SIX months' bird collecting in egypt. 93 



Coots, as they rose, sounded like distant thunder. Alone 

 by himself, a stately Pelican rode at anchor like a monarch 

 of the waters ; and the shrill cry of Gulls and Terns was 

 heard as they passed us in the air. 



The fishermen had an order to procure four Swans for 

 the Viceroy, and one man had been on this special quest 

 five days. Hasselquist (175 1) mentions Swans on the coast 

 at Damietta, and Mr. Macgregor says he saw some on Men- 

 zaleh, (" Rob Roy on the Jordan," p. 70,) but still it is some- 

 way south for such noble denizens of more northern regions, 

 and the Viceroy is quite right to get them when he can. 

 But in this instance the fishermen evidently thought his 

 wishes could not be complied with, in which case the 

 bastinado awaited the delinquents. An order sometimes 

 comes (so they told us) for a thousand Ducks to be sent 

 alive to the capital. Thereupon they have to bestir them- 

 selves, and the Sheik assigns about three hundred to each 

 company of seven boats, with the alternative of twenty 

 guineas' fine if they are not forthcoming by a certain date. 

 They had now in a week only got 113, the order having 

 arrived since the commencement of the moon, which had 

 been full on the 21st. As we approached cautiously to the 

 boats, three in number, I could see that they were slowly 

 driving the Ducks to where the nets were set. Great care 

 is necessary, for if they go too fast or tack too slanting, the 

 Ducks are up directly, and all their trouble will have been 

 for nothing. The nets are not unlike what were in use 

 among the ancient Egyptians (see Rossilini, fig. clap-net). 

 The men have a rope to pull ; they are concealed on an 

 island, and when they see the Ducks are in the right place, 

 they all unite their strength, tug at the rope, and entrap 

 them before they have any time to swim further. A couple 

 of forked sticks are seen standing out of the water, and 

 when the Ducks are between them, this indicates that they 

 are in the right place. The net may be about twenty-five 



