DISSEI, BROWN ISLAND 49 



such a thing at Dissei, or even in the Red Sea for that matter. 



A couple of spectacular Goliath herons were parading 

 along the coral reef further up. It was impossible to get 

 near them in the boat. I got out and soon shouts of 'Buffalo 

 Bill's father' rang from the boat. I had shot the six-foot 

 male and a reef-heron sitting on the water further away, 

 both stone dead. Other birds we collected that day were 

 seven sea-birds of varying species and an osprey. Just 

 beyond the reef on the last rock summit two imposing birds 

 of prey watched us suspiciously from their nest. When later 

 we found they had flown we climbed up. In the nest there 

 were three large speckled eggs as well as bits of fish, bits of 

 reef-heron and the four hoofs of a dick-dick; this must have 

 been killed on the mainland and carried here from a dozen 

 miles away. 



Not finding the north-east of the island a very suitable 

 zone for underwater work we thought of immersing on the 

 opposite side where a sudden and intense blue showed 

 beyond the vast yellow reef. This was just what we wanted. 

 It meant that the barrier descended sharply, almost per- 

 pendicularly. This was what we were looking for and what 

 we found. 



But a problem presented itself. How were we to get over 

 the reef without doing an interminable detour to the north ? 

 The only answer was to get out and pull and push the boat 

 over. The usual infernal chore. 



While marching at full throttle against the sand bar in a 

 foot and a half of water there suddenly appeared under the 

 bows first three, then four, then five black-fin sharks each 

 three feet long. Disturbed by our excessive noise they 

 waggled away disconcerted. 'Lord', we said, 'if sharks hang 

 around here in a "palmful of water", like mullet, we shall 

 be in for some fun out there in the blue.' Cecco loaded his 



