EGYPT. 30; 
pathless y^nca7^ desert', iii our way to Vtku: chap. 
the distance, however, did not exceed three v ,.,- / 
miles. High mounds of sand, shifting with CuuTuV'^ 
every change of wind, surrounded us on all 
sides, and concealed the view of other objects. 
Yet even here w^e found a few rare plants, and 
some of' these we collected^; but the heat was 
extremely oppressive. We also observed in 
this desert an interesting proof of the struggle 
maintained by man against the forbidding nature 
of the soil. Here and there appeared plantations 
oi pumpkins; and a few jars and cylinders oi terra 
cotta contained young palm-trees : these were 
placed in holes deep in the sand ; a hollow space 
surrounding each plant, to collect the copious 
dew falling every night. The vegetation of 
Egypt, even the redundant produce of the Delta, 
is not owing solely to partial inundation from the 
Niky or to artificial irrigation. When we hear 
that rain is unknown to the inhabitants, it must 
not be supposed the land is on that account 
destitute of water. From all the observations we 
could collect during our subsequent residence. 
(3) This is a part of the desert described by Savary. {Letters on 
Egypt, vol. I. />.47. ed. 2. Land. 1787.) 
(4) Amonj these were a non-descript species of Lotus, of Orobanche, 
of Salsoln,OieiranthuSy and of Poli/pogon. See List i>f Plants at the end 
of thz'Third Section of these TraTcls ; also the Note in Chap, II. Vol. V. 
of the 8vo. edition, where the new species are described. 
