EGYPT, AND SYRIA. 65 
The greateft breadth of this majeftic river may be computed 
at two thoufand feet, or about a third of a mile. Its motion is 
even flower than that of the Thames, and does not exceed three 
miles an hour. The water is always muddy : in April and 
May, when it is cleareft, it has ftill a cloudy hue. When 
it overflows, the colour is a dirty red. It is replete with a 
variety of fifh ; thofe I have chiefly obferved are, Bulti^ Labrus 
Niloticus ; Kelb-el-hahr ; Farhon ; Charmut^ a round fifh about 
eight inches long, and faid to be poifonous ; Tabdn-el-bahr, 
the eel, Murasna Anguilla ; NefdJJj^ apparently a fpecies of 
falmon, and found of very large fize. It feems not now deter- 
minable of what fpecies, or whether of any now known, was 
the fi{h called Oxyrynchus^ fo famous in the antiquities of Egypt. 
D'Anville fays it is the one now called KeJIoer. The beft is the 
Bultt^ fomewhat like the white trout, but fometimes attaining 
fuch a fize as to weigh fifty pounds. Except good and large 
eels, none of the fifh have a ftridt fimilitude of the European. 
From Kahira to Afsuan, a diflance of about three hundred 
and fixty miles, the banks, except where rocky, prefent no 
natural plant ; they fomewhat refemble the fteps of ftairs, and 
are fown with all forts of efculent vegetables, chiefly that ufeful 
plant the Bamea. It grows to a little more than three feet in 
height, with leaves like thofe of the currant-bufh ; and produces 
oblong aculeated pods, which lend a pleafant flavour to therepaft. 
Among feveral kinds of water-fowl which frequent the Nile, 
may be mentioned what is here called the Turkey goofe, ^nas 
Kilot'ica^ Lin. a large fowl, the flefh of v>?hich is palatable and 
falubrious food. 
K Other 
