90 WILD LIFE AMONGST BEA STIES " Bashmak batal, ibn el kelb," swore Ibrahim, demonstrating the Oriental contempt for the friend of man—" Reed-buck bad, son of a dog "; but it is all part of the sport—a part which Ibrahim, keen only on getting meat, could not comprehend. To the Arab there appears no pleasure in the study of wild life ; Nature does not appeal to him save in rare instances ; the quick start, the frightened attitude and expression, the warning note, of the reed-buck conveyed no sense of beauty, commanded no admiration.

Appreciation of aggressive qualities of course there is ; the power of the lion, the courage and sagacity of the buffalo and elephant, appeal to man's emulation and sense of self-protection, but the gentleness and timidity of the harmless gazelle inspires no corresponding feeling.

The Sheikh of Galegu had overtaken us, probably with a view to obtaining gifts of unconsidered trifles. He had brought for my acceptance a small duck egg, which, proving to be minus the usual infantile duckling, was, in spite of its insufficiency, a gift indeed. His happiness was exuberant on receiving in return two fishhooks, a few cigarettes, and the skin of a tiang. These people are crude enough, but he was exceedingly polite, expressed his pleasure at having seen me and his gratitude for my gifts ; he at least knew the formuku of social usage, and I could not lielp wondering if he had learnt to use them as superficially as so many of his European cousins. He had come