CHAPTER VI

Summary

June 24th, Thursday.—A rain fog settled down on us this morning, and a thunder-storm broke over the valley with startling grandeur and vehemence. The lightning flashed from the clouds at our feet; and it was 2 o'clock ere the vapours rolled away, and studded the mountains with small flocks of white wool-like cumuli. A native Papageno arrived with, some yellow buntings, and a number of reed-sparrows and four fly-catchers. Our jampanees appeared in their new liveries, very fine and gay; some in light-blue tunics, with red trimmings; others in green and scarlet, and turbans to match. The mate is a fine tall fellow, six feet high, and more, and straight as a rush. He superintends these men, and is superintended by Simon, who, with Mahomet Ali, Captain Alison's man, is master of the situation. I shot a very beautiful jay to-day, not so large as those common in the plains, and more neatly shaped. Iris black; head covered with fine black feathers, rising into a high crest and top-knot; bill dark slate colour; underneath the lower mandible some fine white sharppointed feathers; back of neck and wing-covers gray slate; wing blue with white bars; the extremities black, tipped with white; tail long, feathers with black white tips and bars; I found in its throat a quantity of wild strawberries.