372 EXTRACTS FROM 



deal of yelling, the natural result being that not a single head 

 of game left its safe retreat. 



We therefore remounted our horses and followed the rest 

 of the party, riding over had stony ground to the ridge of a 

 projecting hill, from the northern slope of which we obtained 

 a splendid view of the plains, the grey mountains to the west, 

 and the rocky heights on the eastern side of the Jordan. 

 Before us lay the entrance to the valley and the springs of 

 Abd-el-Kader, the immediate goal of this day's journey ; but 

 in these plains it takes a great deal of time to get to one's 

 destination, for it is often visible a long way off a fact that 

 was to be thoroughly impressed upon us to-day. 



The path led uninterruptedly over the steppe, always at the 

 foot of the hills. Wherever one looked nothing but Storks 

 were to be seen, and they allowed the horsemen to pass close 

 by without even deigning to glance at them. Some birds of 

 prey were also playing about in the air, and a pair of the large 

 Asiatic Steppe Eagles flew low over my head ; but though 

 I quickly unslung my gun, I could find nothing but ball- 

 cartridges in my bag. 



The sun burnt frightfully, and the grey clouds which had 

 darkened the sky in the morning had unfortunately entirely 

 disappeared. We soon overtook the caravan, which presented 

 a piteous spectacle, for the mules, urged on by the blows of 

 their drivers, were painfully dragging themselves along at 

 intervals of several hundred yards ; the effects of the great 

 heat, the toilsome marches from Latrun on the other side of 

 Jerusalem, and the scarcity of water yesterday being very 

 evident, while almost all of them had sore backs from the 

 pressure of the heavy baggage, as well as broken knees. 



After riding several hours we reached the entrance to the 

 valley of Abd-el-Kader, which runs in a north-westerly 

 direction between high mountains. The banks of the usual 

 stream which flowed down the middle of it were covered with 



