‘A JOURNEY IN THE EAST, 317 
After inspecting everything we took the nearest road to the 
well-known orange-gardens at Heliopolis. There we found 
some tracks of wolves, but the beasts themselves were not at 
home on this occasion; so it was all to no purpose that we 
ransacked the bushes and plantations of this beautiful orange- 
grove. On the way back we stopped and made equally 
unsuccessful attempts in several gardens and one sugarcane- 
field ; Diana was not propitious on this occasion, and we 
returned to Cairo empty-handed. 
On the 21st of March we drove in the morning through 
the old town up to the celebrated citadel, having to pass 
through several gates on the steep slope, at all of which were 
stationed guards, who received us with the lively strains of 
the Egyptian khedivial march. 
When we had got home again and had donned our shooting 
things, the Grand Duke and I drove with Baron Saurma 
through the town and over the great Nile bridge to the 
neighbourhood of the viceregal summer palaces. There a 
sugarcane-field was still standing, and taking with us a 
bleating kid we posted ourselves well concealed among the 
high canes. 
Unfortunately neither wolves nor any other beasts of prey 
came, though Baron Saurma had often had good sport at the 
same spot and in the same way; so again Diana did not favour 
us, and as soon as it began to get dark we left the place and 
drove home. It was a lovely evening, and the wonderful 
sunset was followed by the splendour of an African spring 
night. Insects chirped and buzzed about, bats skimmed 
round the gently rustling tree-tops, a sea of stars was strewn 
over the heavens, and the grand repose of the scene was only 
broken by the barking of dogs and the cries of the waterfowl 
as they flew to the Nile. 
In the town things were livelier, and we had to push our 
way to Kasr-el-Nusha through the bustle of southern night-life. 
