‘A JOURNEY IN THE EAST, 253, 
the camp, close to which I shot within a few minutes a couple 
of Ospreys as they flew overhead. 
The gentlemen came back one by one, each with some 
spoil, but Pausinger had done best, for he had hidden himself 
behind a bush, not far from the camp, and after waiting a 
little while a Pelican had come past flying low, and our 
accomplished artist had brought it down with a lucky shot. 
Before relating the further incidents of the day’s sport, I 
must describe the island itself. Parts of the eastern and 
southern shores are flat and covered with bushes, the 
remainder formed of steep crumbling cliffs, except at the 
most northerly point, where there is a small strip of flat coast 
and a marsh like a miniature lagoon. 
Between the strand and the rocky cone is a perfectly level 
tract, hardly ever more than three hundred yards broad, and 
covered with fine sand. 
On the north side of the island this little plain is in many 
places full of large stones and masses of rock, which have 
become detached from the cone itself and have rolled down. 
There all is barren, with the exception of a few bushes along 
the shore, and not even the scantiest grass thrives. The 
waters of the lake are perpetually undermining the friable 
coast, so it cannot be long before there will be nothing left of 
the whole island but the indestructible rocky cone. 
After a short rest the Grand Duke and Prince Taxis left 
the camp, and were soon followed by Baron Saurma and 
myself. Our plan was to divide our forces at a certain point, 
each party taking some dachshunds, and to beat round the 
central hill in different directions, and so meet at the north side. 
Two Stone-Curlews got up among the first rocks, and one 
of them I shot. The worthy Osman who was leading the 
dogs now let them loose among the stones, and forthwith an 
exciting, but somewhat difficult hunt began, for to follow the 
