<A JOURNEY IN THE EAST: 241 



flapped down, followed by a few Kites, and these birds at once 

 began their breakfast. Later on came the disgusting Egyptian 

 Vultures, with their bald heads ; and the time was passing so 

 tediously that I recommended my uncle to shoot, as he 

 had never killed one of these birds. No sooner said than 

 done ; and after the smoke had rolled down the valley, 

 I hastened to the spot where the bird lay, and descended to 

 the quarry with the very unsavoury spoil, having advised my 

 uncle to wait a little longer, as the sun had meanwhile broken 

 through the clouds. 



Baron Saurma and I now selected a good post of obser- 

 vation, and with our field-glasses in our hands awaited coming 

 events. 



It was a quarter of an hour before the first great vultures 

 appeared. They were the huge Vulturfulvus, and with slow 

 beats of their wings they came sweeping round the mountain- 

 top one after another, until more than sixty had gathered in 

 the air. Then came the exciting moment when the leading 

 bird folded its wings and plunged into the ravine ; for at this 

 signal all the others followed suit, and, like an avalanche of 

 stones, vulture after vulture came hurtling down from the 

 dizzy heights. The last had hardly reached their goal when we 

 saw the smoke rise from the rock-battery, and a swift dis- 

 persion and wild disorder in the ranks of the great birds were 

 the immediate consequences of the shot. 



With the help of the glass I saw a hard-hit vulture rolling 

 down over the stones, and Osman soon appeared in pursuit of 

 it ; and as the other hungry fellows would not leave the spot, 

 but kept circling round it, I hurried up the narrow rocky path 

 which led to the ambush as fast as I could. 



The Grand Duke had killed at a single shot five enormous 

 vultures, having taken them just at the moment when their 

 heads were all huddled together over the carcass ; and as this 

 great heap of birds was now lying in the little battery, one 



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