370 EXTRACTS FROM 



the border mountains long steep slopes thinly covered with 

 grass. The narrow track led us an endless distance through 

 thorny bushes, and often crossed from one side of the stony 

 brook to the other. Storks were standing on the hillsides in 

 perfectly incredible numbers. In no region have I ever seen 

 such masses of these birds as were assembled throughout the 

 whole valley of the Jordan, especially in this valley of El- 

 Audje. 



After a long ride we at last arrived at our camping-ground, 

 where the tents were pitched at the foot of the hill, among 

 the steppe-grass and prickly wild oats, but still not far from 

 the edge of the rich verdure and the banks of the little brook. 

 We were here almost at the head of the valley, which ends in 

 a picturesque basin shut in by high slopes. 



It was with a sharp appetite that we attacked our lunch, 

 for it was now three o'clock, and we had not eaten a morsel 

 of food since five in the morning, while we had, moreover, 

 gone through a great deal of exercise. The afternoon was 

 spent in camp. 



Life in the open air, with a caravan and tents, is most 

 charming, and very different to the cut-and-dried routine of 

 European existence ; but unfortunately the camping-ground 

 of El-Audje had some drawbacks, for the tents stood among 

 the dry and highly inflammable grass, and a cigarette which 

 had been thrown away kindled in a few moments a fire 

 which was only extinguished by very energetic efforts. The 

 large amount of ammunition which we had with us rendered 

 double - precautions necessary, so there was nothing for it but 

 to greatly curtail our smoking. 



In the evening several of the sportsmen went out for a 

 short stroll with their guns, and I succeeded in shooting a 

 cock partridge as it was drumming, and also a stork which 

 was flying to its sleeping-quarters. Thousands of these long- 



