After this, and about mid-night, the Horse-men retired themselves two miles off: The morning come, and the convenient time: the Crocodile courts the land: where when he saw the carkasse, came grumbling to it, and setting his two foremost feet on the Carrions middle, begun to make good cheare of the intrales: whereat the squink-eyed Gunner perceiving his time, drew the string, [The killing of a great Crocodile.] and giving fire, off went the piece, and shot the Crocodile in three parts: well, he is deadly wounded, and making a horrible noyse, the Gunner lay denned, and durst not stirre: meanewhile the beast striving to recover the water, tyred, and lying close on his belly there he dyed.
After the shot, the Horse-men drew neare, and finding the beast slaine, relieved the Gunner, and brought with them this monstruous creature to Cayre; where now his skinne hangeth in the Consuls Hall, which I saw during my stay in his house. For this piece of service, the Merchant was greatly applauded, & scorned to take from the City 500. Sultans of gold as a reward for his paines, which they freely offered him, and he as freely refused.
Now to discourse of Nylus, this flood irriguateth all the low playnes of the Land, once in the yeare, which inundation, beginneth usually in the latter end of July; and continueth to the end of August: Which furnisheth with Water all the Inhabitants; being the onely drinke of the vulgar Ægyptians; and of such vertue, that when Pescennius Niger saw his Souldiers grumble for Wine, What (sayth hee) doe you grumble for Wine, having the Water of Nylus to drinke. And now because many schollers, and learned men, are meerely mistaken about [The true knowledge of the flowing of Nylus.] the flowing of Nylus, I will both show the manner and quality or cause of its inundation, and thus. There is a drye pond called Machash digged neare unto the brinke of the River, in midst whereof standeth a pillar of eighteene Cubites height, being equall with the profundity of the Ditch, whereby they know his increasing: and in the yeare following if they shal have plenty or scarcity of things.
Now betweene the River and this pond, there are sixe passages or spouts digged through the Banke; where when the River beginneth to swell, it immediately fals downe through the lowest passage into the pond, and being discovered there comes forth of Cayre, certayne of the Priests called Darvishes, accompanied with a hundred Janizaries, and pitch their Tents round about this Quadrangled pit. In all which time of the Inundation, they make great Feastings, rare Solemnities, with Dancing, Singing, toucking of kettle Drummes, sounding of Trumpets, and other ostentations of joy.