<A JOURNEY IN THE EAST: 375 



steppe country. At this point the valley becomes narrower, 

 for the mountains which border it on the west advance into 

 the plain, and one has to cross steep slopes, deep ravines, and 

 stony tracts. We enjoyed some splendid views of the valley 

 of the Jordan, which is here much cut up with gullies and 

 mountain- streams, and of the grand hills on its further side, 

 with their high grey cliffs and picturesque forms. Nowhere in 

 the whole valley did we find ground so broken and so devoid 

 of vegetation as that which we traversed during the first hours 

 of this day. 



Great numbers of large birds of prey were cruising about, 

 and close over my head flew a Steppe Eagle, which I brought 

 down with a lucky shot in such a way that it fell among the 

 horses with a heavy thud. 



We next had a troublesome climb up a narrow spur of 

 the mountains, but on reaching its crest there lay before 

 us a splendid view. The valley of the Jordan now began 

 to broaden out, and one could overlook the green plains up 

 to the hilly country on the shores of the Sea of Tiberias. 

 Right and left were the finely formed mountains which border 

 the valley, and to the north the view was closed by the high 

 peaks of the Lebanon and the broad snow-fields of Hermon. 

 It was a truly remarkable contrast : here we were languishing 

 in the most terrible heat, such as is only to be found in the 

 valley of the Jordan, and before us, on the far mountains, the 

 snow was shining clear as crystal. 



At this interesting point of view we halted for a little rest, 

 intending to ride down to the Jordan and spend some hours 

 on the banks of the sacred stream, while the caravan pur- 

 sued its long and toilsome way. 



The Bedouin with his flying mantle and long spear, who 

 had hitherto guided us so well, did not, however, know the 

 nearest route to the river, and frankly admitted it ; so we dis- 

 persed to search for the most direct way of getting down to 



