296 In the Upper Sierra 
cultivation in places. Every available piece of ground is cleared 
of loose rock and boulders, which are heaped up in cairns at intervals 
or built into massive revetments to hold up the soil in terrace above 
terrace. In the small patches thus cleared many vines are planted, 
also olives and almonds, whilst higher up wheat is everywhere 
grown. 
Amid this extraordinary desolation of rocks now and again when 
traversing the upper sierra you come upon a natural basin of rich 
soil, surrounded on all sides by big rocky hills and cliffs. These 
spots vary from only a few rods of level ground to twenty acres or 
more. Owing to the soakage of the rainfall from the surrounding 
cliffs these are often well watered and bear excellent crops. I know 
of more than one such place where I have found tobacco being 
grown in defiance of the Caradzneros and all the myrmidons of the 
law. Indeed at one spot, not many years since, the wild folk of 
the sierra absolutely refused to discontinue their illicit cultivation 
and reinforced by various parties of smugglers resisted by armed 
force the detachment sent to overawe them. The scene of this 
affray was a remote mountain village perched amid the hills, access 
to which is along a steep mountain path, so steep as to necessitate 
stone steps at places. This track leads through a narrow rocky 
gorge, only a few yards wide, easily defensible in the olden days 
by determined men armed with sword, spear and arrows. Modern 
weapons have however rendered this and many another similar 
mountain-fastness difficult to hold, since in such rugged country 
there are ever points within rifle range which command them. 
Hence they have lost their traditional security from attack. 
One of the many interesting things in this interesting region is 
the numerous old villages of Moorish origin hidden away in 
secluded valleys in the higher part of the sierra; the names of many 
of them are reminiscent of the centuries of Moorish occupation, each 
one owing its situation to some good natural supply of water such 
