58 SOME BIRDS OF THE CANARY ISLANDS 



have an odd name for penny and halfpenny. If you 

 go into a shop that is kept by one of these people, they 

 will tell you that the price of such and such an article 

 is perro grande or perro pequerio, which means that it 

 costs a "big dog" or a "little dog," the former being 

 the word in general use amongst them for a penny, and 

 the latter for a halfpenny. I think smoking is almost 

 the only luxury indulged in in Fuerteventura, and poor 

 though the inhabitants are, it says much for their native 

 courtesy that they should seldom be without the means 

 of offering the traveller some civility, even though that 

 civility be represented only by a cigarette costing the 

 twentieth part of a penny. 



For the second time all is packed and ready for the 

 journey to Puerto Cabras, a journey we are told that 

 will occupy the best part of twelve hours ; the boat is 

 to leave at eight o'clock in the evening, so we make a 

 start in good time in the morning. Don Ramon is to 

 see us, as is the custom of the island, some little dis- 

 tance on our way. 



With many good-byes and good wishes we take leave 

 of them, the last words being an invitation from the 

 cheery brother for me to stay at his house next year ; 

 there is an almond tree in his garden, he says, in which 

 the Alcairon nests every year ; the nest shall not be 

 touched until I come. Even the brindled dog grudg- 

 ingly puts in an appearance, and lies in the hot sunshine 

 with its nose on its two paws, looking up at the pro- 

 ceedings with bloodshot eyes. 



Soon clear of habitations, we strike out into a new 

 direction, to complete the triangle of which our former 

 journeys have been two sides. We drop the pilot, our 



