THIRD DAY, 37 
for to each of us there involuntarily presented itself the question, 
Shall we kill any eagles, and with the best of luck how many 
shall we bring back to this place after hours of hard work ? 
A boat and a couple of “ csikeln”’ were assigned to me. 
My jiiger Beck and I got into the former, which was rowed 
by two men, while Hodek and his man Ferenez followed in 
the latter. We had hardly left the rest of the party, and 
gone a little way down the broad stream, when a huge Sea- 
Eagle flew slowly over the wood within rifle-shot of my boat, 
and I, who am so very superstitious when out shooting, ac- 
cepted this as a good omen and a propitious sign from St. 
Hubert, who has always favoured me so greatly in my pursuit 
of eagles. As we were merrily hurrying down-stream | 
suddenly perceived on our left a small break in the loamy 
erumbling bank through which the water was rushing into a 
narrow channel. “ Here,” said my boatmen, “we must 
enter ;” and I confess that at first I watched the manceuvre 
with some anxiety ; however, the turn was made, and the 
water carried us into the deeply cut channel. Rowing was 
quite impossible, for on both sides there were but a few inches 
between boat and bank, while on either hand were loamy 
walls several feet high. Here I noticed, imbedded in the 
ooze and mud, a huge tree which had probably lain buried in 
this place for many many years. Above us closed the branches 
of the bushes which grew in wild luxuriance on both sides; 
and I cannot remember having ever seen anything like it, 
for the whole defile had quite a character of its own. Yet, 
interesting as it was, we felt relieved on getting well out of 
it, since even with both arms it was difficult to guard one’s 
face from rough contact with the low drooping boughs. 
Suddenly both the banks came to an end as if they had been 
cut off, and all trace of dry land vanished, for we had reached 
the district of the yearly inundations and the very wilderness 
itself. 
