One of the most attractive diving sites in Egypt is the Lara shipwreck near Tiran Island. This island is located near the city of Sharm el-Sheikh in the Gulf of Aqaba. It became a haven for a UN military base and landing on this piece of land is prohibited by the Egyptian authorities. However, the underwater world near Tirana (which is considered one of the most beautiful in the country) is entirely open to tourists.
Last ship harbors
It should be noted that the coastal areas of the island became the last port of call for more than one sunken ship. The thing is that in the strait near the island there are 4 coral reefs: Gordon, Woodhouse, Thomas and Jackson. The last of them caused the sinking of the once-Kirp ship Lara.
Approaching the island of Tiran, it is difficult not to notice the remains of the sunken ships “Lara” and “Lullia” rising from the water, which were wrecked in the same year. They serve as a kind of landmark for the location of Jackson and Gordon reefs, as well as a starting point for divers to dive.
Now these are the frames of once large ships destroyed by time, wind and water. In the old days, the Lara wreck was a huge cargo barge with a displacement of 4,752 tons. It was built in Germany and launched in 1956. In the early 1980s, a now sunken ship near Tiran Island struck Jackson Reef after leaving the port of Aqaba. There was a version that the ship was deliberately run aground in order to obtain impressive insurance. However, no evidence of this was ever found. In the mid-90s, the sunken ship was dismantled and partially sunk to the bottom.
Looking at the sunken ship "Lara" near Tiran Island from the side, it may seem that it lies in shallow water and there is nothing to see under its destroyed frame. But this is a misleading impression. The waters of the Strait of Aqaba hide the stairs, propeller, large sections and other elements of the huge vessel.
Mysterious underwater world
If you decide to take underwater excursions near the Lara wreck, you should understand that this place is more suitable for technical diving. For beginners, without proper training, underwater trips in these places can be extremely risky. The diving depth ranges from 25 to 60 meters.
Under the water near the sunken ship "Lara" near the island of Tiran, a mysterious and captivating picture opens up. In the huge elements, overgrown with algae and which have become a permanent refuge for marine inhabitants, the creation of human hands is vaguely discernible. The depths of the sea, having captured the remains of a shipwrecked ship, turned them into bizarre coral islands. The old, rusty propellers and frames of a sunken ship near Tiran Island exude a certain lost mystery. Against the backdrop of the huge elements of the sunken ship Lara, the human figures of the divers seem tiny.
Traveling under the waters of the bay near the island of Tiran, it is difficult not to be captivated by the enchanting beauty of the coral reefs and the vibrant diversity of fauna in these places. On the northern side of Jackson Reef, where the remains of the sunken ship Lara are located, there is an opportunity to observe the life of such a representative of the deep sea as the hammerhead shark. Diving from this side of the reef is only possible in calm weather. Because during strong waves and currents, diving here becomes dangerous.
For diving enthusiasts, diving to a sunken ship near the island of Tiran will bring a lot of pleasure. And contact with the secret hidden by the waters of the Gulf of Aqaba for more than 30 years will leave an indelible impression on your memory.
Tiran Island is considered uninhabited. It is located almost at the mouth of the Gulf of Aqaba opposite the resort of Sharm el-Sheikh. It is part of the marine reserve of Ras Mohammed National Park, so strict rules of behavior apply here so that the normal functioning of the ecosystem is not disrupted. The island itself belongs to Saudi Arabia, but is under long-term lease from Egypt. Accordingly, the island is a border zone and a place where migratory birds nest and turtles lay eggs.
The absence of civilized forms of life on the island (although there is an observation base of the UN military mission located here) contributes to the cleanliness of the sea, the abundance of unafraid living creatures and the transparency of the water. This, in turn, is favorable for scuba diving enthusiasts. Four magnificent coral reefs and blue lagoons - to see this magnificence, regular excursions are conducted from Sharm el-Sheikh to the island. Everyone who has visited this “wild” place usually experiences unbridled delight.
In addition to the nature itself, on the reefs off Tiran Island there are several sunken ships already covered with shells and corals. You can often see schools of dolphins here. Hiking around the island is not possible.
Tiran (Arabic: جزيرة تيران) is an island located in the Strait of Tiran (the mouth of the Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea), between Saudi Arabia and Egypt, northeast of the city of Sharm el-Sheikh.
Tiran Island attracts many tourists every year and is a kind of calling card of Egypt.
In 6 tbsp. n. e. it was here that the independent Jewish principality of Jotvat (Iotav) was located. This Jewish principality had at its disposal a solid fleet, as well as established economic relations with Egypt, Arabia and Ethiopia. Afterwards the principality became part of the Byzantine Empire.
The island played a historic role at the start of the 1955 conflict, when Egypt banned Israeli ships from passing through the Strait of Tiran. On the island itself and several neighboring ones there were military bases controlling the strait. A naval base was also established in the city of Sharm el-Sheikh.
Today, the only inhabitants of Tirana are soldiers from the UN military base. The magnificent nature of the sea plume between the island of Tiran and the Sinai Peninsula is represented by the most beautiful coral reefs called Woodhouse, Thomas, Jackson and Gordon, named after the British officers who devoted a lot of time to studying them. It is these reefs that attract tourists from all over the world who come here to go diving.
The underwater world of the island is famous for its extraordinary beauty and today is considered one of the most interesting in Egypt. There are many fish in the waters of Tiran Island. Excursions are constantly organized here, one of them is called “Pirate Yacht”.
Tiran Island: photos
Turtles - inhabitants of Tiran Island
Tiran Island: where is it located?
The island is located between Egypt and Saudi Arabia, at the mouth of the Gulf of Aqaba. Tiran is located next to the popular resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh and territorially belongs to the Republic of Egypt.
Tiran Island: how to get there
In order to get to Tiran Island, you need to come to the Naama Bay area, where the port of the same name is located, from which all trips and excursions to the island begin. To make your life easier, you need to go to the nearest travel agency (or contact a similar hotel and hotel bureau) and book yourself an excursion. The cost will include transportation to the port, a trip to the island and the return trip.
Tiran Island: video
The underwater world of the Red Sea on Tiran Island
Travel to Tiran Island
A magnificent view of the island of Tirana opened directly from the beach of our hotel. It pleasantly varied the view of the sea. A walk to the island is one of the excursions actively offered. They are lured by the offer of several beauties: swimming with a mask in open water, on the reef and giant turtles living off the island. There are two types of transport for this walk: a low-speed two- or three-decker boat and a high-speed motor boat (speed boat).
In the first case, the walk lasts almost the entire day: the boat travels for at least 3-4 hours in one direction, then stops for an hour for water treatments and spends the same amount of time on the way back. Given the almost full load of the ship and the long journey, this journey is not the most pleasant. Besides, there is a lot of bumpiness on such a boat - be healthy! This walk costs $40 per person. Lunch - at sea, dry rations.
The second option involves renting a fast boat for $200. The maximum capacity of the boat is 8 people. The entire trip takes 2 hours: the boat takes 30 minutes to the island and somewhere within an hour - a program that includes swimming on the reef and a short landing on the shore.
In literature the island is called Tiran. I saw with my own eyes the spelling of the name of the island as “Tirana Island” (Tirana, not a proper name). I will not follow the first version; I prefer the more poetic name - Tirana.
The island, according to locals, is a forbidden territory - an Egyptian naval base is still located on it. But I also came across information on the Internet that the island is no one’s and the military base on it belongs to the UN (!?) - see, for example,. The idea of a UN military base seems somewhat fantastic to me (I have never heard of anything like it before).
The history of the island is very interesting. The Israeli version seemed plausible to me; I did not find the Egyptian version. I quote from an article about the history of Sharm el-Sheikh from the Electronic Jewish Encyclopedia:
Tiran Island (area - 59 sq. km) is located 7 km from the coast of Sinai (Cape Ras Nusrani) at the entrance to the Gulf of Eilat; The island is not inhabited and has no sources of fresh water. East of Tirana is the island of Sanafir (area - 24 sq. km), which is also uninhabited. The shores of the islands and bays are fringed by coral reefs, and therefore the width of the so-called Strait of Tiran, connecting the Gulf of Eilat with the Red Sea (formally 4 km), narrows sharply, leaving a passage for ships of no more than 300 m. On the island of Tiran at 5–6 centuries n. e. there was an independent Jewish principality, possibly proselyte (see Proselytes), called Jotav or Jotvat in historical chronicles. The population was engaged in transit maritime trade and was connected with Jewish centers in Arabia, Ethiopia, and possibly Egypt. The principality had a strong fleet. Under pressure from Byzantium, the inhabitants of Tirana converted to Christianity and in 525 AD. e. contributed to the destruction of the Jewish state of Himyar in Yemen (South Arabia), transporting Byzantine troops on their ships. In 535 Tiran was captured by Emperor Justinian; As the Byzantine Empire weakened, the island lost its significance and from the 7th century, after the Arab invasion, ceased to be mentioned in historical sources. Up to the 20th century. Sharm el-Sheikh area is a place where Bedouins camp.The cited encyclopedia calls the bay, at the entrance to which Tirana is located, Eilat. Eilat is the highest point of the Gulf, an Israeli port, Israel's only outlet to the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. Arab sources call the Gulf of Aqaba - after the city of Aqaba (Jordan), also the extreme northern point of the gulf. No comments.
...The motor boat that took us to Tirana was 7-8 meters long. It was equipped with two engines. Behind the captain's bridge - a control panel with an ordinary car steering wheel - at a decent distance there was a leather sofa that occupied the entire width of the boat - from side to side. There was room for four people on the sofa. At the stern, on the lid of the engine compartment, there were two “lying” places - two leather mattresses. At the stern of the boat there was a small ledge from which a diving ladder folded into the water.
The bow of the boat was impressive - it was at least half, or even 2/3 of its length. There was a cabin in the bow. There was no time, or even need, to go and examine it, so I can’t say anything about it.
The boat's crew consisted of three people: a captain-helmsman, a sailor and an instructor-swimmer. The latter had a very colorful appearance: a moderately round Arab guy, tall, with a neat short beard - completely different from the skinny Egyptian Arabs (these look like boys). When he, wearing a wetsuit, climbed into the boat at the pier and lay down in the stern like a proprietor, I thought that he was one of the divers who had been placed with us as a companion, just to dive from the boat. But it turned out that he was a member of the team. About his role in the walk - a little later...
The boat was very powerful: it took off sharply, instantly going into planing. When moving along a wave (the sea was a little rough), it seemed that the force of the engines was forcing him to simply jump from wave to wave.
...The second day it was a little stormy. A strong, sometimes squally wind blew from the mountains. Palm trees along the roads, in open areas, leaned strongly in the wind, trying to hold on to the air flow with their leaf tentacles. On the beach, which was hidden from the mountains by a cliff, the wind was not particularly felt, but there was a small wave on the sea - up to 0.5 m. At speed along the waves. The boat moved at speed, jumping from wave to wave. At these moments, she seemed to fall down, and broke the next wave with her sharp nose. I did not sit on the leather sofa behind the captain, but sat with the instructor on the trestle beds at the stern. A fresh wind blew in my face, and the sea bubbled picturesquely overboard. At some point, the boat changed course, turning slightly laterally towards the waves. And then it began! The waves began to splash the stern of the boat, showering me with salty rain at regular intervals. I had to turn 180 degrees and lie with my head in the same direction - only my legs were flooded.
By the way, on the way back, when I was already sitting on the bow of the boat, the stern was so flooded that the instructor even put on a mask with a snorkel, which made everyone incredibly amused. It looked very interesting: a bearded man in a wetsuit was sitting in the air wearing a mask and a snorkel. He himself was having a lot of fun.
The first stop on the program was at the remains of a Soviet (I was not mistaken - Soviet) ship that landed on a reef. By the time of this stop, we had already slightly rounded the island on the left side - this part of the coast was not visible from our beach. I didn’t take nautical binoculars with me, but I assure you that the remains of the ship are not visible from the shore.
The pranksters hand-painted the proud inscription “Navy” on the ship’s funnel. Maybe, maybe... Why not?
The second ship, which soon appeared before our eyes, was American. I don’t know why, but we all laughed as one - there was practically nothing American left. Hmmm, I think that the laughter was caused by genetic pride: but our remains are larger and stay... Hmm-hmm.
The photograph of the American ship (on the right) clearly shows that it is standing almost in the center of the coral reef. The water above the reef has a different color - it is lighter and greener.
[I plan to study the history of these ships and write this note soon.]
A little further, when the reef with the American ship was behind us, a whole flotilla of boats serving divers opened up to us. They stood very picturesquely in a row, with their noses in one direction - towards the reef. Our captain found a sufficient gap between the boats, entered it and reduced the engine speed. It became clear that this is where we would have to go snorkeling. The palpably long distance to the edge of the reef, open water and rough seas did not create an atmosphere of joy and happiness...
Up to this point I had snorkeled at the beach and at Ras Mohammed Park. In both cases it was coastal sailing: on the beach you generally went out to sea from a pontoon, in Ras it was more difficult - you had to go out to sea from a reef, but the reef was near the shore. Here I realized some difference between coastal swimming and open water swimming. A long time ago, A.O., having returned from some islands in the Atlantic Ocean, told me about the strongest energy of the ocean, the power of which is really, physically felt on the ocean shore. Now I believed her story 100%!
The last time I swam with fins was a long, long time ago - when I was just a child. I had a complete kit: full rubber fins, mask and snorkel. My grandparents bought all this for me before my first trip to the sea. I looked in horror at the fins that they offered me to wear...
Having equipped myself with a mask and fins, I carefully went into the water. It rocked. It was very far from the reef. I made several energetic movements with my legs and arms, lowered my head into the water and realized that everything was not as scary as it seemed from the side of the boat. The excitement somehow calmed down - I simply didn’t notice it, I could swim quickly and freely, the reef, which seemed unattainable, turned out to be very close - some tens of meters away.
Everything below was beautiful: a high wall of the reef, overgrown with fancy and colorful corals, a lot of fish scurrying in different directions. What you see on the beach cannot compare with the beauty and diversity of this reef in the open sea! The fish, which were represented by single specimens on the beach, swam here in whole schools. The variety of corals was fantastic! Their size was amazing. If the sea depth at the beach was 6 meters, then here the bottom was hidden behind the darkness of the water column... It is useless to describe all this splendor, you have to see it!
I jumped into the sea first, D.B. a little late. The instructor uncle sailed with him. His duties included providing backup for us: he sailed parallel to our course and, admittedly, did not particularly care about our backup. With his arms crossed over his chest, he worked his feet in his fins and admired the underwater life of the reef. His manner of swimming with fins told me the correct way to swim, I stopped rowing with my hands and swam in his manner. It turned out that the legs in the flippers more than compensated for the speed imparted to the body by the arms.
Despite the fact that the water temperature was +21-22 degrees, it could not be called fresh milk. At some point, probably after 15-20 minutes of such swimming, an avalanche-like cooling of the body set in, it became uncomfortable and I wanted to immediately get out of the water. That's what we did.
We landed on the shore of the island. Tirana. It was a wonderful place! A very original “beach” stretched in all directions: a plateau covered with compacted sand in half with clay, on top of which lay small, but sharp and unpleasant to the touch (to the feet!) pebbles. I climbed out of the boat onto the shore without slippers and regretted it very much! Walking along the shore was still possible, but returning to the boat moored to a stone, one side lying on land, and the other side dropped into the sea, was pure hell! The stone was not smooth, but jagged, and if it weren’t for the help of Dasha, on whose shoulder I leaned, I don’t know how I would have managed to get back to the boat overland (over the stone).
The entire shore was lined with stone autographs: apparently, everyone who sailed to the island of Tirana considered it their duty to immortalize their visit, moreover, a flat plateau-beach and countless stones of more or less suitable size (that’s how they cut their feet!) the disposal of those who thirst for all means and opportunities.
As far as the eye could see, everything was covered with inscriptions. Depending on the free time, some people laid out a stone “autograph” in letters two meters high, while others made small letters, no more than half a meter high. Basically, as I was able to discern, people left their names for posterity (hee hee!): I read several Italian names.
The Russians who visited the island of Tirana before us were noted for their imagination, perseverance and respect for themselves and other people: a huge autograph inscription, laid out with not the smallest stones and having not the most modest height of letters, contained the quintessence of the clever man who left the word " x..y." Where are you Soviet-era vandals who left the chaste “Vasya was here” in inappropriate places? No... “There are no others, but those are far away.”
...The release of adrenaline into the blood was clearly not enough, I felt it. A certain penchant for adventure, reasonable risk and controlled extreme sports took its toll - I asked to sit at the bow of the boat. The captain asked me twice: am I sure? And he warned me at least three more times that I myself would be responsible for my safety. I didn't mind...
The captain slowed down and gave me the opportunity to move to the bow of the boat. I sat down on the deck and put my feet under the low perimeter fence. (May the yachtsmen forgive me - I don’t know what all this is called correctly and in a nautical way!) There was nothing more to hold on to. The boat began to pick up speed.
The feeling is unique! There is a wave on the sea, it goes exactly perpendicular to the course of the boat. The boat, having climbed the wave, finds itself above the “gap” that opens beyond the complete one and falls into it with force. It seems to me, sitting at the very bow of the boat, that there is a drop of at least five meters under the bow of the boat. At some point, a strong wind blew, and the waters gained strength. I realized that I could no longer hold on with just my legs: the rocking was so strong that attempts to stay on the boat only with the efforts of my legs could end in failure. The time has come to move a little to the bow of the boat and grab the handrails with your hands. And on time! The captain abruptly changed course several times, exposing the side of the boat to the waves. These maneuvers were sharp and unexpected, and required me to tilt my body in the direction opposite to the turn. The hands clinging to the handrails could barely withstand the centrifugal force of rotation....
My position on the bow of the boat was also made interesting by the fact that my Dasha was holding the helm in her hands...
Links
Sovereignty over the island has been the subject of a long-running dispute between Egypt, which has effectively controlled it since the 1950s, and Saudi Arabia. In April 2016, the governments reached an agreement to transfer the island to Riyadh, which is subject to ratification by the Egyptian parliament.
A small military base (Observation Post 3-11) of international observers MFO (Multinational Force and Observers) is located on Tirana, which monitors compliance by Egypt and Israel with the peace treaty. Landing of outsiders on the island is prohibited. The monitoring base on Tirana is located in the western part of the island on the top of a cliff 250 meters high above a beach mined from previous conflicts. It is supplied twice a week by helicopters from Sharm el-Sheikh.
The island itself, apart from a UN military base, is uninhabited. The passage of ships into the Gulf of Aqaba through the Strait of Tiran from Saudi Arabia is prohibited due to poor relations between it and Israel (most ships go to Eilat, Israel).
Since 1983, Tiran Island has been part of the Ras Mohammed National Park. It contains nesting grounds for seven species of quite rare waterfowl, and on the northern shore of its southern part there is an extensive mangrove grove. Ornithologists have expressed concern about possible oil pollution of the sea off the coast of the island from ships passing through the strait, as well as increased tourist activity in the vicinity of the island, which could harm nesting sites.
Story
In the V-VI centuries. n. e. on the island there was an independent Jewish principality, called Iotab (Iotav) or Iotvat in historical chronicles. Some researchers of ancient texts, trying to reconstruct the route of the exodus of the Jews from Egypt, believe that the mountain on the island of Tiran was a cult for the worship of the northern god of seas and storms, Baal Tzaphon (English)Russian. The Principality of Iotvat had a strong fleet and conducted maritime trade with Arabia, Ethiopia and Egypt. Then the principality became part of the Byzantine Empire. From the 7th century, after the Arab invasion, the island ceased to be mentioned in historical chronicles.
In September 1955, Egypt announced a blockade of the Strait of Tiran for Israeli shipping, thereby cutting off the port of Eilat from the outside world, and closed the airspace of this area to Israeli aircraft. Artillery positions were established on the islands of Tiran and neighboring Sanafir, as well as on the opposite Sinai shore of the Strait in the Ras Nasrani area. A naval base was established in Sharm el-Sheikh.
Since 1988, a project has been underway to build a bridge across the island of Tiran from Egypt to Saudi Arabia. This bridge, 15 km long, will connect African states and Asia, bypassing Israeli territory.
In 2016, Egypt and Saudi Arabia signed an agreement to transfer the disputed islands of Tiran and Sanafir in the Red Sea to the jurisdiction of Riyadh. The agreement on the delimitation of maritime boundaries must undergo the approval procedure in the Egyptian Parliament. Meanwhile, the kingdom's legislative body - the Advisory Council - has already approved it. The Egyptian Administrative Court did not recognize the validity of the deal to transfer both islands to the jurisdiction of Saudi Arabia. Lawsuits against the transfer of the islands were filed by two local lawyers.
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Notes
Excerpt characterizing Tiran (island)
There was only one spoon, there was most of the sugar, but there was no time to stir it, and therefore it was decided that she would stir the sugar for everyone in turn. Rostov, having received his glass and poured rum into it, asked Marya Genrikhovna to stir it.- But you don’t have sugar? - she said, still smiling, as if everything that she said, and everything that others said, was very funny and had another meaning.
- Yes, I don’t need sugar, I just want you to stir it with your pen.
Marya Genrikhovna agreed and began to look for a spoon, which someone had already grabbed.
“You finger, Marya Genrikhovna,” said Rostov, “it will be even more pleasant.”
- It's hot! - said Marya Genrikhovna, blushing with pleasure.
Ilyin took a bucket of water and, dripping some rum into it, came to Marya Genrikhovna, asking him to stir it with his finger.
“This is my cup,” he said. - Just put your finger in, I’ll drink it all.
When the samovar was all drunk, Rostov took the cards and offered to play kings with Marya Genrikhovna. They cast lots to decide who would be Marya Genrikhovna's party. The rules of the game, according to Rostov’s proposal, were that the one who would be king would have the right to kiss Marya Genrikhovna’s hand, and that the one who would remain a scoundrel would go and put a new samovar for the doctor when he woke up.
- Well, what if Marya Genrikhovna becomes king? – Ilyin asked.
- She’s already a queen! And her orders are law.
The game had just begun when the doctor’s confused head suddenly rose from behind Marya Genrikhovna. He had not slept for a long time and listened to what was said, and, apparently, did not find anything cheerful, funny or amusing in everything that was said and done. His face was sad and despondent. He did not greet the officers, scratched himself and asked permission to leave, as his way was blocked. As soon as he came out, all the officers burst into loud laughter, and Marya Genrikhovna blushed to tears and thereby became even more attractive in the eyes of all the officers. Returning from the yard, the doctor told his wife (who had stopped smiling so happily and was looking at him, fearfully awaiting the verdict) that the rain had passed and that she had to go spend the night in the tent, otherwise everything would be stolen.
- Yes, I’ll send a messenger... two! - said Rostov. - Come on, doctor.
– I’ll watch the clock myself! - said Ilyin.
“No, gentlemen, you slept well, but I didn’t sleep for two nights,” said the doctor and gloomily sat down next to his wife, waiting for the end of the game.
Looking at the gloomy face of the doctor, looking askance at his wife, the officers became even more cheerful, and many could not help laughing, for which they hastily tried to find plausible excuses. When the doctor left, taking his wife away, and settled into the tent with her, the officers lay down in the tavern, covered with wet overcoats; but they didn’t sleep for a long time, either talking, remembering the doctor’s fright and the doctor’s amusement, or running out onto the porch and reporting what was happening in the tent. Several times Rostov, turning over his head, wanted to fall asleep; but again someone’s remark entertained him, a conversation began again, and again causeless, cheerful, childish laughter was heard.
At three o'clock no one had yet fallen asleep when the sergeant appeared with the order to march to the town of Ostrovne.
With the same chatter and laughter, the officers hastily began to get ready; again they put the samovar on dirty water. But Rostov, without waiting for tea, went to the squadron. It was already dawn; the rain stopped, the clouds dispersed. It was damp and cold, especially in a wet dress. Coming out of the tavern, Rostov and Ilyin, both in the twilight of dawn, looked into the doctor’s leather tent, shiny from the rain, from under the apron of which the doctor’s legs stuck out and in the middle of which the doctor’s cap was visible on the pillow and sleepy breathing could be heard.
- Really, she’s very nice! - Rostov said to Ilyin, who was leaving with him.
- What a beauty this woman is! – Ilyin answered with sixteen-year-old seriousness.
Half an hour later the lined up squadron stood on the road. The command was heard: “Sit down! – the soldiers crossed themselves and began to sit down. Rostov, riding forward, commanded: “March! - and, stretching out in four people, the hussars, sounding the slap of hooves on the wet road, the clanking of sabers and quiet talking, set off along the large road lined with birch trees, following the infantry and battery walking ahead.
Torn blue-purple clouds, turning red at sunrise, were quickly driven by the wind. It became lighter and lighter. The curly grass that always grows along country roads, still wet from yesterday’s rain, was clearly visible; The hanging branches of the birches, also wet, swayed in the wind and dropped light drops to their sides. The faces of the soldiers became clearer and clearer. Rostov rode with Ilyin, who did not lag behind him, on the side of the road, between a double row of birch trees.
During the campaign, Rostov took the liberty of riding not on a front-line horse, but on a Cossack horse. Both an expert and a hunter, he recently got himself a dashing Don, a large and kind game horse, on which no one had jumped him. Riding this horse was a pleasure for Rostov. He thought about the horse, about the morning, about the doctor, and never once thought about the impending danger.
Before, Rostov, going into business, was afraid; Now he did not feel the slightest sense of fear. It was not because he was not afraid that he was accustomed to fire (you cannot get used to danger), but because he had learned to control his soul in the face of danger. He was accustomed, when going into business, to think about everything, except for what seemed to be more interesting than anything else - about the upcoming danger. No matter how hard he tried or reproached himself for cowardice during the first period of his service, he could not achieve this; but over the years it has now become natural. He now rode next to Ilyin between the birches, occasionally tearing leaves from branches that came to hand, sometimes touching the horse’s groin with his foot, sometimes, without turning around, giving his finished pipe to the hussar riding behind, with such a calm and carefree look, as if he was riding ride. He felt sorry to look at Ilyin’s agitated face, who spoke a lot and restlessly; he knew from experience the painful state of waiting for fear and death in which the cornet was, and knew that nothing except time would help him.