DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.11789#0062
52
BUFFALOES BATHING.
slowly along the surface of tlie water; then we saw
the nose of some animal of the cow species seemingly
connected with the horns aforesaid. At first, we
supposed that it might be the dead carcase of an
ox floating in the river, but we soon discovered that
this animal, an Egyptian buffalo, was alive, and
was merely taking a bath for the purpose of refresh-
ing himself. We saw soon after whole herds of
these cattle engaged in the same delightful pastime.
We reached Cairo on the evening of the 5th, near
midnight.
During our passage from Malta to Alexandria,
we had become acquainted with M. Rostant, of
Marseilles, the principal director of the French
line of steamers. He contemplated paying a hasty
visit to Cairo and the Pyramids, intending after-
wards to go to Jerusalem by Jaffa, at which port
ho would land by the steamer Louqsor, from
Alexandria. None of the steamers, at least at
this season of the year, were in the practice of
stopping short of Beyroot on their way north-
ward. M. Rostant, learning that we wished to
visit Jerusalem, politely invited us to accompany
him, a proposal that we were the more ready to
accept, because it would save us a long and fatigu-
ing land journey, to say nothing of the time
BUFFALOES BATHING.
slowly along the surface of tlie water; then we saw
the nose of some animal of the cow species seemingly
connected with the horns aforesaid. At first, we
supposed that it might be the dead carcase of an
ox floating in the river, but we soon discovered that
this animal, an Egyptian buffalo, was alive, and
was merely taking a bath for the purpose of refresh-
ing himself. We saw soon after whole herds of
these cattle engaged in the same delightful pastime.
We reached Cairo on the evening of the 5th, near
midnight.
During our passage from Malta to Alexandria,
we had become acquainted with M. Rostant, of
Marseilles, the principal director of the French
line of steamers. He contemplated paying a hasty
visit to Cairo and the Pyramids, intending after-
wards to go to Jerusalem by Jaffa, at which port
ho would land by the steamer Louqsor, from
Alexandria. None of the steamers, at least at
this season of the year, were in the practice of
stopping short of Beyroot on their way north-
ward. M. Rostant, learning that we wished to
visit Jerusalem, politely invited us to accompany
him, a proposal that we were the more ready to
accept, because it would save us a long and fatigu-
ing land journey, to say nothing of the time