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small game, and when all our spoils had been laid out in due 

 order we had lunch, a meal during which we were more 

 occupied in driving away the flies than in eating, for one can 

 form no idea of the myriads of these insects that swarmed 

 round our food. The hottest hours of the day we spent in 

 camp, trying to rest ; but unhappily the terrible heat made 

 the time one continuous torture, and we could hardly so far 

 collect our thoughts as to be able to jot down the necessary 

 notes and to write some letters home, the noontide heat that 

 we daily enjoyed in the Jordan valley being of the agreeable 

 temperature of 105 Fahr. 



About five o'clock I again went out, but this time only 

 accompanied by Salim and some of his Bedouins. After 

 beginning by shooting Turtle-Doves among the trees I rambled 

 through some patches of wild oats, where I killed a good 

 supply of Quails for the larder, a very desirable addition to it, 

 as our provisions already smelt rather badly, especially the 

 much-belauded preserved meats, which were spreading their 

 evil odours through the camp. 



While beating about the bushes and groves I had an op- 

 portunity of observing the glorious vegetation of this part of 

 the country, and was most struck by the Zizyphus lotus and 

 Z. spina-Christi, from the fruits of which the jujubes so well 

 known to all Europeans who suffer from coughs are said to 

 be made, and also by the Zakkum or balsam-tree and the 

 Sodom apple (Solanum sanctum). The celebrated rose of 

 Jericho (Anastatica hierochuntica) is only found close to the 

 shores of the Dead Sea. At sunset I returned to the camp, 

 where we had dinner, and soon retired to rest. 



Next morning the camp was struck before sunrise, the 

 tents packed, and the caravan set off with the usual noise and 

 shouting. We, too, followed soon after breakfast, led by a 

 Bedouin, who, mounted on his handsome chestnut horse, with 

 his long lance and flying robe, might have served as the 



