510 Mr. II. P. Witherby— Ornithological 



European Telegraph Department. Here, freed from the trials 

 of the march and soothed by the liquid notes of the Nightin- 

 gales, we were contented to rest and drink in the rich 

 perfume of the roses, which were in all the glory of per- 

 fection. But after a few days, when we were anxious to he 

 on the road again, we found the greatest difficulty in getting 

 mules. Shiraz was without a governor, the whole district 

 was much disturbed, and all the roads being considered 

 very unsafe, the muleteers were in fear of their lives. Colonel 

 and Mrs. C. A. Kemball, who had just arrived from the 

 Residency at Bushirc to take up their summer quarters at 

 Shiraz, took much interest in my journey. Colonel Kemball 

 very kindly suggested that I should wait for the arrival of 

 the new governor, when he could obtain an escort for me 

 as well as introductions to the various chiefs whom I might 

 encounter. But I was more willing to run the risk of being 

 attacked and robbed than to have the protection of an escort 

 which would have hampered my movements and would have 

 been a continual nuisance. 



I was glad therefore when at last an arrangement was come 

 to with a muleteer and we left Shiraz. We travelled rapidly 

 to the north-west, and in three days reached the high wooded 

 country which we had left with reluctance about three weeks 

 before. We found everything changed. The oak was in full 

 leaf, t Ik- resident birds had young in the nest, immigrants had 

 arrived, and butterflies and many unpleasant insects swarmed. 

 When our provisions were becoming exhausted after camping 

 here, we made a short cut to the north towards a largish 

 town by name Ardakun. On the way, however, while wc 

 were crossing a rapid stream (the Shir or Lion River) which 

 Hows for the most part through a narrow and precipitous 

 gorge, I saw some Dippers, and as 1 had not met with any of 

 these birds before, anil did not know where they might be 

 met with again, I camped for a clay to search for them. From 

 this camp we rode through barren and uninteresting country 

 covered with coarse grass and thistles, until we reached the 

 edge of a small and deep basin amongst the hills. Here 

 lay the town of Ardakun shrouded in groves of line walnut, 



