s$ 6 PLANT S. 
fubfides during the inundation, from the beginning 
of May until the overflowing of the Nile, i. e. to the 
end of July, or beginning of Auguft ; and in the 
ifland Delta, efpecially at Burlos, whence the largeft 
and belt are brought. This ferves the Egyptians 
for meat, drink, and phyflc. It is eat in abundance 
during the feafon, even by the richer fort of peo- 
ple ; "but the common people, on whom Providence 
hath bellowed nothing but poverty and patience, 
fcarcely eat any thing but thefe, and account this 
the bell time of the year, as they are obliged to 
put up with worfe fare at other feafons : they eat 
them witli bread, and fcarcely ever talle them ripe. 
This fruit likcwife ferves them for drink, the juice 
refrelhing thefe poor creatures ; and they have lefs 
occafion for water, than if they were to live on 
more fubftantial food in this burning climate. They 
make a hole in the melon, in which all the juice is 
collected. This fruit alfo affords phyfic; but it 
is not every kind of melon that anfwers this end. 
There is a variety fofter and more juicy than the 
common fort, and not fo plentiful. This comes from 
Burlos. When this is very ripe, and almolt putrid, 
they hollow part of it, gather the juice there col- 
lected, and, mixing it with rofe water and a little 
fugar, they give it in burning fevers, being the 
only medicine the common people ufe in thofe dii' 
tempers. It is, however, not fo frequent as Ah 
pinus and Veflingius relate; for it can be had A 
only one feafon of the year, and that is when th e 
fruit is ripe, which does not continue above thr £C 
weeks. This is very comfortable to the patient, i° r 
it cools and refrelhes him. This variety is by “h 
Arabs called Et-Naovi, which fignifies water. A “ 
pinus, therefore* miftook the origin of the word- 
