In my view, it is also the sun that makes the air in Egypt so dry. As it passes over the land, it heats the space around it, warming the earth and the air. This heat causes the air to be dry almost all year. Because of this, the upper parts of Libya are always hot, as if it were perpetual summer.
We may imagine a different arrangement of the heavens: if the places of the north and south winds were reversed, so that the north became like the south and vice versa, the sun would travel to Europe as it now travels to Libya. In that case, the passage of the sun over Europe would affect the Ister River, causing it to behave in the same way as the Nile does now. This shows how the sun’s path can shape the climate and the flow of rivers in a region Journey Beyond Meroe.
Why the Nile Has No Breeze
Another interesting fact is that no wind seems to blow from the Nile. I believe this happens because winds usually form when air moves from a cold region to a warm one. Since the Nile flows through very hot countries, the air above it is already warm, and no cooler air comes to create a breeze. This is why the river’s surface remains calm and windless, unlike rivers in cooler lands.
The Sources of the Nile
As for the source of the Nile, I could not find anyone who knew its true origin. I asked Egyptians, Libyans, and Greeks, but all of them admitted they did not know. Only one man claimed to have knowledge—the scribe who kept the register of the sacred treasures of Minerva in the city of Sais. Even he did not seem entirely certain.
He told me the following story: “Between Syene, a city in the Thebais, and Elephantine, there are two hills with sharp conical tops. One is called Crophi, and the other Mophi. Midway between these hills are the fountains of the Nile, which it is impossible to measure in depth. Half the water flows north into Egypt, while the other half flows south toward Ethiopia.”
Why the Fountains Cannot Be Measured
The scribe explained that these fountains are unfathomable because of the force of the water. He said that King Psammetichus once tried to measure the depth by lowering a rope thousands of fathoms long, but he could not find the bottom. The water moves with such strength that it forms eddies and a powerful backflow. This makes it impossible for a sounding line to reach the base of the spring Personal Sofia Tours.
Nature Beyond Human Control
From all this, it seems clear that the Nile’s behavior and the dryness of Egypt are caused by natural forces, such as the sun and the wind, and not by human influence. The river’s source remains mysterious, deep in lands unknown, beyond the reach of observation. Its power, its heat, and its unfathomable fountains remind us that nature often works in ways beyond human understanding.
