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 the 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 Cerevié, where our friend Homeyer 
was waiting for us. If my 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 Gerevié 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- 
