338 



CHAPTEE XXXV. 



MOUFFLON-STALKING IN CYPRUS. 



A TRIP to Cyprus had been a project of ours for years, 

 and we had in fact gone so far in 1896 as to engage 

 our steamer-passages from Corfu, where we were at 

 the time. A severe attack of illness rendered our 

 plans futile on that occasion, and the two following 

 winters were otherwise occupied — one as the reader 

 has already seen. 



In 1899 the ground at last seemed clear, except 

 for the quarantine involved by the existence of plague 

 in Egypt, which appeared to make Cyprus inacces- 

 sible from England except by the most circuitous 

 routes, such as that via Beyrout. 



We htid already made some preparations, but were 

 hesitating to take the final steps till a letter from 

 Trieste informed us that the Austrian Lloyd Com- 

 pany had established a new line, direct from the 

 Piraeus to Cyprus, in connection with their weekly 

 Constantinople boats. Whereupon, being in the 

 country, we at once telegraphed instructions for the 

 forwarding of our tents and camp - gear to Trieste 

 by grande vitesse. 



Giving them over a week's start, we followed on 



