A SCENE ON THE JORDAN. 139 



papyrus margin he came upon a group of half-a-dozen 

 pelicans swimming together in amiable companionship. 

 The desire to capture a pelican seized him irresistibly; 

 but how was he to fulfil it with only a small pocket-pistol 1 

 " Nothing venture, nothing have ; " and he cautiously 

 "stalked" them round reeds and tiny islets, until he could 

 get a tolerably certain aim. At the shot five birds rose 

 majestically into the air, but the sixth remained floating 

 on the wave. Vigorous were his efforts to rise, but fruit- 

 less; for as he had but one wing with which to beat the 

 air, at every attempt he fell sideways again on the water. 

 Mr. Macgregor quickly reloaded his pistol, but with his 

 last bullet, and this it was necessary to economize. He 

 knew it would be no easy task to kill so powerful a bird. 

 His struggles might capsize the Bob Roy ; or with his 

 strong beak he might smash the cedar deck, or wound her 

 captain's face. Besides, what was to be done with him 

 when dead 1 



Mr. Macgregor resolved, therefore, that the doomed 

 bird should carry his own big body all the way to the 

 camp, by chasing him towards it while he swam. And 

 then both prepared for the chase. 



The pelican, as a preliminary, disgorged a volley of small 

 fish from his beak ; Mr. Macgregor adopted the reverse 

 plan, for he placed his usual lunch on the deck before 

 him, and ate it luxuriously at intervals, while he chased 

 the poor pelican for an hour and a half. The latter soon 

 discovered his adversary's tactics, and swerved right and 

 left to get back to the safety of his reedy covert ; but his 

 pursuer always headed him, like a greyhound coursing a 



