THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. . 427
every other fublunary concern. It was one of the moll magnificent, ftupendous fights in the creation, though de- graded and vilified by the lies of a groveling, fanatic pea- fan t.
I was awakened from one of the moft profound reveries that ever I fell into, by Mahomet, and by my friend Dr'wk, who now put to me a thoufand impertinent queftions. It was after this I meafured the fall, and believe, within a few feet, it was the height I have mentioned ; but I confefs 1 could at no time in my life lefs promife upon precifion ; my reflection was fufpended, or fubdued, and while in fight of the fall I think I was under a temporary alienation of mind; it feemed to me as if one element had broke loofe from, and become fuperior to all laws of fubordination; that the fountains of the great deep were extraordinarily opened, and the deftruction of a world was again begun by the agen- cy of water.
It was now half an hour pad one o'clock, the weather per- fectly good ; it had rained very little that day, but threatened a fhowery evening ; I peremptorily refufed returning back to Alata, which our landlord importuned us to. He gave us a reafon that he thought would have weight with us, that he, too, had his meery, or money, to fend to the king, which would be ready the next morning as earlv as we pleafed. The mention of to-morrow morning brought all my engagements and their confequences into my mind, and made me give a flat refufal, with fome degree of pee- vifhnefs and ill-humour. I had foon after found, that he had otherwife made up this affair with Mahomet our guide; but being refolute, and, a moment after, taking leave of
3 H 2 our
