90 FIFTEEN DAYS ON THE DANUBE. 



bounded on the north by the chain of hills which runs from 

 behind Mohacs down to the Danube, on the west by the 

 spurs of the Pannonian mountains, on the east by the woods 

 of the Danube, and on the south by the heights which we had 

 just crossed. Marshes, meadows, fields, some clumps of wood, 

 and a few villages filled up the interior of this little plain, 

 which sloped towards the Danube in gentle undulations. 



The more distant view that presented itself from the road 

 was of the true Hungarian type, having a wide horizon and 

 being on a grand scale, but its nearer details were monotonous 

 and uninteresting. 



We had been steadily bowling along for nearly t\vo hours 

 and a half, when we reached a cheerful-looking country house 

 situated in front of a large garden, the whole having the 

 clean smart look of one of the summer villas one so often sees 

 in the beautiful outskirts of Vienna or on the shores of the 

 Upper Austrian lakes, and not at all the appearance of the 

 small Hungarian country residences. A number of fine horses 

 all well harnessed were here awaiting us, for we had arrived 

 at Herr Rampelt's abode, where we were to have a relay. 



In a few minutes we were off again. The afternoon had 

 come to a close, and the sultry day was succeeded by a 

 very chilly evening, for the air had been thoroughly cooled 

 by several storms which had threatened to come up, but which 

 had all passed away to the south and there burst. A uniform 

 grey mantle of clouds gradually spread over the sky, and it 

 seemed as if heavy rain was coming. 



Our road now conducted us close to a little wood of high 

 trees. There the Land Steward begged us to halt and pay a 

 hurried visit to a pair of Ravens which had chosen it as their 

 nesting-place. I hardly believed my ears when I heard that 

 this shy bird was breeding in such a miserable little wood, 

 close to a road in the open plain, and far away from any large 

 forest, so feeling somewhat incredulous I walked about two 



