144 SAVAGE SUDAN 



an undertaking as any I have been guilty of, for an 

 ostrich traverses the space of a British county what time 

 you cover half a league. There occurs in Baker's Ismailia 

 (vol. i., p. 1 13) a pertinent remark, had we remembered it. 

 That great explorer shot a cock ostrich hereabouts and 

 wrote: "Its stomach was rich in scorpions, beetles, 

 leaves of trees, and white quartz pebbles. The bird must 

 have travelled from a considerable distance, as there is 

 neither rock nor pebble in this neighbourhood." No ; if 

 you specially need an ostrich, wait till one comes in sight 

 and then do your best. To set out deliberately on the 

 quest in a " big country " is to waste labour. 



Well, off we set, and so soon as the low tin roofs of 

 the settlement and its palm-trees sank from view, not an 

 object remained on the uninspiring horizon ; all was a 

 drear monotony of sere grass, waist-deep. Presently, to 

 south-east, a low straggled thorn-growth showed up. To 

 this we steered nothing there. Farther still, and the 

 crests of forest-trees peered over the sky-line and we set 

 our course thereto. So far, no sign of life had relieved 

 our eyes nothing save a jackal or two, and little 

 unknown duikers that sprang from underfoot, but which 

 we were debarred from shooting owing to this region 

 being "Sanctuary." We had, however, observed all the 

 morning certain birds, in twos and threes and little groups, 

 all flying north-east, and which we mistook for terns. 

 We wondered why on earth terns should seek this arid 

 desert why? 



While still a half-mile from the forest ahead, we noticed 

 one of its nearer trees all blanched with a crowded burden 

 of birds. Doves, I thought them, after survey with glass; 

 since doves in certain lights oft show up near snow-white. 

 Lowe disagreed, and we advanced to investigate. The 

 strangers proved to be the rare swallow-tailed kite, 

 Nauclerus riocouri, and so thick did they cluster that 

 L. (I only carried a rifle) secured six specimens in his two 

 shots. There must have been some 1 50 massed in that 



