ere no Nile to water the land, Egypt would be nothing
but a desert.

3. Once a year, as a rule, the Nile rises and overflows its banks. The
waters spread out over the country and cover it with rich mud. In this
mud much cotton, sugar, grain, and rice are grown.

[Illustration: The Nile in Flood.

(From the picture by F. Goodall, R. A., in the Guildhall Gallery. By
permission of the Corporation of London.)]

4. Egypt now belongs to the British. They have turned part of the Nile
into a huge lake, in which the water is stored.

5. The water is let out of the lake when it is needed. It runs into
canals, and then into drains, which cross the fields and water them.

6. A sail along the Nile is very pleasant. There are lovely tints of
green on the water. As the boat glides on, many villages are passed.
Each of these has its snow-white temple.

7. All along the river bank there are palm trees. They wave their crowns
of green leaves high in the air. The fields are gay with colour. Above
all is the bright blue sky.

8. Look at the picture again. At a short distance from the water you see
a village. It has a wall round it, and outside the wall is a ditch. In
October the ditch is full of water; in spring it is dry.

9. In and near this ditch the children and the dogs of the villages play
together. You can see two boys in the picture. One of them is standing
by his mother. The other boy is riding on a buffalo.

10. In the middle of the village there is an open space. Sometimes this
space is covered with bright green grass. Round it are rows of palm
trees. The house of the chief stands on one side of this green.

11. Every village has its well, and every well has its water-wheel for
drawing up the water. By the side of the well the old men of the village
sit smoking and chatting. The women come to the well to fill their
pitchers with water.

12. All the houses are built of Nile mud. This mud is dug out of the
banks of the river. It is mixed with a little chopped straw to hold it
together. Then it is put into moulds. After a time it is turned out of
the moulds, and is left to dry in the sun.

[Illustration: The Chief City of Egypt.

(From the picture by Talbot Kelly, R.I.)]

* * * * *

6. CHILDREN OF EGYPT.

[Illustration: {An Egyptian woman}]

1. In the picture you see two of the women of Egypt. One of them is
standing at the edge of the river. She is filling her pitcher with
wa