THIRD DAY. 33 



worthy, able fellows, chiefly fishermen by profession, who, 

 from the trips which they have made in Hodek's company, 

 have attained a certain practical knowledge of ornithology. 

 One of them merits a short description, as he often con- 

 tributed to our amusement. I never saw such a wretched 

 stunted being as this poor climber of Apatin ; and when one 

 looked at him, springing merrily about the topmost branches 

 of the trees, one" could not help thinking that he must be 

 closely related to the chimpanzee. His face beardless but for 

 a few bristles, his flat coal-black hair, thin arms and legs, 

 and distorted figure, which was mere skin and bone, made 

 him look most remarkable, and to all this was added an 

 intelligence which was in the lowest stage of development 

 and just verged on idiotcy. His sole enjoyment was the 

 perpetual smoking of a little clay pipe, and he laughed inces- 

 santly, but never spoke, obeying all orders blindly ; yet we all 

 liked him, for he was the cleverest climber. 



But to return to our subject. After leaving Apatin we 

 ran up-stream again to the best shooting-ground. The 

 passage might be called pretty, for on the left bank was a 

 marshy tract intersected by arms of the river, where low 

 willow-bushes reached close down to the water's edge. On 

 the boggy meadows there were a good many birds. Lap- 

 wings tumbled about, Ducks rose from the pools, Grey 

 Herons flew leisurely over the marshes, and we here saw the 

 first Purple Herons. Marsh-Harriers were also dancing over 

 the meadows, and a pretty fair number of smaller birds, such 

 as Wild Pigeons, Crows, Starlings, &c., passed over our 

 vessel. On the right we saw splendid " au " woods running 

 down to the bank, and it was only where the numerous arms 

 of the river joined the main stream that we obtained glimpses 

 into these dark green labyrinths. 



A good many Kites were flying about over the woods ; 

 we often saw four or five together, all merrily going through 



D 



