<A JOURNEY IN THE EAST: 251 



some Pelicans swimming proudly about, and shaped our 

 course towards them, but we could barely keep pace with the 

 rapid paddling of the birds. At last we fired some long shots 

 with ball from these rickety boats, and after prolonged efforts 

 the clumsy creatures rose heavily and flew off to an undis- 

 turbed part of the lake. The only other birds we saw were 

 some Wild Ducks, Divers, Gulls, and a strikingly large 

 number of Ospreys. 



Evening was coming on, the sun was sinking, vanishing 

 into the desert with the most splendid effects of light, and 

 an impressive stillness reigned over the broad landscape as 

 we now approached the island of Bezire-Karun, whose 

 rocky cone was picturesquely relieved against the dark blue 

 sky, and landed on its flat eastern shore, where the tents of 

 our imposing camp were standing within a hundred yards of 

 the water. Fires, too, were in full blaze, and Arabs were 

 sitting among the bushes on the strand. .There we were 

 greeted by Prince Taxis, who had arrived in the morning 

 with the heavy caravan ; and immediately after we had landed 

 a capital dinner, dressed by an Arab cook, was served in a 

 specially arranged mess tent. 



Our tents were made of pretty materials and were 

 thoroughly comfortable. There were beds and even tables 

 in these airy abodes, each of which was tenanted by two 

 gentlemen. It is only Orientals who understand the art of 

 cooking properly at an open fire, and how to pitch a tent 

 quickly and comfortably; so all who can manage to do so had 

 better travel among these excellent people. 



After dinner we smoked, chatted, and arranged our plans 

 for the morrow, and by ten o'clock all was quiet in the camp ; 

 the Arabs, too, were lying on the sand in the open air, wrapped 

 in their ghostly white burnouses. 



The night did not pass quite so smoothly as the lovely 

 evening had led us to expect, for a violent storm rose and 



