Page:Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile - In the Years 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772, and 1773 volume 3.djvu/725

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not any one of them what he conceives, nor is the Mikeas divided unequally.

As for Mr Humes, who had lived long at Cairo, I would by no means be thought to infinuate a doubt of his veracity : There may, in change of times, be occafions when Chriftians may be admitted to the Mikeas, and be allowed to meafure exactly. This, however, muft be with a long rod, divided and brought on purpofe, with a high ftool or fcaffbld, and this fort of preparation would be attended with much dan- er if feen in the hand of a Chriftian without, and much more if he was to attempt to apply it to the column within. At Cai- ro a man may fee or hear any thing hedefires, by the ordinary means of gold, which no Turk can withftand or refufe ; but often one villain is paid for being your guide, and another villain, his brother, pays himfelf, by informing againft you; the end is mifchicf to yourfelf, which, if you are a ftranger, generally involves alfo your friends. You are afked.What did you at the Mikeas when you know it is forbidden? and your filence after that queftion is an acknowledgement of guilt ; fentence immediately follows, whatever it maybe, and execu- tion upon it. I rather am inclined to think, that though feve- ral Chriftians have obtained admiilion to the Mikeas, very few have had the means or instruments, and fewer Hill the courage, to meafure this column exactly; which leads me ro believe, as Dr Shaw fays, he procured the number of feet in a letter from Mr Humes, that the Doctor has miilaken 58 for 38, which, in a foreign hand, is very eafily done ; it would then be 38, inftead of 58 Englifh feet, and to that number it might approach near enough, and the difference be account- ed for, from an aukward manner of meafuring with a trem- bling hand, there being then only a little more than one foot of error.

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