THROUGH WILD EUROPE 121 



difficulty a narrow but very deep stream, we finally 

 found ourselves in the right direction on the right 

 side of the lake. 



It was by now midday and very hot, and our 

 horses were badly in need of a rest ; so, seeing a 

 large fig-tree close to some huts, the word was given 

 to off-saddle. The luncheon basket was unpacked, 

 and some eggs procured from the people, and we 

 were soon enjoying a welcome meal. 



The Baron had a very good cook, a German, and 

 even when dining in the open air away from home we 

 generally fared very well — the first day, at any rate. 

 The second day out, after the basket was exhausted, 

 of course we had to take our chance with what we 

 could get. 



This lake covered a large expanse, but more 

 resembled a vast reed-bed than a lake ; we could 

 only see at a distance from the summit of a hill two 

 pieces of open water. I should say that it would be 

 full of breeding Herons, for we saw quantities of 

 Little Egrets, Glossy Ibis, Squacco Herons, and 

 similar birds ; but there were no signs of a colony of 

 Pelicans. The people told us that they didn't nest 

 there ; and, as they seemed to know what they were 

 talking about, which isn't always the case in these 

 parts, we determined to ride on over a range of hills 

 to our second locality. For hours we rode in single 

 file, winding in and out along a narrow path through 



