: SECOND DAY. 25 
Here, too, the character of the right bank differs from that 
of the left, for on the former there are still no “ auen”’ to be 
seen, while on the latter a broad belt of woods already stretches 
along the river; and it is only in a few places, where the 
marshes run down to the bank and leave narrow gaps, that one 
gets an open view of the wide plain. 
On the right the country near the river is also flat, but the 
banks are steep. Further off one sees a fairly important 
chain of hills and low mountains: these are the heights round 
Fiinfkirchen—the spurs of the Pannonian range, as the 
ancients called it. At Szegszard, where the Sarviz canal joins 
the Danube, the “auen” first begin to enclose the stream 
on both sides, but only for a short distance, for above Duna- 
Szekes6 one sees them only on the left bank, while on the 
right hills covered with vineyards slope steeply to the river. 
The time spent in passing between the wooded banks was 
truly delightful. On both sides the grey-green trees of the 
“auen”’ were reflected in the gently flowing stream, and a 
network of large and small channels led like avenues into the 
green wilderness. The woods were of uniform height, and 
above them there only rose the dead tops of a few ancient 
oaks, while the heavy foliage of their marginal branches hung 
low over the water and sometimes even touched it. Great 
quantities of driftwood driven out of the arms of the river 
were floating about the main stream, and the fallen tree-trunks, 
which at this height of the water only showed their upper 
surfaces, might easily have been mistaken for crocodiles by 
excited imaginations. All this made up a scene so extra- 
ordinary and so unlike anything else in Europe, that we were 
perfectly astounded, and stood at the bow of the vessel 
surveying it with wonderment; and I was just thinking 
whether I had ever seen anything like it before, and how far 
one could compare it with the beautiful “auen” of Lower Aus- 
tria, when Brehm, who was also lost in admiration, suddenly 
