The miller uttered a cry of terror, let go the rope and ran
into the mill where he securely fastened himself, thinking no doubt that
some evil sprit of the Danube had appeared to him. When the terrified
miller loosened his hold on the rope, Paul now almost entirely exhausted
dropped back into the current and floated away in a semi-conscious
condition. With his half paddle he succeeded in keeping clear of the
mills and drifted till day light. His eyes were almost closed by
the swelling of his forehead. Soon after he discovered a castle high up
on the banks on one side of the river, the inhabitants of which he
stirred up by a blast on his bugle as he was drifting helplessly. A boat
shot away from shore and picked him up. The boat contained an Austrian
officer and two soldiers. The officer informed him that the castle to
which he was being conveyed, was the fortress Komorn. His wounds were
quickly dressed by the surgeon and in two days he was sufficiently
recovered to resume his trip.
From Komorn he ran all day and the following night to make up for lost
time. About daylight next day great mountains towered up each side of
the river that was there narrow and rapid. About eight o'clock he
arrived at a little village and was informed that it was Nagy, about
forty miles above Buda Pesth.
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