24 BIRD-HUNTING 



recovered forty bodies of the slain enemy and 

 arranged them in rows on the pillow, where they 

 made quite an imposing show. Then, ringing the 

 bell, we confronted the chambermaid with the 

 awful spectacle, expecting her to be overwhelmed 

 with confusion. Unfortunately, my knowledge of 

 Spanish was not equal to the emergency. My 

 education had been neglected, for I didn't even know 

 the Spanish name of the obnoxious pest in question. 

 Malos insectos (bad insects) was the best epithet I 

 could think of on the spur of the moment. But she 

 was quite equal to the occasion, for pointing to the 

 window, which we had opened, she replied, that if 

 Englishmen would insist on having the windows 

 open they must put up with malos insectos. Now I 

 knew perfectly well that the insectos had not 

 entered by the window, but were, so to speak, 

 original inhabitants, born and bred on the premises. 

 But all this was beyond my powers of explanation, 

 so we had to leave her victorious after all. 



Being disappointed in our expectations of Ma- 

 laga, we took the train to Gibraltar and Algeciras, 

 and spent a weary day's journey in going this short 

 distance. From Algeciras we chartered a carriage 

 and four — or three, I forget which. I rather think 

 there were two horses and a mule. But, at any rate, 

 I am sure of this, that it was a most imposing-looking 

 equipage in which we started, to the admiration of 



