228 A Sportsman at Large 



of the village of Maidoum, which lies hard by " the false 

 pyramids," came to the dahibyeh to pay his respects. He 

 was a majestic " beaver," with a jet-black beard, and 

 of saturnine though aristocratic countenance. He sug- 

 gested that, on the following day, we should grant him the 

 courtesy of a return visit ; when, so he protested, he would 

 entertain us royally at lunch, and provide us with sport in 

 the shape of a pigeon battue. 



Now I had been gravely warned that this same village of 

 Maidoum was a " bad " one, and that Europeans who ventured 

 within its precincts were in peril of having " rough stuff " 

 handed out to them by the Sheikh's " gentle " subjects. 

 Nevertheless, we determined to risk the adventure, having 

 regard to the ancient fiction that those who partake of an 

 Arab's salt are held sacred both as regards their persons 

 and their property. 



Behold, then, our whole party, mounted on the inevitable 

 donkeys, wending our way to Maidoum, which, as events 

 turned out, was nigh to proving " my doom " and that of 

 the whole of my domestic bunch ! 



Arrived at our destination, we were ushered into the 

 presence of the Sheikh, who received us with deep salaams, 

 and every expression of goodwill and hospitality. 



A lamb, roasted whole and stuffed with chestnuts, raisins 

 and other succulent ingredients, was served up for our delecta- 

 tion. No forks, spoons, or other implements of gustation 

 were provided for our use ; the Arab custom being to claw 

 the carcase and tear off tit-bits with bare fingers. 



The messy feast having been brought to a conclusion, the 

 Sheikh invited us to adjourn to the outskirts of the village, 

 where there was a large pond to which continuous streams of 

 pigeons came in flocks of from seven to a dozen at a time 

 to slake their thirst. Ted was posted on the far side of this 

 piece of water, whilst I was on that abutting on the village ; 

 the ladies being posted under the shade of a mud wall some 

 three hundred yards distant. 



I had expected the Sheikh to accompany us ; but he made 

 the excuse that he had business of state to deal with, though 

 he hoped that when we were surfeited with slaughter we 



