NEW QUARTERS 37 



whereabouts of their goods by any outward show. 

 Certain it is that in a good-sized village, as La Antigua 

 evidently was, we had the greatest difficulty in finding 

 even a provision shop ; then, after opening the door and 

 stepping in from the bright sunlight outside, a temporary 

 darkness obscured such eatables as were ranged on 

 shelves behind the counter. 



We purchased some bread — fortunately I had other 

 provisions with me — and then enquired if they could 

 make us some coffee. No, they could not, but there was 

 a house, so and so, in which we might be able to obtain 

 some. We had still more difficulty in finding this place, 

 and as nearly every house in Fuerteventura keeps its 

 own special breed of mongrel dog, warranted to attack 

 anybody whom it has not seen before, and a good many 

 people whom it has, there was a certain excitement in 

 approaching the doors of the various houses at which 

 we tried. I began to think that I didn't care for coffee, 

 and that life would be more pleasant without it, for at 

 every house that I ventured near, Lorenzo shouted out, 

 Ctudado, Seiior, el perro, rolling the two rs in a most 

 vigorous way, till I began to question my right to 

 monopolise all this pleasure, and accordingly Lorenzo 

 took up the quest, armed afresh at each dwelling with 

 a large stone. 



We found the house after much searching, and when 

 we had been kept waiting for some little time they 

 served us with coffee, which was quite drinkable, though 

 not so good as is generally to be obtained in Tenerife. 

 The people would not accept any payment for the coffee, 

 so, leaving nothing but our grateful thanks behind, we 

 prepared to continue our journey 



