Von Schwanthal had lifted up the one which had fallen by its naked head, and weighed it in his hand. "Remarkably light!" said he. "Why, that bird has the head of an eagle!" exclaimed Becher, who had now also joined them. "Why, that's a singular creature!" "But are they turkeys, after all?" asked Siebert, junior. "Well, what else should they be!" opined the shoemaker. "They're certainly not partridges!" "But not turkeys, for all that," said, with a laugh, Pastor Hehrmann, who had, in the meantime, examined them more narrowly. "My dear M. Von Schwanthal, I am afraid that you have shot carrion vultures for turkeys!" "Well, what next, I should like to know!" said the tailor; who, as he had been the first to give tongue, felt his dignity much hurt by this remark. "If those are not turkeys, you may call me 'Donkey!'" "Then we must set about christening you afresh," smiled Hehrmann; "for these are buzzards--and probably of that kind which are called the turkey-buzzard, from their resemblance to the turkey. Don't take hold of them, M. Von Schwanthal, you won't be able to get rid of the smell!" "Yes," declared the brewer, "they do stink--that's a fact!" "It struck me as very strange," said Von Schwanthal, shaking his head, "directly I saw the creatures seated on the carrion. But they're strikingly like turkeys!--Good Heavens!" As Von Schwanthal uttered this exclamation, he started back in surprise, and had, in fact, cause for wonder; for before him, with the most amiable smile upon his benevolent countenance, stood no other than Dr. Normann! he who, ever since the settlement had been in existence, had been abused and cursed a thousand times, by almost everybody, and to whom the Oldenburghers, in particular, had vowed death, if he should ever come within their clutches!--yes--whose fraud had even elicited abuse from the little tailor, who, although not in general maliciously disposed, yet had declared "that he would pass a hot goose over the fellow's skin, if he could catch him!" This Doctor Normann now stood before the astonished settlers, bowing and smiling, as though he had the best-founded claims to the gratitude of the emigrants; and said to those next him, with the most hearty expression of voice, whilst he held out his hand towards them-- "Well, how are you, my friends?--all well and hearty?--that's the chief thing! How d'ye do, Pastor Hehrmann?--and you, my dear M. Von Schwanthal? Ah! Mr. Meier and Mr. Schmidt--Mr. Siebert--all hearty? I am delighted--I am really delighted!" "Sir," said Hehrmann, who had collected himself first, "it cannot be concealed from you that we are all a little surprised at seeing you here, after what has occurred!" "You thought, perhaps, that I had run away from you!" said the Doctor, laughing. "No, no; on the contrary, you ran off from me. The boat started half an hour earlier than the captain had told me, and----"