17U 
MU. J. YOUNG ON IIEUONUY ON THE HANUUE. 
II. 
IlEKONRY ON THE DANUBE. 
By J. Young, E.Z.S. 
Read October, 1885. 
After a sound sleep we were up at three a.m. Our bed was a little 
hay spread over the floor of the araha.* The gray dawn was just 
breaking, a few stars still lingered in the sky, and the air was full 
of the songs of the yet invisible Larks,t and redolent of wdd 
Sothernwood, which, mingled with many brilliant flowers, carpeted 
the treeless steppe. AYe were soon en route, and as the heavy mist 
melted before the rising sun, glimpses of enormous hares hurrying 
from our path crossed our vision. 
At five o’clock we reached Gropa Cobanlin, a large AVallachian 
village, not far from Ilirsova on one of the mouths of the Danube. 
It contained about a thousand inhabitants. The houses were built 
of sun-dried bricks : some few were tiled, but most of them were 
thatched with reeds, as is usual in the villages. The orchards were 
surrounded by neat wattled fences, and contained apple, pear, 
apricot, peach, and cherry trees. It boasted, too, of an inn, the 
first we had met with since leaving Rustendzic four days before. 
Here we unpacked our provisions, bread and onions, ofl’ which, with 
a little miik, Ave made our breakfast. At seven Ave Avalked doAvn 
to the river, en route for the Heronry. AVhilst the boat Avas being 
got ready, aa^c noticed a number of logs of Avood, about fifty of them, 
a few yards from us. These logs were merely sections of the trunks 
* A native wagon. It reminded me of the old-fashioned oblong Avashiug 
tubs enlarged, on four wheels, and entirely devoid of springs. 
t Four species, Calandra, crested, short-toed, and sky, the last named 
being by far the best songster. 
