224 MB, B. M, BEDHEAD OK THE FLOBA OF SIKAT. 



Judaea. The pretty Iris SisyrincTiium^ which we first saw at the 

 Pyramids, again pleased the eye and perfumed the air. 



Numerous troops of camels were grazing on this rich pasture ; 

 and the prairie was dotted with flocks of sheep and goats, and 

 with the black tents of the Bedouin flock-masters. Our own 

 camels ate very sparingly of this rich grass, evidently preferring 

 the dry, thorny herbage of the Sinai desert. 



One of the most curious sights I witnessed during the journey 

 was an Arab encampment which we visited this evening, where 

 Ave saw the 2000 camels belonging to the tribe, which nightly 

 return to and are tended within the encampment. They lie in 

 front of their owners' tents, and, being very timid, are at once 

 aware of the presence of strangers, and give loud tokens of then* 

 disapproval by groans. Their rest was disturbed by our visit, 

 and I heard them keep up low^ moans until daybreak. They are 

 as sensible as watch-dogs to a strange foot, voice, or eA^en inaudible 

 presence. It was still more strange, about 6.30 a.m. the next day, 

 to see the troops of camels disperse : radiating from the encamp- 

 ment like the. spokes of a wheel, they filed across the apparently 

 boundless prairie in single lines, young and old, patriarch and suck- 

 ling, of about 100 in each troop. 



Having crossed the dry bed of the watercourse near Beersheba, 

 we were now within the frontier of Palestine, and my desert 

 notes should here, by right, end ; but I find, on inquiry, that a 

 very great difference exists in the flora of Palestine at various 

 seasons of the year ; and it may therefore not be Avithout interest, 

 to some, to read brief notes of the plants remarked by myself m 

 the months of March and April. 



I had been led to believe I should fijid many bulbous plants ; 1 

 hardly found any. I expected to see several Orchids ; I found 

 them of unfrequent occurrence, and foAv species. The general 

 character of the vegetation of Palestine proper (excepting the 

 Jordan valley) seemed greatly to resemble that of Sicily and 

 G-reece. We had observed, since leaving Nuhkl, the gradual im- 

 provement in fertility of the country ; and Ave now, on approach- 

 ing Dhoheriyeh, saAv the richest flora observecl during the jour- 

 ney. "We soon entered a picturesque gorge at the southern limit 

 of the hill-country of Judea, and Avere gratified by the sight of a 

 herd of gazelles scampering gracefully along the hill-side. The 

 foUoAving are a fcAV of the more conspicuous plants noticed in this 

 vicinity: — Anemone coronatnaani A, Jiortensis ; Hanunculus asiaU- 

 cm ; Adonis cestivalis ; Convolvulus althceoides and C sapttcefohus i 



