FUERTEVENTURA 1 7 



we began to ascend a low pass in the hills, in negotiating 

 which the camels, whose anatomy is quite unadapted to 

 climbing, seemed not at all at their ease ; the baggage- 

 camel especially staggering up the incline, his thin legs 

 vibrating at each step. Once over the pass, we had 

 another long spell of flat or slightly undulating country, 

 presently passing a small village, near to which was a 

 pool of mud-coloured water by which the camel-driver 

 lay down and drank greedily, afterwards inducing 

 Lorenzo to do the same. The pool had no doubt been 

 tilled by some recent rain, so rare in this island, and 

 only occurring about February in each year. 



I found out afterwards that the water in Fuerteven- 

 tura which looked the most uninviting, was generally 

 the wholesomest, the clear springs, of which I only 

 remember to have seen two, being almost always salt. 

 On many of the rocks also there was a white deposit 

 of salt. 



The only birds to be seen near this village were a 

 pair of Hoopoes ; Tabobo the peasants call this bird in 

 the Canary Islands. I believe tabobo means "stupid," 

 and people would say to me in Tenerife, " Of course 

 you've got a photograph of a Hoopoe? No? Why, 

 they're so tame, I saw one to-day on my way to church." 

 That only goes to prove that the Hoopoe, to borrow 

 Lorenzo's phraseology, "knows much." To my mind 

 they are anything but stupid ; showing themselves w^hen 

 they choose, they take very good care not to be about 

 when you want them, and as for their conspicuous 

 plumage, it is only noticeable when they allow them- 

 selves to be seen. Sometimes on passing along the 

 high road in Tenerife one of these birds may be noticed 



