Observations on the Geology of the Nile Valley, and on the Evidence of the Greater Volume of the River at a Former Period

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Abstract
1. Introductory. The evidence in favour of the view that the Nile was at one period a river of vastly greater volume than at the present day is so remarkable that it has forced itself on the attention of several writers, amongst whom maybe specially mentioned the late Prof. Leith Adams,.Prof. Zittel, and Capt. Lyons; and to the statements coming from such competent observers I should hardly have thought it necessary to add any of my own, were it not that I find from personal intercourse that geographers have failed as yet to grasp the full significance of the phenomena bearing on the subject and described by the above–named authors. When about to leave for a recent visit to the Nile Valley, I wrote to Prof. (now Sir) Joseph Prestwich, enquiring whether he thought there were any problems to which a travelling geologist might give attention with some prospect of enlarging our knowledge of the physical conditions of that remarkable line of country, and in reply he recommended me to pay special attention to the terraces. This advice I endeavoured to keep before my mind during my ascent as far as the First Cataract and the return journey; and I venture to lay before the Society the impressions that I then received, and the conclusions that I have drawn from them regarding the volume and dimensions of the river at a prehistoric period. But, before entering upon this special subject, I wish to note a few points connected with the

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