232 A Sportsman at Large 



' Tell the Sheikh," I said, " that there's nothing doing ; 

 but he can have the Sit Kabera (the old lady) cheap, if 

 he likes ! " 



Hassanein soon returned. 



" Sheikh say he no want old lady, but if you not want sell 

 Sit Soy a, can he buy one like her in England ? " 



" Oh, is that it ? " I said. " Yes, I should imagine that 

 if he went to London he could pick up plenty who would be 

 overjoyed and highly honoured in becoming the wife of the 

 Sheikh junior, sharing with him the glories of Maidoum." 



The last words of the amorous Sheikh were : 



" I go to England next boat ! " 



I left it at that ! 



Some five miles higher up the Nile we came across a large 

 village built on its banks. Here also were hundreds of " Blue 

 Rocks." After ascertaining that the inhabitants so far from 

 objecting to our proposed attack on the birds, actually wel- 

 comed strangers who were bent on sport we determined to 

 have another go, and so enjoyed some excellent shooting, as 

 the birds at sunset swooped down to the river to drink. It 

 was here that I noticed a custom of these pigeons which was 

 utterly at variance with my previous experience of their 

 normal habits and customs. They would actually settle on 

 the water, after the fashion of duck, and slake their thirst as 

 they drifted peacefully down-stream. 



On reaching Luxor we tarried several days, and divided 

 our time between quail-shooting and visiting the ancient 

 temples and tombs for which that delectable oasis is famous. 



I shall never forget the impression of grandeur conveyed to 

 me when we visited the Temple of Karnak. The moon was 

 at its full. There, unfolded to our wondering gaze, was a 

 vision of the majestic glories of ancient Egypt such as thrilled 

 my soul with awestruck amazement, and caused me to reflect 

 adversely upon the insignificance of modern culture. 



Then we made our way onwards, but we had not proceeded 

 far beyond Girgeh when the expedition was brought to an 

 abrupt close by a direful mishap which overtook me person- 

 ally. Before that happened, however, we had suffered two 

 days of a desert sand-storm, a most oppressive and unpleasant 



