692 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER
you are then on the fame plane with the foot of the column and bottom of the river. This pillar is divided into 20 peeks, called Draa El Belledy, of 22 inches each*.
The two lowermofT peeks arc not divided at all, but are left absolutely without mark, to ftand for the quantity of fludge the water depofits there, and which occupies the place of water. Two peeks are then divided on the right hand into 24 digits each ;• then, on the left, four peeks are divided each into 24 digits ; then, on the right, four; and, on the left, another four : again, four on the right, which complete the number of 18 peeks from the firlt divilion marked on the pillar each of 22 inches. The whole, mark- ed and unmarked, amounts to 36A feet Englifli.
On the night of St John, when the Nucta has fallen, that is, when they fee the rain-water from Ethiopia is fo mixed with the Nile that at Cairo it is become exhalable, and falls down in dews upon the earth, which till that time it ne- ver does, they then begin to cry, having five peeks of wa- ter marked on the Mikeas, and two unmarked for the iludge; of which they take no notice in the proclamation. 1 heir firil proclamation, fuppofe the Nile hath rifen 12 digits, is i2 from fix, or it wants 12 digits to be fix peeks. When it rifes three more, it is nine from fix, or, Tijfa a?n Si//e, and fo it goes on, fubtracling the digits from the upper number, without giving you any information what that fix is, or that they began to count from five, which 1 fuppofe is the af- fumed depth of the Nile before it begins to increafe.
When
f Vid. geometrical elevation and plan of the Mikeas.
