PELICANS AS OBSERVED IN EASTERN EUROPE. 363 



ascertain whether they were breeding, further search being for- 

 bidden by three men armed with loaded rifles. 



After this stoppage I was particularly glad to receive a 

 pressing invitation from the consul of a place further down the 

 coast to pay him a visit. I heard that Pelicans could be seen 

 from the windows of his house. Such an opportunity was too 

 good a one to lose, and I packed up and departed by the first 

 steamer I could get. I found a hearty welcome on arrival, and, 

 in fact, experienced the advantage of my host's influence and 

 position before I reached his house, for I had to send for him in a 

 hurry to come and rescue me and my belongings from the officials 

 of Turkish custom-house. They had opened all my luggage, and 

 every individual article was strewed about on the floor ; my gun 

 and cartridges were seized, and, finally, they wanted to open all 

 my boxes of plates. This was too much to stand, and I managed 

 by energetic protest to stay proceedings until he arrived, and 

 carried us off in triumph to his house. The gun and cartridges, 

 however, had to remain where they were until the governor was 

 persuaded to return them a day or two afterwards. The ordeal 

 of passing a Turkish custom-house is something to be dreaded. 

 Elsewhere some insulated wire for my electric camera was con- 

 fiscated. I took this away again from the official, but when the 

 battery was found, that was pounced upon, and I had to give up 

 the rescued wires, which were, of course, of no use without the 

 battery. In vain I asserted I had the governor's permission, and 

 that he had received instructions to assist me, and that I should 

 demand from him their return. I got them back the next day, 

 after complaining to the governor and consul. The fact is, they 

 seize anything they do not understand, and, as most things are 

 beyond the Turkish comprehension, the result is annoying for 

 the unfortunate traveller. Books, for instance, are forbidden 

 articles, and will probably be confiscated, and sent to Constanti- 

 nople for examination. 



I found that my host spoke excellent English, besides speak- 

 ing fluently seven or eight other languages, and was a thorough 

 good and keen sportsman, and also a naturalist ; while his 

 official position and knowledge of the people enabled him to show 

 me more of the country than would have been possible for any- 

 one less influential. 



2 f2 



