FIFTH DAY. 83 



We got into the cart and began by driving along several 

 rides, and after about a quarter of an hour turned into the 

 heart of the woods by a terribly rough forest-track, rankly 

 overgrown with branches. Everywhere the covers were of 

 the same type, the various sections only differing in the 

 age of the trees. 



Suddenly I observed a roebuck lying in a thick coppice, 

 not more than thirty yards away. We at once pulled up ; I 

 loaded the rifle and aimed, but it missed fire the first, second, 

 and even third time ; for I had got an attack of buck-fever, 

 and had entirely forgotten that the rifle was still locked. In 

 my excitement I took up the gun which was lying beside me 

 and fired at the roe, which staggered off hard hit, and 

 tumbled over dead at the second barrel. 



Never in the course of my rather extensive shooting 

 experiences had it happened to me to stop in a trap in front of 

 game usually so shy, to load a rifle, change the cartridges 

 three times, and after some minutes kill a buck which was 

 still lying down and looking at us quite unconcernedly. 

 That was a state of things which really made one think of 

 Paradise. 



After hauling the roe a large brocket with remarkably 

 long horns into the heavily loaded cart we continued our 

 drive, and presently saw a herd of Red Deer close to us, 

 which made a most beautiful picture. The deer of this part 

 of Hungary are all unusually large, much bigger and stronger 

 than in the woods round Godollo, which is saying a good 

 deal, while altogether the Hungarian Red Deer differ from 

 those of the other civilized countries of Europe ; for the quiet 

 and the extraordinary good feeding have produced quite a 

 peculiar and characteristic race, the many essential differences 

 of which cannot fail to attract the attention of every careful 

 observer. 



As soon as we got near the deer, I stopped the cart, and 



G2 



