‘A JOURNEY IN THE EAST’ 269 
for we had shot two Lynxes, seven Wolves, two Ichneumons, 
two Desert-Hares, four Pelicans, two Ospreys, one Hgyptian 
Vulture, one Long-legged Buzzard, and one hundred and 
seventy-two head of smaller game, among which were many 
interesting specimens. 
We dined in the so-called waiting-room, and as it was now 
evening and our train stood ready, we had all the traps put 
into the carriages and soon left Aboukscer on our way to a new 
expedition. Baron Saurma, his brother, and Prince Taxis 
travelled with us for the first two hours; but when we reached 
the valley of the Nile and the station where the line goes 
north to Cairo and south to Siut these three gentlemen 
left us. 
After a hearty farewell we proceeded southwards towards 
Siut, the next stage on our way to the charming journey up 
the Nile, and making ourselves as comfortable as we could in 
the carriages, we all slept the sleep that had been earned by 
hard work. 
We reached Siut very early in the morning, and, going on 
board our Nile steamer, began the journey up the waters of 
the river of Egypt—an expedition undeniably one of the 
richest in historical, ethnographical, and scenic attractions 
that can possibly be undertaken. 
We hurried past towns and hamlets, where light-green 
palms, lofty minarets, and broad pigeon-towers form the lead- 
ing features of the clay-built villages, in whose ruinous con- 
fusion there lies an undoubted artistic charm. Countless 
kites fly round these human settlements, and the barking of 
dogs, the braying of donkeys, the bellowing of buffaloes, the 
groaning of camels, the screams of the Arabs, the creaking of 
the water-wheels, and dust, dirt, and disorder are their usual 
accessories. 
On the long sandbanks the white Egyptian Vultures and 
their larger relatives sit by the stranded carcasses, and flocks 
