320 EXTRACTS FROM 



us, we got into one of the ordinary carriages of the place and 

 drove along the splendid Shiibra Avenue, past gardens and 

 flourishing fields, to the high wall of the park, which encloses 

 a large extent of ground. The fine palace stands amidst lofty 

 trees and well-nigh impenetrable shrubberies of almost tropical 

 growth, and is surrounded by ponds and kiosks. There were 

 flower-beds in full bloom, and a considerable space was occupied 

 by kitchen-gardens, orange-groves, and even by fields of green 

 corn. The irrigated portions of the grounds were well stocked 

 with large flocks of pretty Buff-backed Herons, and incredible 

 numbers of heavy-looking Night-Herons nested in the tall 

 pines that adorned an artificial mound near the palace. 



We gave the various kinds of herons an unpleasant hour of 

 it, but as we had to be back in time for dinner we had to hurry 

 away from these lovely and enchanting gardens, where the 

 rustling trees were all flooded with the golden light of the 

 setting sun. I looked longingly at the thick shrubberies and 

 waving corn-fields, for I had a great notion that these perfectly 

 quiet enclosures must be very good cover for the larger beasts 

 of prey; and in fact Saurma, acting on my advice, shot them 

 a few days afterwards, and bagged a Lynx and an Ichneumon. 



On reaching Kasr-el-Nusha we dined with the two brothers 

 Saurma, the younger of whom, with Prince Taxis, had only 

 yesterday returned from a long and very fatiguing expedition 

 into the mountains near the Ked Sea, where they had been 

 vainly attempting to shoot Arabian Ibex. 



Early on the 24th of March the whole party drove out 

 along the Heliopolis road to the very end of the town, where 

 a large tent had been pitched on an open space gaily decorated 

 with flags. There a number of people had assembled, for the 

 whole Austro-Hungarian colony had turned out to celebrate 

 by a fete the laying of the foundation-stone of an Austrian 

 hospital. As soon as the ceremony was over we drove off to 

 take leave of the Khedive and to tender him our thanks. He 



