52 FIFTEEN DAYS ON THE DANUBE. 



locality on the map, when they began to talk of it as a district 

 splendidly adapted for ornithological researches, and to form 

 high scientific expectations in connexion with this trip. The 

 more they dreamed of these prospects, the smaller were my 

 hopes of seeing these gentlemen return laden with an eagle, 

 for the sporting proclivities of the true naturalist, however 

 great they may be, always give way whenever a question 

 of scientific interest arises. 



Breakfast was soon despatched, and we separated with 

 hearty wishes for good luck. I got into a boat with Hodek 

 and my jager, three "csikeln" followed us, and we started 

 on our expedition. 



We began by rowing slowly up-stream for about a quarter 

 of an hour, till we got to a high wood chiefly composed of 

 willows ; vt&ee we put into the bank, and I seated myself in a 

 " csikel " paddled by the sturdy Ferencz. Hodek and my jager 

 settled themselves in the two others, and, taking the boat 

 along with us, we pushed into the wood at a flooded spot only 

 a few yards broad. Here a narrow strip of dry ground run- 

 ning along the edge of the trees divided the arm of the river 

 from the interior of the wood, which was so completely under 

 water that we could easily pass between the tall stems this 

 sort of inundated forest, devoid of bushes or undergrowths, 

 having a very singular look. A little way further on the high 

 trees became scarcer, being replaced by thickets, and the 

 difficulties of the already unpleasant navigation were increased 

 by the drift-wood which was floating about. However, light 

 soon shone through the bushes, and we reached an open sheet 

 of water about a thousand yards long by a few hundred 

 broad, and bounded on the left by bushes with only a few 

 high trees rising among them, and on the right by a very 

 singular and lofty forest, while to the front the view was also 

 closed by woods. I fancy that in the height of summer, when 

 the floods recede, this open is transformed either into one of 



