NINTH DAY. 155 



panied by Count Chotek and Bombelles, who had also 

 arrived, we drove back to the farm. Leopold was very 

 downcast, for he had missed an Imperial Eagle at the nest, 

 and instead of this noble bird of prey had only brought back 

 a Common Buzzard, which was breeding close by. Bom- 

 belles, who had chiefly gone out to stalk roe, also returned 

 empty-handed. 



We now began the long homeward journey as quickly as 

 possible, at first driving through fields and meadows towards 

 the avenue of acacias which ran along the margin of the 

 steep cliff facing the Danube. Having turned into it we 

 kept along above the bank of the river in an easterly direc- 

 tion, and soon got to a village where we were received by the 

 loud barking of the vagrant peasant dogs, and then passing 

 through a difficult defile reached tile river in about an hour. 

 There the steamer was waiting at the appointed place. A 

 boat brought us to the accommodation ladder, and we were 

 soon back in our comfortable quarters safe and sound. 



Although it was quite dark, indeed an uncommonly dark 

 night, for only a few stars were shining, and most of the sky 

 was covered with heavy clouds, our Captain nevertheless 

 undertook the passage to Cerevic, where our friend Homeyer 

 was waiting for us. If nrf brother-in-law and I had now 

 followed out the plan previously agreed upon, we should have 

 driven this same evening to the shooting-lodge in the Fruska- 

 Gora, whither our men had preceded us in the afternoon; but by 

 the time we had got to Cerevic it was already ten o'clock, and 

 the dark drive at this late hour over the long bad road 

 between the village and the shooting-lodge frightened us, so 

 we determined to remain on board and have supper. 



Homeyer had pursued his ornithological studies in the 

 " auen " on the Hungarian side of the river all day long, and 

 had returned with a Goshawk and a Black Kite. 



A hasty meal was followed by the taking of the measure- 



