Camping Out 25 
This brings me to the subject of camping out, an occupation 
which has such fascination for those who are unaware of the trouble 
it means. Save in a few, very few, localities, such as certain 
Sierras and in some of the more remote parts of the marismas, 
tents are quite unnecessary in Spain, for it is almost always 
possible to get the shelter of a roof and all old campaigners 
know what that means. Tents are unsuited for most travel in 
Spain, they are heavy and increase one’s transport and are 
troublesome to pitch. In wet weather (and when it rains in 
Spain it means business) they are miserable and in hot weather, 
uninhabitable. I speak of course of the type of tent which would 
be carried by a man engaged in the class of work described in 
this book. On the African side of the Straits, on the other 
hand, they are absolutely necessary, since Moorish villages or 
encampments are unsuited for Europeans. But to travel with 
comfort in Morocco means taking a regular camp equipment with 
plenty of tentage both for one’s self and for one’s servants and _ pro- 
vided this be done, I know of no more delightful way of seeing a 
wild country, so long as the weather is passable. 1 start then 
with the assumption that the wandering birdsnester so regulates 
his movements as to be within reach of some farmhouse or small 
dwelling where he can induce the owner to give him a room or 
part of one. 
In this, I have never yet failed, but simply because I let the 
good people clearly understand that I want nothing from them, 
save and except a shelter. They are extremely sensitive as to 
the smallness of their resources and the imagined unsuitability 
of their belongings for English use. But when once they realize 
that nothing unusual is expected from them, they become most 
anxious to show all the hospitality possible and overburden one 
with offers of all they possess. I have often watched their surprise, 
as they by degrees became aware that the Englishman spoke the 
