§ IV. Of the effects of the inundation of the Nile and of the measures of the Nile.

Pliny* elegantly describes the effect of the overflowing of the Nile. When it is twelve cubits, famine is the consequence; when thirteen, hunger follows; fourteen cubits produce joy; fifteen, security; and sixteen, delight. Wherefore an image was erected in the temple of peace by Vespasian Augustus, with sixteen children, by which was signified the overflowing of the Nile to the depth of sixteen cubits. The higher it rises beyond this number, the greater famine is expected, because the water delaying too long, the time of sowing is passed, and the crops cannot arrive at maturity, or produce fruit. It is the greatest calamity which can possibly happen to Egypt, when the Nile does not sufficiently water the earth, or when it exceeds sixteen cubits. The first curse upon

Egypt is predicted in Isa. xix. 5. The words of the

-which are gener וְנִשְׁתוּ־מים מהים Hebrew text are

ally translated, deficient seu arescent aquæ ex mari; so
the Syriac, Symmachus and the Vulgate. The root of this
verb with the points and the dagesch forte, is which
is said to occur three times in the Bible, but it is to
be found in no other Oriental language, and is therefore
very doubtful. But if you reject the points and the da-
gesch forte, which were added by the Masorites about the
seventh century after Christ, the places where this word
is found become very clear. Therefore I think it ought
to be read in this place
without the dagesch

* I. c.

+ Arcadius the Emperor, forbade any water to be taken from the Nile by breaking the mounds when the increase was less than twelve cubits, under pain of burning-Anno Christi ccccix. leg. i., de Nile agerribus, lib. 9. Cod. Theod. tit. 32., in which year a great famine prevailed at Constantinople, teste Marcellino in Chron.

Besides this place. Is. xli. 17; and Jer. li. 30.

forte, which is the Praeter. Conjug. Niph. from the root bibere, and should be translated, ebibentur aquæ ex mari, and so the LXX and Aquila have translated it xa αναποθήσεται υδατα απο θαλασσης. By the word 'translators understand the Mediterranean sea. But what is that to Egypt? It would affect it but little, was it entirely dry. In my opinion D' in this place is the river Nile, which is very often called the sea: for the first name of this river was Oceanus, in Greek Oxsaovs.* But the sense of this place is by no means that the Nile should dry up entirely, but that it should not sufficiently water the land.

It has been made a matter of attention by some men, how they might discover by diligent observation, what number of cubits the river rises when it is the highest, and the instrument by which they made their observations was called Neλouergiov: it was divided into cubits. John Graviust has described this instrument. He says it is yet to be found in Cairo, and Thevenot, Hasselquist and others state the same thing. The geographer of Nubia§ has elegantly described it as follows: Dar Almechias, that is, the place of measure is at the head of an island, which is broader on the eastern side, which is in sight of the city Fosdad. It is a large hall, surrounded within on all sides with arches, which a circle of columns support; and in the midst of the hall, is a large and deep cistern to which there is a discent on all sides by marble steps. From the centre of the cistern arises a straight marble column divided into cubits and digits. The water is car

Conf. Diod. Sic. Bibl. hist. lib. i. cap. 12. Maillet in description de l'Egypte, lettre ii. p. 41. The Nile, they say, flows with such force, that it more resembles a sea, than a simple river.

+ In libro de pede Romano.

Thevenot Voyage au Levante, p. I. lib. 2. c. 32; et lib. 3. c. 44. selquist Reise nach Palestina, pag. 76. Conf. Diod Sic.

Strabo in Georg. lib. xviii. lib. v. c. 9; xviii. 18; xxxvi. 7.

§ Clim. iii. p. 13.

Plutarch de Iside et Osir.
Herodot, lib. ii. c. 13.

Has

Bibl. hist. lib. 1.

Plinii hist. natur.

X

ried to that cistern through a large canal, which passes from it to the water of the Nile. The water does not run into the cistern except when it has arrived to that elevation which takes place in the month of August. The waters ordinarily rise sixteen cubits, and then they irrigate equally the territory of the Emperor. When the Nile rises eighteen cubits it waters both the neighbouring countries. If it rises twenty cubits it causes injury. Twelve cubits is a very small rise-A cubit is twenty-four digits. As often as it exceeds eighteen cubits it brings destruction, because it tears up and kills the trees. Likewise when it is less than twelve cubits, it produces drought and famine. It may be proper to refer to the words of Hasselquist on the means of ascertaining the height of the Nile. "The place

in which the height of the water is measured (the Nilometer) is the most remarkable thing in Old Cairo. It is a quadrangular house, built by the river, the roof terminating in a white pyramid. At certain distances from the ground there are openings to admit the water. In the middle of the building stands a marble pillar, upon which a gauge is marked, upon which the daily rise and fall of the water can be noted, until the whole land is overflowed. The government appoint the persons who are to make these remarks and during this period their superstition will not allow any but Mohammedans to enter the building. It was therefore impossible for us to obtain a view from the inside."

SV. Of the drains and the lake of Moeris.

The ancient Egyptians made use of various inventions, when the Nile did not overflow the more elevated lands, (for you will find no mountains in Egypt) or when it exceeded the desired bounds; among which inventions the drains and aqueducts hold a distinguished place. In the

middle of the drains there are steps on which the husbandman stands, as often as he wishes to water his land, and he is carried round by them. But to prevent falling, he seizes fast of a prop near him, with his hands, to which, clinging, he suspends his whole body and uses his hands in the place of his feet and his feet in the place of his hands; for he stands upon his hands whose business it is to act, and acts with his feet which are for standing.* Hence we may understand what is intended by Deut. xi, 10. to water the garden with the feet. This instrument is called by the Arabians Sakih (PD) irrigatorium.

Archimedes, indeed, is said to be the inventor of it, but this is incredible, since it occurs in the books of Moses. The Egyptians make use of their feet for treading, but the Persians make use of cattle.† Indeed the drains are excellent and most necessary inventions: but the aqueducts are still more important. Thus, according to Pliny,‡ between Arsensis and Memphis, there is a place in circumference CCLX paces, or according to Mutianus CCCCLX, and in depth fifty paces formed by nature, but improved and enlarged by the king of Moeris, whence also it is called the lake of Moeris, which is connected with the Nile by a canal. This place, both on account of its size and its depth, is sufficient to receive the overflowings of the Nile at the time of its increase, so that the water may not destroy the

* Conf. Phil, Jud. de confusione linguarum p. 255. edit, Genev.

+ You may see the figure in the Travels and Observations in several parts of Levant, by Shaw, T. II. p. 337. Norden's Voyage d'Egypte et de Nubie, T, I. fig. 53. ad pag. 61. Niebuhr's Beschreibung Arabiens, T. I. p. 148. &c. In the Koran, Sur. II. v. 66. Muhamed says, "the heifer which has not plowed the earth nor watered the land," that is, which has not moved in the wheel which draws the water, and by which it is poured into the canals that water the land. From Babylon even to the Nile a certain hill descends, by which water is drawn from the river by means of wheels and pumps, captives working continually. Conf. Strab. Geogr. lib. xvij. p. 807, Hannoverishes Magazin, 1780. St. 57. p. 899.

Hist. Natur. lib. v. c. 9.

crops and the habitations. Afterwards, the Nile decreasing, by the aid of a ditch it retains a sufficiency of water to supply the husbandmen. The ditch is eight stadia long, and three hundred feet broad. By this, the lake sometimes receiving the river water and sometimes not receiving it, retains a suitable supply of water, the mouth being opened at one time and closed at another, not without much labour and expense. For whoever would remove or replace the enclosures of this structure, had to expend not less than fifty talents. The lake has remained subserving the conveniences of the Egyptians even to our times, the name only being changed, for it is called Lacus Charontis. But this lake affords another advantage to the Egyptians; an immense number of fish grow in it. It is said to produce twenty two kinds of fish, and so great a number is caught, that although there is an immense number of men who follow the business of salting them, they can scarcely accomplish their work.

§ VI. The fertility arising from the Nile. Among other nations, agriculture is carried on with great expense and labour; but among the Egyptians alone their fruits are collected with very little expense or trouble, whence also the common people, when the Nile overflows, freed from work, give themselves up to relaxation, feasting continually, and enjoying without interruption all things that conduce to pleasuret. Then when the slime is left, the fertility is so great, that they are often compelled to mix it with gravel, lest the seed being sown in this too rich and nitrous slime, should perish from its richness. Particularly the lower part of Egypt which is called the Delta is too rich. On the contrary, in the

*Conf. Strab. Geog. lib. xvii. p. 811. Diod. Sic. Bibl. hist. lib. i. p. 34. + Conf. Diod. Sic. Bib. hist. lib. i. Irwin's Series of Adventures in the course of a voyage up the Red Sea, &c. p. 229.