34 FIFTEEN DATS ON THE DANUBE. 



their aerial evolutions, and a Peregrine also crossed the river 

 not far from us. This noble bird of prey, so seldom met with 

 in western lands, was all. the more interesting to us as I had 

 shot one in the Lower Austrian " auen " when Brehm and I 

 were there a few days ago. We were already a good bit 

 above Apatin, when to our great delight there appeared far 

 away above the lofty woods the first pair of Sea-Eagles, 

 quietly flying towards the interior of the woods, their huge 

 forms being plainly visible against the sky in spite of the 

 great distance. The field-glass was at once put in requisition, 

 and a veritable fever of excitement was caused by the sight 

 of these great birds of prey, and the thoughts of what might 

 happen during the ensuing hours. 



We now soon sighted an opening in the woods, where an 

 arm of the river branched off to the right and formed a broad 

 passage into the heart of the " auen." Here Hodek told us 

 that we were at the proper place, and the Captain gave the 

 order to anchor above this channel. 



The ' Vienna ' was cast off, and we rowed to the bank to 

 get the " csikeln " in order. There, among the bushes, we 

 found a miserable dilapidated fishing-hut, out of which crawled 

 some wild sunburnt people, who looked at us with amaze- 

 ment. A numerous family of pigs lay sunning themselves 

 at the entrance of this human habitation, and when Brehm 

 saw them he rapturously called out, " Ah, my favourite 

 beasts \" and on account of that exclamation he was chaffed 

 whenever we encountered a herd of swine. 



As soon as all was ready, and the steamer had anchored, 

 we got into the < Vienna ' and entered this arm of the Danube, 

 Hodek's men following, distributed among the " csikeln." 



It must not be imagined that this was a small branch of the 

 Danube, for it was, on the contrary, a broad and rather rapid 

 stream about the size of our larger rivers. It takes a wide 

 bend through the wood, and joins the main stream far below 



