262 EXTRACTS FROM 
Some camel-tracks in the sand betokened that a tribe of 
Bedouin were not far off, and indeed we soon observed 
camels browsing among the bushes. We also heard dogs 
barking, and saw in the distance some dusky figures walking 
towards an encampment. 
These wild tribes-are, as I was told, extremely poor; but 
the desert being so very near they are perfectly independent 
and unassailable, and therefore not always very friendly. 
The party of sportsmen now divided into two sections. 
Baron Saurma, the Grand Duke, and I proposed to get into 
a boat, which had followed us, and row after some Pelicans 
which were swimming about near the shore, while the other 
gentlemen were to occupy themselves with the myriads of 
Coots which frequented the reeds by the water’s edge. 
All our attempts to get near the shy Pelicans were unsuc- 
cessful, nor would the Great White Egrets that were standing 
by the shore allow us to approach them. The further we 
went the broader and thicker were the reeds, that covered the 
water to a distance of about a hundred yards from the shore. 
The beautiful White-eyed Ducks seemed here to be on migra- 
tion, for flocks of that species continually rose in front of our 
boat, and Grey and Purple Herons, Great and Little Hgrets 
also flew up from the beds of reeds. 
A fair lot of ducks were shot as a provision for the larder, 
our fishermen sitting naked in the boat and jumping into the 
water to retrieve everything that was killed. We were rock- 
ing about a little way from the shore when the reeds suddenly 
parted, and there appeared a big Bedouin, a fine warlike- 
looking fellow, armed with a long gun. He offered to sell us 
some waterfowl which he had shot in the morning, and on 
receiving a few silver coins vanished as quickly and noiselessly 
as he had come. 
It was getting on towards noon, so we made the men row 
us back to the headland. The heat was frightful, and under 
