, 
and generally firm and good, though with intervals of loofe 
and deep fand. 
The country we pafled through, however, is deftitute of 
water, and confequently barren, as is all that which borders on 
the lakes. The only buildings in the neighbourhood are three 
convents, inhabited by a few religious of the Coptic church ; 
two 
