The chief lakes of Egypt, from west to east are Mareotis, Edku, Burlus,
and Menzala; these lie only a few miles from the coast and are shallow
and brackish. The seven famous natron lakes lie in a valley in the
desert, eighty miles from Cairo. In the province of the Fayum is the
Birket-el-Kerum, thirty miles long and five miles wide, forming the
remains of the ancient Lake Moeris, which Herodotus believed to have
been artificially constructed.
The climate is extremely dry. Egypt lies in an almost rainless area. The
days are warm and the nights are cool. January is the coolest month. On
the coast rain falls during the winter months, but snow is unknown. In
Sinai, snow occasionally falls during the winter, and heavy storms of
rain occur, which occasionally flood the rocky ravines. One interesting
feature of the climate is the continuous north wind, which blows
throughout the year, and the sailing boats are thus able to ascend the
Nile against the strong current. During the spring the Kamsin occurs, a
hot, dry south wind laden with sand, forming a yellow stifling fog
almost obscuring the sun; it lasts from one to three days.
There are five large oases or fertile places in the western
desert--Siwa, Baharia, Kharga, Dakla, and Farafra. These have been
occupied since 1600 B. C. Kharga possesses a temple of Ammon, built by
the Persian conqueror, Darius I., and also other interesting ruins of
the time of the Ptolemies. Siwa contains the oracle temple of Jupiter
Ammon, consulted by Alexander the Great. The town is built on the rocks
and has the appearance of a fortress.