duce, it would be vain to require this tribute, when the deficiency
of the inundation keeps the land in a state of barrenness. Accordingly
the MikeaJ, or Nilometer, is of the highest importance,
not to the people only, but to the grand seignior, as it indicates the
extent of the impost, which the circumstances of the country will
allow him to exact. I f the land rendered fit for cultivation by the
overflowing of the Nile will be too little, or barely sufficient, to keep
the people from starving, the sovereign must of necessity forego
his tribute. When the inundation reaches to a certain extent, the
produce will allow the grand seignior to receive a certain portion:
and this, which is indicated by the rise of the water to the heieO-ht
of sixteen peeks at the Mikeas, is announced to the. people by the
cry of wafaa ullah; by which they are given to understand, that
the meery, or tribute, will be demanded. In this case, however
it is necessary, to measure the land, in order to ascertain how
much the water has overflowed, for which the tenant is to pay the
whole of the tax; how much has been watered by means of machines,
for which he pays only half, the other half being allowed
as a compensation for the expense of the additional labour required;
and how much has been incapable of receiving benefit,
left uncultivated, and therefore remains exempt from taxation. I f
the water should rise to the height of twenty peeks, the cry of
menjibbel allajibbel proclaims, that the whole of the land will be
fertilized, and become liable to the tribute.
In the midst of this expanse of water, covering the whole of
the low lands, the banks of the Nile appear, beautifully studded
with villages, to which the palm-trees around them are no incon