•294 Pictures of Bird Life 



in every direction were full of them, mid tlieir note 

 resounded on all sides. 



On April SOtli, 1897, the yacht left the CTuadalqiii\'ir, 

 bound for Gil)raltar, JNIalaga, and Tangiers. 



Benitez had a few days previously been sent to make 

 arrangements for food, wine, bedding, and otlier necessaries for 

 a fortnights stay up in tlie Coto, and accordingly he and 

 1 were landed on the quay at Bonanza on the w^ay down. 

 Here we found a large open cargo-boat, into wliich we stowed 

 away our luggage and oiu'selves, and were soon running up 

 against the strong tide imder an immense lateen sail, and in 

 a short time landed again higher up the river. While om- 

 goods and chattels were being landed by the Spanisli crew 

 Benitez vanished among the pines, presently returning with a 

 pack-mule for the luggage and himself, and a horse for me. 



Then I had my first experience of the carrying capacity 

 of the Spanish mule. It seemed almost impossible for any 

 one beast, sliort of an elephant, to have carried all oiu* 

 packages, — some large and cumbrous, bedding and sucli 

 things ; others exceptionally heavy, full of photographic 

 materials, plates, and so on. But one by one they were 

 all stowed away in the two luige pack-saddles, and, when 

 these were full, piled on the top and made fast witli ropes. 

 As eacli package was hoisted up, the beast only straddled 

 his legs out a little farther apart to support the weight ; and 

 then, when all was secin-ely fastened, Benitez was hoisted 

 up by the boatmen, and perclied himself on top of every- 

 thing. Tlie load was one whicli far exceeded the mule itself 



