4 RABBITS. 101 



and pausing before its mouth, one of the boatmen 

 threw in a stone. We heard the sound as it bounded 

 from rock to rock, and then pitched musically into the 

 still water below. Immediately there followed a con* 

 fused sound of the flapping of many wings within the 

 dusky chamber, and then issued forth a flock of 

 pigeons, their blue and mottled feathers sparkling like 

 a myriad of jewels as they emerged into the sunshine. 

 And now as they darted off in every direction, jostling 

 each other in their fright, we shot at random among 

 them, and brought down three at once, a fourth falling 

 at a little distance. This process was repeated at 

 each successive cave ; though the birds which we had 

 previously alarmed, many of them passed on, and took 

 shelter in the caves ahead of us, thus rousing many 

 others before our approach ; and as we moved on we 

 found them more on the alert, and prepared to anti- 

 cipate us by flight. 



Having enjoyed considerable amusement in this way, 

 we passed on to a part of the shore where the cliff was 

 clothed with short turf almost down to the water's 

 edge, and scattered over with blocks of stone of various 

 shapes and dimensions. Here we saw the rabbits feed- 

 ing, and gamboling about in numbers ; many at too 

 great a height to be within range, while others were 

 sufficiently low to offer a shot, had they not sought 

 shelter behind the blocks of stone as we approached. 

 We had therefore to " bide our time," and take an 

 occasional " pop-shot " whenever one, more venture- 

 some than the rest, left his position and exposed 

 himself to view. Many a shot was thus fired in vain, 

 and eventually, after landing and attempting, at the 

 imminent peril of our shins and necks, to drive them 

 from their places of security, we once more betook our- 



