rtue, and leavens a Paste exposed to
the Air: that the Mud, which has been drawn out of the water, grows
heavier, when the overflowing begins, then it was before, and that by the
increase of the weight of that Mud, they judge of the greatness of the
approaching inundation. The Author pretends, that {252} the Niter, which
the _Nile_ is stored with, is the cause of all these strange effects, and
of many others, by him alledged. For, _saith he_, when the Nitre is heated
by the heat of the Sun, it ferments, and mingling with the water, troubles
it, and swells it, and makes it pass beyond its banks; after the same
manner, as the Spirits in new Wine render it troubled, and make it boyle in
the vessel. And it seems not likely to him, that the Mud, found in the
_Nile_, should come a far off; for then it would at last so raise the banks
of this River, that it would not be able to overflow them any longer.
Whereas 'tis more than 2000 years, that the banks thereof are not grown
higher, there being now requisite but 16. cubits for overflowing the Land,
no more than there was in the time of _Herodotus_. Which shews, _saith he_,
that this Mud is nothing but a volatil _Niter_, which exhaling, doth not
increase the Earth. As for the _AEgyptian_ Dew, and the increase of the
weight of the Mud, he adscribes them to the same Cause. For the spirits of
Nitre abounding in the _Nile_, when raised into the Air with the vapors,
that exhale continually from this River, there is made out of their
mixture, a Dew, that refreshes the Air, makes sickness to cease, and
produces all those admirable effects, that make the _AEgyptians_ wish for it
so passionately. And the same spirits of Niter, being joyned to the Paste,
and to the Mud, raise the one, and augment the weight of the other. That,
which Mr. _Buratini_ observes, that at the time of this inundation, the
Niter-pits of the neighboring places vomit out liquid Niter, and that one
may see issue out of the Earth abundance of Chrystals of Nitre, is alledged
to fortify this conjecture; Which is yet more confirm'd by the Fertility,
communicated to the Earth by the Mud of this River. For, plants do grow
there in such abundance, that they would choak one another, if it were not
remedied by throwing Sand upon the Fields; insomuch that the _AEgyptians_
must take as much pains to spread Sand to lessen the fatness of their Land,
as other Nations do, to spread dung or other manure upon theirs to increase
the fatn