The three largest
of these lakes are called Victoria, Albert, and Edward, after our
sovereigns, for the men who discovered them were British and naturally
carried the names of their rulers to plant as banners wherever they
penetrated. These lakes are not in Egypt, but far beyond, in a region
where at one season of the year there is a terrific downfall of rain;
this swells them up and makes them burst forth from every outlet in a
tremendous flood. The Nile carries off most of this water, and some
other rivers, which flow into it up there, bring down masses of water
too, and all this rushes onward, spreading far over the thirsty land of
Egypt and turns the desert into a garden, making it "blossom as the
rose." Wherever the water reaches the land bears fruit, but beyond it is
sandy and sterile desert.

The length of this amazing river from Lake Victoria to the sea is now
reckoned to be between three thousand and four thousand miles, or almost
half the length of the earth's diameter, and for over a thousand miles
it receives no tributaries at all. In almost all rivers we are
accustomed to we see streams and other tributaries running in and
swelling the volume of water as the main river passes down to the sea,
but for all these miles the Nile flows unsupported and unreplenished
beneath the blazing sun. No wonder the Egyptians worshipped anything so
splendid!

The total length of England and Scotland together, from John o' Groats
to Land's End, is eight hundred miles, which gives us a measuring rod to
estimate the length of this splendid highway, which is frequently half a
mile broad.

Though the yearly inundation made cultivation possible, men soon learned
that it was not enough; besides this they must water the crops between
times, and so means were devised for storing up the water; but these
were mostly very simple and primitive until Great Britain went to Egypt
to help the Khedive out of his difficulties and to teach him how to
govern for the good of his people. Then immense works were started for
holding up the water which would otherwise have run away to the sea at
flood-time and been wasted.

We arrive at Cairo very late at night, and when we get to our bedroom we
find both beds looking rather like large meat-safes, for they are
enclosed in white net curtains. These fall from a top or ceiling
resembling that on old four-posters.

[Illustration: ENGLISH SOLDIERS CLIMBING THE PYRAMIDS.]

[Illustration: THE MOSQUE