1 A JOURNEY IN THE EAST: 317 



After inspecting everything we took the nearest road to the 

 well-known orange-gardens at Heliopolis. There we found 

 some tracks of wolves, but the heasts themselves were not at 

 home on this occasion; so it was all to no purpose that we 

 ransacked the hushes and plantations of this beautiful orange- 

 grove. On the way back we stopped and made equally 

 unsuccessful attempts in several gardens and one sugarcane- 

 field ; Diana was not propitious on this occasion, and we 

 returned to Cairo empty-handed. 



On the 21st of March we drove in the morning through 

 the old town up to the celebrated citadel, having to pass 

 through several gates on the steep slope, at all of which were 

 stationed guards, who received us with the lively strains of 

 the Egyptian khedivial march. 



When we had got home again and had donned our shooting 

 things, the Grand Duke and I drove with Baron Saurma 

 through the town and over the great Nile bridge to the 

 neighbourhood of the viceregal summer palaces. There a 

 sugarcane-field was still standing, and taking with us a 

 bleating kid we posted ourselves well concealed among the 

 high canes. 



Unfortunately neither wolves nor any other beasts of prey 

 came, though Baron Saurma had often had good sport at the 

 same spot and in the same way; so again Diana did not favour 

 us, and as soon as it began to get dark we left the place and 

 drove home. It was a lovely evening, and the wonderful 

 sunset was followed by the splendour of an 'African spring 

 night. Insects chirped and buzzed about, bats skimmed 

 round the gently rustling tree-tops, a sea of stars was strewn 

 over the heavens, and the grand repose of the scene was only 

 broken by the barking of dogs and the cries of the waterfowl 

 as they flew to the Nile. 



In the town things were livelier, and we had to push our 

 way to Kasr-el-Nusha through the bustle of southern night-life. 



