C 0 M M UNI CATIONS. 
^5 
,as he thought, wouldj no doubt, be efteemcd an arrant fool, 
and a ftupid coxcomb.-— For example, an Engliiliman who had 
never feen Egypt, would alk me what fort of a woman an Egyp- 
tian woman was ? If I meant to do the quelHon as much juf- 
tice by the anfwer, as I could hi my way, I fliould alk him 
to take notice of the firft company of Gyphes he faw behind a 
hedge in ElTex ; and I fuppofe he would be fool enough to think 
me a fooL 
" Augufl: 14th. I left Alexandria at midnight, with a pleafant 
breeze North; and was, at fun-rife next morning, at the mouth 
of the Nile, which has a bar of fand acrofs it, and foundings 
as irregular as the fea, which is raifed upon it by the conten- 
tions of counter currents and winds. 
The view in failing up the Nile is very confined, unlefs from 
the top of the maft, or fome other eminence, and then it is an 
unbounded plain of excellent land, miferably cultivated, and yet 
interfperfed with a great number of villages, both on its banks 
and as far along the meadows as one can fee in any dire6:ion : 
the river is alfo filled with boats palling and repalfing — boats all 
of one kind, and navigated in one manner ; nearly alfo of one 
fize, the largeft carrying ten or fifteen tons. On board of thefe 
E boats 
