Page:Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile - In the Years 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772, and 1773 volume 3.djvu/692

 668 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

Nile is generally found at Cairo to be at its highefl, and be- gins to diminfh every day after.

Thus faras to the caufe and progrefs of the Nile's inun- dation in our northern hemifphere ; but fo much light and confirmation is to be drawn from our consideration of the remainder of the fun's journey fouthward, that I am per- fuaded my following him thither will require no apology to my philofophic or inquifitive reader.

Immediately after the fun has paffed the Line he begins the rainy feafon to the fouthward, ftill as he approaches the zenith of each place; but the fituation and neceffities of this country being varied, the manner of promoting the inunda- tion is changed. A high chain of mountains run from about 6° fouth all along the middle of the continent towards the Cape of Good Hope, and interfects the fouthern part of the peninfula nearly in the fame manner that the river Nile does- the northern. A ftrong wind from the fouth, flopping the progrefs of the condenfed vapours, daihes them againit the cold fummits of this ridge of mountains, and forms many rivers which efcape in the direction either eafl or weft, as the level prefents itfelf. If this is towards the well, they fall down the fides of the mountains into ihe Atlantic, and if on the eaft, into the Indian Ocean. Now all thefe would be ufelefs to man, were the hteiian winds to reign, as one would think muil be the cafe, analagous to what paffes in Egypt; nay, if any one wind prevailed, thefe rivers, fwelled. with rains, would not be navigable, but another wife and providential dilpofition has remedied this.

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