256 EXTRACTS FROM 



north wind also became more violent, and there was a cool- 

 ness in the air which the sudden change from the scorching 

 heat of the previous day made very perceptible. High waves 

 rose on the lake, and the fishermen declared that in this 

 weather it was quite impossible to go away ; so here we 

 were, like Robinson Crusoe, cut off from all the world and 

 confined to this little island. 



In the camp our jagers arranged a fine and unusual display 

 by hanging the slain game on to the tent-ropes, where the 

 two Lynxes, the skin of yesterday's Wolf, Pausinger's Pelican, 

 the two Ospreys, and a variety of wildfowl made a capital 

 show, and our stuffer, who worked well and quickly, had 

 plenty to do. 



After a first-rate lunch, served by our worthy Hassan, we 

 were comfortably smoking in front of thei tents, and enjoying 

 the glorious camp-life of the East, when I suddenly perceived 

 that the level tract at the northern end of the island, between 

 the shore and the rocky cone, was completely covered with a 

 variety of birds. I could distinguish, by the aid of the glass, 

 flocks of herons, pelicans, gulls, and among them some 

 Ospreys. 



Under cover of the bushes I stalked up along the shore 

 towards these masses of birds, that were sitting half asleep 

 and digesting their food, and had already got pretty close to 

 it when to my great dismay I saw a couple of pelicans 

 swimming about as sentries. On two sides I had nothing to 

 hide me, so it was all up, for the wily birds had already seen 

 me and rose. This was the signal for the flocks on shore, 

 and with a noisy flapping of their wings the whole assembly 

 dispersed in wild disorder and in all directions. 



The inquisitive gulls alone wanted to find out what was the 

 matter, and circled screeching around me, and among a lot of 

 smaller birds I noticed a Great Black-headed Gull. This 

 splendid species was quite new to me, and I secured it by a 

 lucky shot. 



