THROUGH WILD EUROPE 153 



no sugar in the house. However, they managed to 

 get some from a neighbour, and very welcome we 

 found a cup of hot coffee in our drenched condition. 

 The small sum I gave in payment was accepted 

 gratefully, the woman kissing my hand as I left : 

 this I found to be a very common form of salutation 

 and a way of expressing thanks for any benefits, but 

 one I felt rather embarrassing. Men frequently do 

 it as well as women, especially after receiving a 

 liberal backsheesh for any services they have 

 rendered. More embarrassing still is it to be 

 embraced and kissed by an Albanian, bristling with 

 deadly weapons. 



It was still raining heavily when we re-embarked, 

 still very wet but rather more comfortable after our 

 rest and refreshment. 



Presently we approached the heronry I had 

 noticed, but, to my great disgust, I found that this 

 time I had myself mistaken the Common Grey 

 Heron for the Great White Heron. The bright sun- 

 shine on the white necks of the birds, and the fact that 

 their bodies were hidden by the branches, together 

 with the distance at which the steamer had passed, 

 had helped to mislead me. There were many nests 

 on the tops of a clump of tall willows growing in 

 deep water ; and from the treetops came the unmis- 

 takable chipping cry of young Herons. Evidently 

 the eggs had all hatched, but to make sure I 



