116 
DESCRIPTIONS OF EGYPT. 
of its beauty, and their enthusiasm, which in every 
age has degenerated into a species of religious 
adoration. An European, however, will not com- 
pare the thick and muddy waters of the Nile to 
the limpid streams of his native country ; nor 
will he who has seen the majestic rivers of the 
East be impressed with the grandeur of the 
gi^eatest stream in Northern Africa. When the 
inundation subsides, the greatest breadth of the 
river of Egypt is about 2000 feet, and its motion 
exceeds not three miles in the hour. The inun- 
dation commences about the 17th of June ; the 
waters, which gradually rise, overflow their banks 
in the middle of August ; they attain their utmost 
height in September, and from the end of that 
month gradually subside to the following solstice. 
The commencement of the inundation is extreme- 
ly regular, but the period of its duration is more 
capricious, axid the waters sometimes subside be- 
fore the ground be thoroughly soaked. 
After the annual inundation, the soil of Egypt 
is covered with a stratum of pure black mould of 
different degrees of density, proportional to the 
column of water by which it is deposited. This 
mould, or rather slime, is of an adhesive and 
unctuous quality, has a strong affinity for water, 
and suffers contraction in the fire. By desicca- 
tion in the air, its colour is gradually changed 
from black to a yellowish brown. When subject- 
