the Western Coast of the Red Sea. 199 



of the bay, with large flocks of Curlews. There were also 

 flocks of Dotterel and a large Ringed Plover and several kinds 

 of Sandpipers to be seen, but all so excessively shy that it 

 was quite impossible to get a sliot at them. I was much struck 

 by the wilduess of nearly all the birds during our expedition, 

 although it was impossible they could ever have been 

 disturbed. The only places where they were at all tame was 

 at Halaib and Mahomed Gol, where the Egrets would only 

 just move a few yards out of the way, and various kinds of 

 Sandpipers ran about almost among the Arab huts. It was 

 very amusing to watch the Egi'ets, only a few yards off, dash 

 into a shoal of little fishes, scattering them in every direction. 

 Bird-life was somewhat scarce in the desert round Berenice ; 

 there were two kinds of Wheatears {Saxicola deserti and 

 S. monacha), a few Desert-Larks, and a small flock or two of 

 the Cream-coloured Courser. There were a few gazelles about, 

 and some small hares with immensely long ears. Before 

 we had been many hours here, some white Egyptian Vultures 

 appeared, and two pairs of the Brown-necked Raven. The 

 so-called Temple of Berenice is really a tomb Avith several 

 chambers, built of a very white crumbling stone; there are 

 hieroglyphics on some of the walls, of which I got some good 

 photographs. 



After leaving Berenice, we sailed down inside the coral- 

 reefs and anchored the first night behind Siyal Island — a low 

 sandy island two or three miles long, 100 yards or so in 

 width, only about 3 feet above the sea, and covered with 

 two kinds of mesembryanthemum. A holy man lived here 

 once, and his grave is at one end of the island. Many of 

 these islands seem to be inhabited by hermits, dependent for 

 everything on the pearl-fishers aiid Arabs, who supply them 

 with food and water. There were three pairs of Ospreys here 

 and two kinds of Sandpipers, of which I got one [Calidris 

 arenaria). We caught some large, brilliantly-coloured fish 

 while at anchor, and a queer-looking shark about 6 feet long. 

 On January 14th we got to Halaib, which consists of a row 

 of thatched huts and an octagon fort, whitewashed at one 

 end. From here we first went to Sawakin Khadiui, about 



p 2 



