Storks ^ Cranes 249 



flapped over the still surface of the waters ; their 

 pink forms reflected in the mirror beneath them. 



Their loud gaggling cries sounded weirdly in 

 the stillness of this beautiful dawn. Then the sun 

 rose, mounting rapidly above the horizon, and in a 

 moment flooded the scene in a glory of bright gold ; 

 whilst the stars, which had to the last scintillated 

 and shone where the sky still carried the blue 

 tints of night, now paled and went out in the 

 presence of a greater glory. 



And as the rays struck over the earth's surface, 

 they lit up the ranks of flamingoes as they stood 

 like companies drawn up in battle array, in uniforms 

 of rosy pink. In the farther distance, what seemed 

 to be a row of one-storied Eastern houses made of 

 plaster, painted a pale saffron yellow, and built 

 apparently in the middle of the great stretch of 

 waters, was a large flock of pelicans, as it proved 

 to be on closer examination through my glasses. 



The atmosphere caused them to look even larger 

 than they really were, and they were sitting com- 

 pactly gathered together in a great company ; pro- 

 ducing the effect described. 



The golden light shone on their white breasts. 



Once a great company flew overhead, as we sailed 

 up the Nile in a Dahabeah, when the sun was setting 

 below marvellous ruby-red clouds, flecked over a sky 

 of clearest sea-green. And again the sun's rays shone 

 on the pelicans' breasts, as backed in the east by a sky 

 of deep blue, which was tinged with the shades of 

 approaching night, the great boat-billed birds flapped 



