106 SAM DARLING'S REMINISCENCES 



wounded and helpless all the night after the battle, 

 while big fleas and other noxious insects from the 

 sand crept over them. 



These, however, are past memories. I hurry on 



to our arrival at Cairo, which was at 5 p.m., and 



Arrival at ^^re at last was something like rest. 



Cairo r^-^e place as you drive through it is just 

 beautiful, and, comfortably installed on the first 

 floor at Shepheard's, we soon forgot the evils of 

 the day. Outside, sitting on the terrace, you have 

 a microcosm of Egyptian life passing and re-passing, 

 and my immediate regret was that we were not 

 to stay there longer. A really superb hotel is 

 Shepheard's — oh ! what a contrast to the best in 

 Cape Town ! 



To me, thus sitting on the terrace, for the time 

 being alone, who should appear but M. Edmond 

 Blanc, who was, I think, glad to meet some one 

 who knew Flying Fox so well, and had also seen 

 ViNicius. M. Blanc was more than satisfied with 

 the first of Flying Fox's stock. One or two had 

 been tried and shown remarkable stamina for their 

 age. Starting slowly, just as their sire did when 

 he made his debut at Ascot, they had run their 

 gallops out in a way that encouraged very confident 

 hopes for their future. 



As to ViNicius — " He is the best horse I ever 

 owned," said M. Blanc. 



