56 VOYAGE UP THE NILE, 
^ n^^' Opposite to Rachmanie there is a small island, 
' — *— ^ in the middle of the river. A large vessel with 
three masts was stationed near the town. The 
Nile is here very broad, and the current was at 
this time prodigiously rapid ; yet the strength 
of the Etesian wind enabled us to stem its force, 
and to proceed with very great velocity. Vil- 
Desciip- lages, in an almost uninterrupted succession, 
Couiury."^ denoted a much greater population than we had 
imagined this country to contain. Upon each 
side of the river, as far as the eye could reach, 
we saw rich fields of corn and rice, with such 
beautiful groves, seeming to rise out of the 
watery plains, and to shade innumerable settle- 
ments in the Dtlia, amidst never-ending planta- 
tions of melons and all kinds of garden vegeta- 
bles, that, from the abundance of its harvests, 
Egypt may be deemed the richest country in 
the world. Such is the picture exhibited to 
the native inhabitants, who are seasoned to 
withstand the disorders of the country, and can 
bear with indifference the attacks of myriads of 
all sorts of noxious animals ; to whom mud and 
mosquitoes, or dust and vermin, are alike in- 
different ; who, having never experienced one 
comfortable feeling in the midst of their highest 
. enjoyments, nor a single antidote to sorrow in 
the depths of their wretchedness, vegetate, like 
