FOURTH DAY. 53 



those dry channels so common in the " auen " or into a moist 

 and verdant forest glade. 



Our " csikeln " glided silently but swiftly over the smooth 

 waters, the clouds hung low, the air, saturated with the exhala- 

 tions of the rich vegetation, was oppressive, and the prevailing 

 tones of dull green gave a melancholy aspect to the scene. 



There was little bird-life to be seen around us, but the 

 insects, especially the troublesome mosquitoes, drawn out 

 by the damp warmth of the weather, were buzzing about 

 everywhere, while innumerable frogs were throwing up air- 

 bubbles and protruding their heads above the water. 



A brilliantly white Egret passed slowly over me, and was 

 at once entered in my note-book, as it was the first which I 

 had seen on this journey, nor had I met with any since last 

 year, when I found them in the marshes of Lake Butrinto 

 in Albania. 



A few more vigorous strokes of the paddles brought us to 

 the end of the open water, where, turning to the right, we 

 entered a splendid wood of high trees. Of all the " an " 

 woods which I have ever seen this was unquestionably the 

 most beautiful and the most interesting, being the very acme 

 of the unfettered virgin growth of nature. Tall willows were 

 its characteristic trees, and some huge black and silver poplars 

 with dead branches stood out among them. In many places 

 there was no undergrowth, in others thick bushes grew ram- 

 pantly. Old trees, overcome by the weight of years and 

 choked by the younger ones, were bent and twisted into the 

 most gnarled shapes; others, blackened by lightning, stood like 

 ruins, half overthrown ; stems that had been hurled down by 

 storms lay firmly imbedded in the ground and partly sub- 

 merged, their decayed bark serving as a fruitful soil for 

 younger generations, for high grasses and whole trees were 

 growing from the dead bodies of their predecessors, while 

 other trunks, uprooted by the floods, were drifting about 



