3 i2 BIRD-HUNTING 



but there was in reality hardly an inch of dry land 

 for miles. In the far distance, about twenty miles 

 away, twinkled a lighthouse in the Black Sea, the 

 sole reminder of human presence. Bitterns boomed 

 on all sides, and the chorus of frog music all night 

 was unceasing. 



How to procure fuel was the first difficulty ; 

 and while Rettig and I hunted about for a dry 

 spot, Ivan and Zincon went off in the lodkas 

 in search of dry reeds, in which they were fortu- 

 nately successful, or we should have gone supper- 

 less to bed save for dry bread and olives. Our 

 island was not over and above dry ; water oozed up 

 wherever we sat or lay down ; and in the night I 

 had a dim sort of idea that it was raining hard, but 

 was too sleepy to trouble my head about it. But 

 mingled with the deafening croaks of the frogs was 

 the dreaded hum of countless mosquitoes, and I 

 slept with my head in a green gauze mosquito-veil 

 over my cap. However, this, though it kept out 

 the mosquitoes, must have got disarranged towards 

 morning, for on waking I found inside it, and sitting 

 comfortably in the middle of my forehead, a big 

 frog ! Another croaker I found, on rising, squashed 

 perfectly flat underneath me. This camp we called 

 in consequence Hotel des Grenouilles. 



We frequently saw Sea Eagles sitting among the 

 reeds on the banks or perching on the trees, mostly 



