74 FIFTEEN DAYS ON THE DANUBE. 



literally further than the eye could reach. Eight and left 

 rose wonderfully well-kept oak woods, of uniform height, and 

 with a rather thick undergrowth ; for we were now in an 

 admirably forested wood belonging to the State, which 

 resembled neither the "auen" nor the wild stunted oak 

 woods of other parts of Hungary, but chiefly reminded me 

 of some of the deciduous forests in Bohemia. 



The scenery of this district could not be called either grand 

 or picturesque, though the fresh luxuriant verdure threw 

 a certain pleasant tone over the whole landscape. I have 

 such a general dislike for straight lines, as being the palpable 

 evidences of the all-levelling hand of man, that even a 

 splendid rich green forest, when parcelled out by the regular 

 and perfectly straight avenues devised by skilled foresters, 

 loses all charm for me ; and, on the same principle, I hold all 

 cut-and-dried shooting, where the guns stand in straight 

 rides, to be a thorough abomination. 



I can understand that calculating officials, who try to get 

 as much wood and game out of Nature as they can, think 

 such forests and such shooting the most delightful ; but, as a 

 modest traveller and lover of Nature, I find them anything 

 but attractive. I therefore found it difficult to join in the 

 praise and admiration bestowed oh this Keskend Wood 

 the so-called gem of the State forests ; for I was still far too 

 full of the splendid " auen" of Apatin. 



But why be absorbed in such useless reflections ? " Hie 

 Rhodus hie salta," thought I, and concealed my disappoint- 

 ment. But great was my astonishment at finding that, 

 although the whole of the enormous forest was cultivated in 

 this manner, it was nevertheless inhabited by such unques- 

 tionably shy birds as the Osprey, the Short-toed Eagle, and 

 the pensive Black Stork. This further confirmed what I had 

 so often noticed in Middle Hungary, viz. that in that country 

 all game, and even the wariest birds of prey, permit the 



