380 THE IMAGE OF WAR 



that number in the whole island. Still the Gov- 

 ernment can very well afford to allow at least 

 half a dozen rams to be shot every year — say, 

 three in Papho district, two in Nicosia, and one 

 in Limassol. 



What is most wanted to preserve the moufflon is 

 the wholesale laying of strychnine in the forests in 

 winter, to reduce the enormous quantity of foxes, 

 which no doubt kill the bulk of the lambs. The 

 starving village curs also probably do much damage. 



Having bagged my moufflon, and the shooting 

 season being at an end, there was no object in my 

 remaining in Cyprus. I did, however, linger another 

 month at Papho trying to arrange an ibex-shoot on 

 my homeward way, but these ideas were brought to a 

 sudden end by my receiving telegraphic orders to join 

 one of the new Royal Beserve regiments. Of course, 

 the weather that week was too rough for any steamer 

 to call at Papho, and we were obliged to trespass 

 on the kindness of our hospitable Commissioner 

 till the next, when we found ourselves once more 

 under the familiar house-flag of the Austrian Lloyd 

 Company. 



This steamer took us to Alexandria, where a six 

 days' detention enabled us to have a run up to 

 Cairo ; and then one of the beautiful boats of their 

 Egyptian service took us to Brindisi in under sixty 

 hours. 



It was snowing in Italy — rather a violent change 

 from the heat of Ghizeh a few days previously, and 

 one which knocked us both out of time. 



By taking our journey across Europe in a good deal 

 more leisurely manner than that in which we had come, 



