January 20th, 1891.
Had two long and fruitless stalks to-day after ibex, but never got a shot, though I climbed up a precipice barefooted. It was about three times as high as Louth spire; and, when I got to the top, I fully expected to see my beast waiting for me. But he had gone, goodness knows where, and I never saw him again. The same thing happened with the other one. It is useless to stalk these brutes without a dog, as they hide amongst the rocks, and it is like hunting for a needle in a bottle of hay. I was joyfully surprised, on my return to camp, to find Powney had come, having made the journey from Kenneh in four days, travelling light and making long marches. We sat up late exchanging all the news.
An Arab came in to-day with two heads, which he killed two days’ ago in the mountain where we went yesterday. No wonder we found no game. There are too many Arabs about this place, and we have decided to visit a place two days’ further north from here, where we hear there are more ibex. We have sent also some Arabs to try to get a dog.
Wadi Fatireh,
January 21st, 1891.
Struck our camp and reached the Kohila water at midday. Here we stopped for luncheon. Then went on in an easterly direction nearly to Fatireh, where we pitched camp in a spot which we made 2600 feet above Kenneh by aneroid.[11] The man we sent about a dog came in this evening, and has brought two Bedawin and three “varmint”-looking yellow dogs with him. We shall bargain to-morrow morning for these. It is cold up here, and all our rugs are required. I gave an Arab a cigarette to-day which made him sick like a schoolboy.
MUNFIA.
Munfia,
January 22nd, 1891.