378 ANCIENT HISTORY. [CHAP. x. 



in the shape of fire-arms, from a blunderbuss to a horse- 

 pistol. Quail, at the above seasons,' a few Rabbits, 

 Blue Pigeons, Turtle-Doves, Blackbirds, and Beccaficos 

 are almost the only living animals to be found here in 

 a wild state."* The same thing takes place on the 

 main land. " Like Malta, the country about Alexandria 

 is, in the spring and autumn, visited by large quantities 

 of Quail, in their periodical emigrations; and their ap- 

 pearance is always the signal for a greater variety of 

 ' Cockney sportsmen ' than were ever mustered at Black- 

 heath or Epping. Mounted on donkeys, armed with all 

 manner of projectiles, duly rigged out in sporting cos- 

 tumes shooting-jackets and gaiters every merchant's 

 clerk here fancies himself a ' Cacciadore,' and proudly 

 sallies forth on a Sunday morning to the plains of Rain- 

 fall, where numerous sanguinary deeds are committed, 

 not only on the Quail tribe, but on every unoffending 

 Lark, Houpou, or unfortunate Dove whom these ardent 

 votaries of Nimrod can possibly get a pot-shot at ; and 

 towards evening, dozens of these gay foresters may be 

 seen returning through the Damietta gates, and proudly 

 displaying to the wondering Arabs whole strings of 

 these noble trophies of the chase ! " f 



In reading these amusing accounts we can hardly 

 avoid more serious thoughts that call to mind historic 

 occurrences which took place ages ago. "At even ye 

 shall eat flesh, and in the morning ye shall be filled 

 with bread : and ye shall know that I am the Lord your 

 God. And it came to pass, that at even the Quails 

 came up, and covered the camp : and in the morning 

 the dew lay round about the host. And when the dew 



* Wild Sports in Europe, &c., vol. ii. p. 49. 

 t Idem, p. 348, 



