surface of the water was unruffled; thus I could see every
creature that rose in the pool either to breathe or to bask in
the morning sunshine. The number and size of the fish, turtles,
and crocodiles were extraordinary; many beautiful gazelles
approached from all sides for their morning draught: wild geese,
generally in pairs, disturbed the wary crocodiles by their cry of
alarm as we drew near, and the desert grouse in flocks of many
thousands had gathered together, and were circling in a rapid
flight above the water, wishing, but afraid, to descend and
drink. Having a shot gun with me, I fired and killed six at one
discharge, but one of the wounded birds having fallen into the
water at a distance of about 120 yards, it was immediately seized
by a white-throated fish-eagle, which perched upon a tree,
swooped down upon the bird, utterly disregarding the report of
the gun. The Bishareen Arabs have no fire-arms, thus the sound of
a gun was unknown to the game of the desert.

I had killed several wild geese for breakfast in the absence of
the hippopotami, when I suddenly heard the peculiar loud snorting
neigh of these animals in my rear; we had passed them
unperceived, as they had been beneath the surface. After a quick
walk of about half a mile, during which time the cry of the
hippos had been several times repeated, I observed six of these
curious animals standing in the water about shoulder-deep. There
was no cover, therefore I could only advance upon the sand
without a chance of stalking them; this caused them to retreat to
deeper water, but upon my arrival within about eighty yards, they
raised their heads well up, and snorted an impudent challenge. I
had my old Ceylon No. 10 double rifle, and, taking a steady aim
at the temple of one that appeared to be the largest, the ball