The Plain We Crossed Must Have Been Once
Thickly Inhabited, As There Were Many Remains.
We were joined by more
Arabs, and our force continued to augment.
The Bey, being in want of
horses, the same system of seizing them was adopted as with the camels.
One splendid morning that broke over our encampment we had an
opportunity of witnessing Africa's most gorgeous scenery. [35] Plenty of
hobaras; they fly like a goose. The hawks took two or three of them,
also some hares. The poor hare does not know what to make of the hawks;
after a little running, it gives itself up for death, only first dodging
out of the bird's pounce, or hiding itself in a tuft of grass or a bush,
but which it is not long allowed to do, for the Arabs soon drive it out
from its vain retreat. The hawk, when he seizes the hare with one claw,
catches hold of any tuft of grass or irregularity of the ground with the
other; a strong leather strap is also fastened from one leg to the
other, to prevent them from being pulled open or strained. We came upon
a herd of small deer, called ebba, which are a little larger than the
gazelle, but they soon bounded beyond our pursuit, leaving us scarcely
time to admire their delicate make and unapproachable speed.
We crossed a range of hills into another plain, at the extremity of
which lies Ghafsa. The surface was naked, with the exception of tufts of
strong, rushy grass, almost a sure indication of hares, and of which we
started a great number.
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