THROUGH WILD EUROPE 223 



fire, looking as black as ink within. The fantastic 

 shapes of these dead monsters of the forests, and the 

 strange contrasts of black and white, gave them the 

 resemblance of skeletons of gigantic beasts which 

 had been tortured to death in an upright position, 

 rather than the remains of trees. 



When at last we reached the nest, which was 

 placed on the top of a huge pollarded oak, a fine 

 Sea Eagle flew off. Having set up the camera and 

 made a screen of branches, the men and horses were 

 sent back with instructions to come for me before 

 dusk, leaving me quite alone in the depths of the 

 forest — quite alone, that is, as far as I knew. But 

 after I had been there about two hours, suddenly 

 and noiselessly, without the slightest warning, two 

 wild-looking Albanians, in ragged garments but 

 armed to the teeth with rifles and revolvers, stepped 

 out from behind the nearest tree. I had been intent 

 on watching for the Eagle's return to her eyry, and 

 had neither seen nor heard anything of their ap- 

 proach, so that I was completely taken by surprise. 



My rifle was leaning against the tree within reach, 

 and a loaded revolver was in my pocket, but though 

 they looked two of the most unprepossessing ruffians 

 I had seen for some time they made no hostile 

 demonstration, they merely stood and looked at me 

 silently as though they wondered what on earth I 

 was up to. Well they might! I must say I also 



