42 FIFTEEN DAYS ON THE DANUBE. 



" csikel," the bird having dropped within a few yards 

 of it. 



It was a most unpleasant time that I spent alone under the 

 nest waiting for Hodek, and, short as it was, seemed to me like 

 long hours. My hands trembled with excitement as I held my 

 gun, and, harassed by the most uncomfortable thoughts, I 

 kept asking myself why I had not killed the eagle outright, 

 and whether the fall on the water had not been an illusion. 

 Fortunately Hodek soon put an end to these distressing 

 moments by hurrying to me holding up the eagle. It was a 

 very old powerful bird, with the pale plumage and light 

 yellow beak and feet indicative of great age ; but, to our 

 astonishment, it was not the faithful mother but the father 

 which I had bagged. 



Induced by this circumstance to persevere, we determined 

 to wait two hours longer for the female, and, hiding the dead 

 Sea-Eagle in the shade of a tree, we again crept into our 

 ambush. 



Our hopes and expectations had risen, and the time passed 

 still more quickly and pleasantly, relieved as I was of my 

 most feverish excitement and of my distressing doubts about 

 the success of the matter. 



The cheerful bustle of the bird-world again began around 

 us, and I had the pleasure of thoroughly studying the Moor- 

 hens as they crept slowly out of their places of concealment 

 and swam about, a few yards from me, diving and playfully 

 pursuing one another. 



We several times heard the shrill cry of the Sea-Eagle, 

 but all remained quiet at the nest ; so as it was already past 

 noon, and Hodek thought that we ought to pay a visit to the 

 second Sea-Eagle's nest, we whistled sharply, and in a few 

 minutes both our " csikeln " came up. 



Having laid the slain eagle in my craft, we pushed off 

 from the land and penetrated into the thick reeds, circum- 



