220 



HUNTING ADVENTUHRS. 



FOXHOUND. 



others, but were not always successful, having seen our hawks 

 twice completely beaten during the two days we followed fVs fine 

 sport. 



The inhabitants of the country over which we hunted are all 

 Arabs. They live, like their brethren in other parts, almost 

 entirely on camels' milk and dates. Their care appears limited 

 to the preservation of the animal and the propagation of the tree, 

 which yield what they account the best of this world's luxuries ; 

 and these not only furnish this lively race of men with food, but 

 with almost all the metaphors in which their language abounds. 

 Of this we had an amusing instance : amongst others who accom- 

 panied the Elchee on this sporting expedition was a young officer, 

 who measured six feet seven inches : he, like others, had lain 

 down to take an hour's repose, between our morning and evening 

 hunt. An old Arab, who was desired to awake him, smiling, 

 said to his servant, (e Entreat your date tree to rise." We hnd a 

 hearty laugh at our friend, who was not reconciled to this com- 

 parison of his commanding stature to the pride of the desert. 



If we were amused by the field-diversions of -the Persians and 

 Arabs, they were equally so with our mode of hunting. The 

 Elchee had brought a few couples of English fox-hounds, intend- 

 ing them as a present to the heir-apparent, Abbas Meerza. With 

 this small pack we had several excellent runs. One morning we 

 killed a fox, after a very hard chase ; and while the rest of the 



