388 SAVAGE SUDAN 



and it fascinates to watch the combined coolness and 

 skill with which your swarthy ghillie lifts him inboard. 



The "chances" taken in this big-game fishing bear 

 a far greater ratio of risk than occurs in any other form 

 of sport with the rod. The odds are always heavily in 

 favour of the game or, at least, against the angler. 

 The use of a rod at all is, in fact, a mechanical handicap. 

 The native who fishes for his livelihood uses a hand- 

 line only, and that (given a pachydermatous palm) is 

 pecuniarily more profitable. 



To the fearsome joys described, an added interest is 

 ever provided by the strange and exotic bird-life that 

 surrounds the angler afloat. 



(ll) BlRD-LlFE ON THE RED SEA COAST 



Swarms of seagulls attend our boat and seek to share the 

 sport, wheeling, screaming, and dipping down to snatch up the 

 sardines chucked seaward as lures sometimes, too (less 

 circumspect than barracouta !), seizing the baited hook and 

 being thus hauled ignominiously aboard. The great majority 

 of these gulls are at once recognised as total strangers 

 Ethiopians and, by appearance, of two distinct species. We 

 took them to include Hemprich's gull; but eventually they proved 

 to belong to the white-eyed species (Larus leucophthalmus) ; 



the adults, being black-headed 

 and altogether darker than 

 the young, caused temporary 

 confusion. The sketches may 

 serve to show the difference. 

 The only other gulls present 

 were a score or so of lesser 

 black-back and herring-gulls, 

 together with a few of our 

 equally familiar British black- 

 headed gulls the favourites 



of the Thames Embankment all three immature. We did, 

 however, shoot a " Hemprich " gull. 



On all the sheltered waters, over the sardine-shoals, poised, 



