The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1838-10-16

of one of Mr. BuckingIiam's Lectures in tina
city,
The subject Of this lecture was the Geogroph,
o. EGYPT, an important one in the course-ge.
ography bearing the same relation to history, thai
anatomy does to medicine. He described
the peculiar position Of Egypt-it being
merely corner of Africa, with the Mediterran
can on the North, and the Red Sen on the East
lie conceived it to he an extraordinary fact, that
although the Egyptians were at very early age
people who took an elevated stand in the civ
iized world, and were familiar with all the varic-
ties Of knowledge which flourshe,l in those days
the Influence of civilization had never been eX-
tended to the people inhabiting the adjoining
countries. The Lybans were barbarians in the
earliest ages, and continued barbaranS STILL
Another remarkable fact in connection with
the history of Egypt, the great density of its
popniation-t beingnore thcky inhabited, com
pared with the insgnficance of its area, than any
other country recorded in history. Egypt was
n long and narrow valley-a strip of small di-
tnensions-its length six hundred miles, but its
breadth averaging only ten niles. Its breadth,
however, varied-in some places being so miles
in others, two men placed on the different
sides OF the Nile, on the confines of the country,
could hold conversation with each other! Egypt
W as the gift Of the Nile, which overlooked an
nually, aud left rich deposit The soil which
was not subject 10 this inundution, was so bar
rem that the efforts of man could hardly make
1t produce blade of grass. lie compared the
extent and population of Egypt with that Of
Great Britain. 1t was of the same length, but
Great Britain was ten times the BREADTH An
opinion prevailed IN Great Britain, that that
country was over pcopled vet it contained popu-
lation ofonly 100000 while Egypt, with on
ly one tenth part of the area of Great Britain
contained, under the Ptolemies, n population of
20,00O,0OO, and probably much greater num-
Der under the reign of the Phoraohs. Yet with
this enormous population, Egypt did not require
to import the necessaries of life. She was very
properly called the Granary of The Wor}d. and
when most densely populated, eXorted large
quantities of wheat to other countries.
The cause ofthis extraordinary fertility of the
Egyptian soil, was the Nile, with its periodical
inundaiions. This river had been celebrated for
its spendor and majesty, and its striking pccu-
liartes from time nmemorial-and not without
reason 1t owed its celebrity TO several Causes.
The first was the unaided nature of its current,
which rushed on in single ma esy, receiving no
tributary stream, not even streumlet n rll,
for the distance OF 1850 miles from its mouth. -
In this particular the Nile differed irons every
other river which is known. In the next place.
it was celebrated for its seven mouths, producing
the Delta, and ut each mouth there was the site
of once large and magnificent city,
The number seven was sncred number among
the anrent--it Icing supposed that deep tnys-
terry was connected with it-nnd II was held in
great veneration 10y many natons-and this cir
cnmstance added 10 the wonderful pecuiarties
of the Nile. In the third place might be urged
the mystery which surrounded the sources of
the Nile. In this il differed from all other riv-
ers in The word-and Notwithstanding the at.
tcmpts of Cambyses, of Alexander the Great,
and of an almost numberless amount of eXped-
tons fitted out by governments or societies, or
undertaken voluntarily by individuals since those
times, the sources of the Nile still remain undis-
covered. Many bold and enterprisng travellers
had persisted in endeavorng to penetrate the re.
cesses of Africa, and discover the source of this
remarkable; river, rs Mungo Park, Belozoni
Clapperton, Ledyard, and others. When the
Landers sent Ivy the African Institution
some years since, sanglIine hope was entertain
ed thar they would find in the source Of the Nj.
ger the source Of the Nile Thcy followed their
instructions and descended the Niger but they
were soon suddenly whirled round from East 10
West, and finally found themselves carried down
by the current of the Atlantic Ocean Mr.
Is. paid handsome tribute to the character of
Bruce-he considered him one of the boldcst
and most enterprising of modern travellers. But
Bruce was mistaken in supposing that he had
discovered the source of the Nile. At dis,
tance of 1880 miles from its mouth, the Nile is
formed from two rivers, one of which flows from
the East, the other from the West. Bruce as
cended the one which Geographers had uuiver
sally considered the largest and the deepest
and ms being the principal sOurce--and after
encountcring many periIs, was fully justified in
believing that he had reached in the depths of
AbyssinIa, the object OF all his tolls. Since that
time travellers had assembled the other branch to
n considerable dstance---and all concured in
prononncing it the principal source OF this re-
markabe river--but none had yet been found
hardy and successful enough to penetrate to its
source. Another remarkable circumstance con.
necied with the Nile, was lis inunlations There
might I've nothing peculiar in this, in itself-as
other rivers frequently overlooked their banks
but what was remarkable was the almost astro-
nomcal punctually with which these nndalons
took place. Fhey never tailed-ond
no visible existing cause could he assigned for
this periodical redundancy OF its waters 1t
seemed as it it was caused 10y some mysterious
power
Mr.. Buckingham next described the Delta,
the triangular island at the mouth OF the river,
formed of the annual deposits attending the III
undations. The soil of the Delta was extreme
~ rich and productive. He next briefly descrlb'
ed the Cataracs of the Nle-and 'he three
IL