143 



ment that the sight of a whole fresh fish 

 amongst them creates is most entertaining. 

 The one who secures the dainty morsel 

 spreads his wings over it in triumph, 

 whilst the disappointed birds strut angrily 

 around. 



During a three months' sojourn at Gottingen, 

 in 1894, it was not long before Dan provided 

 himself with the inevitable eagle-companion, 

 and he was soon known amongst the students 

 there as the *• eagle-man." His bird escaped 

 one day and tlew off into the country, with 

 Dan and a dozen or so of German students in 

 hot pursuit. After a ten miles' run across 

 country the bird was marked down and secured. 

 They all made for the nearest village, and hired 

 an ancient chariot and four, and drove back to 

 the university town, full of triumph, beer, and 

 song. One of Dan's letters describing his 

 first visit to a Gasthaus, to see some duelling, is 

 interesting. 



" I went early on Saturday morning to see 

 the students of the University here fighting. I 

 drove to a Gasthaus about a mile from the 

 town, and sent in my card by the coachman 

 (Baroness von K— 's factotum), and got him 

 to explain who 1 was — I could not have 

 done it well enough. As I was standing outside 



