184. FIFTEEN DAYS ON THE DANUBE. 
vast monotony of their lonely sand-flats being only broken by 
high draw-wells and scattered troops of horses. Behind us 
were the gay gables and the thatched roofs of Futak, with 
the luxuriantly green woods of the riverside both above and 
below it, while in the distance the whole range of the 
FruSka-Gora with its many heights and summits rose in 
such solemn grandeur that it was long before I could turn 
away my eyes from those splendid mountains; for when 
gazing on their dark woods the memories of delightful days 
of sport floated past me like dreams, and awakened within 
me a feeling that was somewhat akin to home sickness. 
Still the picture of the “puszta”? which now unrolled 
itself before us was also beautiful and singularly imposing ; 
and the lowering grey sky, the heavy thunder-clouds slowly 
piling themselves up, and the oppressive sultriness of the air 
all combined to give the scene a true melancholy Hungarian 
character. 
Lapwings and Larks were uttering their cries as they flew 
over the plains; and round a solitary well a whole flock of 
thirsty Storks were standing with open bills. 
Never having killed a White Stork, I resolved to bag one 
of these poor fellows ; and as there was a very fine specimen 
standing just on the top of the well, I waited till the carriage 
got close up, and then fired, the stork falling dead; while 
all the comrades of the unlucky victim rose in affright and 
circled round us at a great height before gradually dropping 
down to the village. 
We now struck eastwards and soon reached a little wood, 
where a keeper who knew of some nests was awaiting us. 
Though there are some unimportant “auen” close to the 
river and on the islands formed by its arms, the few large 
and small patches of wood between these “auen” and the 
plains are true inland woods, chiefly composed of oaks, with 
a thick undergrowth. 
