SECOND DAY. 27 



of the large island of Mohacs in their full luxuriance. On 

 the former side of the river we also saw steep hills which 

 were separated from the Danube by a narrow strip of level 

 country, which got broader and broader as we approached 

 Mohacs itself. 



Before reaching this town the Captain had told me that he 

 was very sorry not to be able to get to Apatin by the evening, 

 for it would be impossible to do so as night would overtake 

 us while still two hours above that place. 



To this we had to submit, though by so doing the first 

 hours of the morning would be lost for shooting. It was not, 

 however, in the least the Captain's fault, for, thanks to the 

 splendid engines of our steamer, we had already covered 

 quite an incredibly long distance in a very short time, and if 

 Adony had not detained us so long we should have arrived 

 at Apatin in the afternoon. 



So far as size goes Mohacs is quite a large town, but its 

 character is that of a true Hungarian village, though a few 

 two-storied houses rise proudly in the square near the landing- 

 place of the Danube steamers. We ran by it without stopping, 

 so as to lose no time, passing the crowd of boat-mills just 

 below, which indicate the neighbourhood of a large settlement. 

 The name of Mohacs recalls a gloomy incident in the annals 

 of Hungary which is still a matter of common talk, and every 

 Hungarian who travels down the Danube looks with sorrow 

 on the blood-steeped marsh where so many brave Magyars, 

 headed by their king, perished so heroically. 



Immediately below this village a very beautiful and pictur- 

 esque scene opened out before us. 



To the right we saw an extensive plain bounded on the 

 south by a chain of heights, from which rose a conical pointed 

 hill. This hill we now beheld for the first time, but it was to 

 prove a true friend whose acquaintance we were to make 

 from various directions during the next few days. On the 



