‘A JOURNEY IN THE EAST, 339 
this way. It is, however, just what bears do, and I feel con- 
vinced that it was one of the Syrian isabelline-coloured bears, 
mentioned by Brehm in his ‘Thierleben’ as occurring in 
Palestine, that had played us this trick. Had there been a 
full moon we should have had a splendid night’s sport, but as 
it was I went back to breakfast at the castle annoyed and out 
of spirits. 
There was a good deal of life on the road. Caravans of 
asses and camels coming in from the country laden with pro- 
visions for the market at Jerusalem, and interesting types of 
men and women in their gay costumes. Our baggage and 
the whole train of pack-animals, under the leadership of Mr. 
Howard, soon came up from the Holy City, where the camp 
had been struck in the morning. They passed the castle on 
their way to Bethlehem, where our next camp was to be 
pitched. The gentlemen, however, were to spend the morn- 
ing in the city, and would not get to Tantur before noon. I 
employed the spare time in watching for large birds of prey 
at an ambush, and had the donkey’s head brought up to the 
hut, as I intended to poison this last remnant of our noble 
jackass and use it the following night. 
Large flocks of storks were passing from south to north, 
and soon appeared the daily string of vultures, which come 
from the mountains round the Dead Sea to pick up carrion at 
the towns, especially at Jerusalem. We saw hundreds of 
them, flying one after another, and also a few eagles, in the 
course of the forenoon; but unfortunately our hiding-place was 
too near the highroad where there was a good deal of traftic, 
and numbers of these great birds circled round without daring 
to descend. Only one Egyptian Vulture had the temerity to 
pass close to the hut several times, and at last forfeited his 
life. 
After this I went back to the castle, and with Count Caboga 
awaited the arrival of my fellow-travellers, who soon came 
7,2 
a 
