AN ORNITHOLOGIST ON THE DANUBE. 557 



through the tops of the tall old trees, lashed up the surface of the 

 water, and crowned the dark crests of the waves with gray-white 

 foam; but away in the south-east the sun had broken through the 

 dark clouds, edged them with purple and gold, illumined them so 

 that the black shadows grew yet blacker, and shone brightly down 

 on the smiling hills, which lead up to a mountain range far away on 

 the horizon. Below and beyond us lay hamlets and villages, but, 

 where we were, at most a cone-shaped, reed-covered fisher-hut broke 

 the primeval character of the magnificent scene, which, in its wild- 

 ness and in the weird effect of the momentary flashes of light, was 

 sublime beyond description. 



The scarcity of birds was striking, as indeed was the desolateness 

 of the whole sheet of water. Not a gull floated over the mirror of 

 the Danube, not a tern winged its zigzag flight up and down; at 

 most a few drakes rose from the river. Now and then a common 

 heron, a flight of night-herons, an erne, and a few kites, hooded 

 crows and ravens, perhaps also a flock of lapwings, and the list of 

 birds which one usually sees is exhausted. 



From the following day onwards we hunted and explored a 

 wonderful district. The blue mountains, upon which lay bright, 

 golden sunlight during the thunder-storm of the previous day, are 

 the heights of Fruskagora, a wooded hill range of the most delightful 

 kind. Count Rudolf Chotek had prepared everything for the fitting 

 reception of our Prince, and thus we enjoyed several days which 

 can never be forgotten. From the village of Cerewicf, on the upper 

 side of which our vessel lay, we drove daily through the gorges, 

 climbed the heights on foot or on horseback, to return homewards 

 each evening delighted and invigorated. The golden May-tide 

 refreshed heart and soul, and our host's untiring attention, com- 

 plaisance, courtesy, and kindness went far to make the days passed 

 at Fruskagora the pleasantest and most valuable part of our whole 

 journey. 



It was a charming district, about which we roamed every day. 

 Around the village was a range of fields; beyond these a girdle of 

 vineyards which reach to the very edge of the forest; in the valleys 

 and gorges between them the innumerable fruit trees were laden 



