LETTERS. 453 
bring forth their valuable fruit. After the latter 
has thrown off the lowermoft old leaves, the new 
ones Ihoot out from the top, and at the fame time 
the new Spatha come forth in the months of De- 
cember and January ; at this period alfo, the 
branches of flowers of the Plantain-tree appear. 
This feafon concludes with the harvelt, in the 
month of April, and nofigns are afterwards to be 
feen of Egypt’s having flood under water the pre- 
ceding year. 
Egypt is not abfolutely deftitute of rain in the 
months of November, December, January, Feb- 
ruary and March ; but it muft be particularly ob- 
ferved, that this does not extend farther than to 
the fide nearer the Mediterranean fea; where it 
rains fo hard fome years, efpecially at Alexandria, 
Rofetta and Damiata, as to occafion very cold 
weather, to the great inconvenience of the inhabi- 
tants ; it fometimes happens at Cairo, about this 
time, that a flattered cloud lets fall a few drops of 
rain in pafling. This has been flarcely obferved 
by any traveller, therefore they have no true idea 
of the Egyptian climate in Europe ; fome faying 
it rains there, others aflerting the contrary, and 
both are in the right. After harveft, and with 
the month of May, begins a dreadful feafon in 
Egypt, a fummer, which makes the earth refem- 
ble, in fome refpeft, that of Norland in the months 
of January and February. Then the earth ap- 
pears full of fiflures, and, by the excefiive heat, is 
brought into the fame fituation, that the fevereft 
frofts occafion with us, but with this difference, 
that the ruggednefs of ourfrozen earth, is concealed 
by an ufeful and not difagreeable fnow, whereas the 
parched earth of Egypt has no veil to hide its 
mifery, 
