CHAPTER IX 



MORNING IN THE GORGE — DEPARTURE FROM PELLA — 



JOURNEY TO BRABIES — PROTECTION OF THE ORYX 



— ITS PECULIARITIES — ANTELOPES OF THE DESERT AND 

 THE FOREST — CAMPING AT BRABIES. 



DAYBREAK,— and the chill sea-wind 

 was still surging up the gorge. It was 

 delightful ; nevertheless, even among the 

 sheltering trees, a fire was very comforting. 

 The pageant of growing day was a wonder and 

 a delight. The upper tiers of that titanic 

 rock-city became glorious " under the opening 

 eyelids of the morn." They were refulgent 

 with hitherto unsuspected beauty. Those 

 acre-large splashes of vermilion, blue and 

 amber-brown must have been due to lichen. It 

 was strange that on the previous evening we 

 had not noticed these. Perhaps they paled 

 under the flames of day and only revived when 

 the cool, moist sea-wind bathed them. 



After a hurried dip in the still-tepid water, 

 followed by breakfast, we started on our 

 journey back to Pella. The wind sank 

 momentarily, but the air was still deliciously 



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