THROUGH WILD EUROPE 19 



cool and refreshing this water was, though I much 

 fear that it came from the sewage-tainted stream 

 which flowed past their door, for before leaving I 

 photographed the two pretty daughters filling their 

 cantaros from its polluted depths. 



I must say that the sight gave me sundry mis- 

 givings, for I had refreshed myself more than once 

 while waiting ; however, no ill results followed, and 

 perhaps after all the drinking-water had come from 

 some purer source, for in Spain they well know 

 and appreciate the value of good and pure 

 water. 



We had not forgotten the Vultures, but from time 

 to time kept a look-out from the doorway. We 

 started with fair hopes of success, for while setting 

 the bait out and arranging the camera we had 

 noticed a soaring Griffon which had evidently espied 

 the bait. Sure enough before long, four, and pre- 

 sently ten, of these great scavengers of Nature were 

 wheeling over the spot. But for some reason or 

 other they gradually soared higher and higher until 

 they were mere specks in the blue sky, and finally 

 disappeared altogether. Then four or five, of the 

 smaller Egyptian Vultures took their place, but 

 though these came much nearer, some of them even 

 settling on the hillside not far away, they did not 

 actually touch the bait, and at the approach of 

 sunset we had to take up the camera. 



