54 FIFTEEN DAYS ON THE DANUBE. 



with flourishing islands forming themselves on their broad 

 upper surfaces. 



Hodek had already told me of the floating islands of this 

 wood. I have now seen them, and am greatly delighted at 

 having explored this true primeval forest, on which no axe or 

 hatchet has ever been laid by man. Our way was often 

 blocked by quantities of drift-wood as well as by these float- 

 ing islands, and we were often in immediate danger of a 

 ducking, for we had much difficulty in forcing the " csikeln " 

 through the stems and branches ; but where the obstacles 

 were altogether too great, we could only progress by making 

 a long detour, and in spite of the extraordinary dexterity of 

 the paddlers, their task was a very hard one. 



Slowly we neared a little opening, in the midst of which 

 stood an old rotten willow, and seldom have I seen so remark- 

 able a tree. Its twisted trunk only rose a couple of yards 

 above the water, and was quite branchless and leafless, and 

 also blackened by lightning and split down the middle ; 

 while at its upper end was a large hole leading into the hollow 

 stem. This willow served as a fit abode for the gloomy 

 Eagle-Owl, the king of its race. I glided on in the " csikel " 

 until I got under the tree, and Hodek also hurried up in his 

 craft, and with a blow of his hunting-knife frightened the 

 great night-bird out of its retreat. Unfortunately, 1 had 

 posted myself too near, and the cunning owl flew away so 

 covered by the tree that I could not see it until it was a good 

 way off, and both my shots were ineffective ; for though it 

 drooped in its flight and dropped a few feathers, yet it never- 

 theless vanished into the depths of the wood. I was quite in 

 despair, for it was the first time that I had seen a wild Eagle- 

 Owl, and the sight of it made me still more eager to shoot one 

 of these powerful fellows, who are certainly among our finest 

 raptorial creatures. 



It is a splendid primitive sort of bird, with a spectral weird 



