4 2 s LETTERS, 
fcarcely deferve the leaft attention of a traveller, 
after having been feenby fomany thoufands. But I 
efteem myfelf happy in having feen fomething elfe 
in Egypt, which alone certainly deferves a voyage 
to this country, I mean the flowing of the Nile , 
which may with reafon be called a wonder of na- 
ture, aflifted by art. But the moft furprifing thing 
of all, is, that the fields of Egypt oweto our northern, 
mountains their fertility, and of courfe the coun- 
try its felicity. This is a matter which is certain- 
ly known to our natural Philofophers, as it is al- 
lowed by all the Wifemen of Egypt, who have it 
from their matters through many generations. 
They fay, that the water, which every year en- 
creafes the Nile, rifes from the earth towards the 
North Pole, is changed into clouds, and thus tra- 
vels, when thefe have a proper wind, over Europe 
and Africa, as far as the Montes Lunas in Ethiopia, 
where it falls down in rains, runs in abundancy 
from the rocks of the mountains, and is gathered 
in the Nile, which hath its fountain there, and 
below its fall is by channels led over all Egypt, 
according to the wife conceptions of the ancient 
Egyptians. This is the opinion of thofe of the 
Egyptians, who believe themfelves to have fome 
knowledge of nature, of which fome are yet to be 
found here, defcended from the Arabian fchool. 
I have thought this account worthy of relating, 
juft as I received it, and' will leave others to fearch, 
whether any ufeful information can be got hence, 
in a thing beyond the plan of my enquiries. 
I shall rather purfue that which comes under 
my own fphere, and fpeak of what Botanijls may 
expert from Egypt towards the increafe and im- 
provement of that art. Of this I have now an idea 
entirely different from that which Alpinus g ave 
