‘A JOURNEY IN THE EAST, 369 
on reaching it the trail led me over a meadow, through bushes, 
and along a stony stream with some muddy spots, to the edge 
of a thicket. There I awaited the arrival of my two com- 
panions and the Bedouins. 
The dogs were immediately put upon the trail, and in a 
few minutes I heard the joyful sound of their baying and of 
a fierce fight, and hurrying through the dense undergrowth I 
reached a little glade surrounded by trees and bushes, in the 
middle of which a violent struggle was going on. The dogs 
were behaving bravely, barking savagely, and tugging and 
biting at the boar, which was still defending itself with pluck 
and vigour. Seizing a favourable moment I gave the powerful 
finely-tusked animal a finishing shot. 
I had now time to look about me, and saw through the 
high trees and dense bushes the sparkle of water, and heard 
the rushing sound of a river. I quickly called out to my 
companions to tell them of the happy discovery, for, thanks to 
our pursuit of the wounded boar, our desires had at last been 
gratified, and we had reached the far-famed Jordan, the sacred 
stream, which we had imagined to be much further away. 
The river has quite the character of a true mountain-stream, 
and seeing it rushing along and splashing merrily about the 
rocks and stones, one might have thought one’s self transported 
to the banks of the Enns or the Traun, among our beautiful 
Alps. 
After bathing in the Jordan we felt strengthened and re- 
freshed, and, followed by our Bedouins, went back along the 
boar’s track, and through the valley up to the edge of the 
plateau, from which we had descended. There we mounted 
our horses, and guided by Salim rode off at full gallop straight 
across the steppe. Passing the spot where we had begun to 
shoot in the morning, we proceeded up the valley, the bottom 
of which was clothed with luxuriant vegetation, while the 
heights which enclosed it were of the invariable character of 
2B 
