THE CALPE HUNT 235 



The Spaniard's appreciation of the sport is well 

 summed up in the oft-quoted lines : — 



" Th' unwonted sight the Spanish hind amazes, 

 And loud he cries, ' Que locos las Inglesos / ' " ^ 



In my day the only danger was from the Guarda 

 Costas, or Coast-Guard, who were much too ready to 

 " shoot on sight." One of the Spanish Eegulations 

 was that all persons should pass their lines at a 

 walk. The reason of this was obviously to prevent 

 smuggling ; but this did not prevent one of them 

 from sending a bullet whistling after a brother officer 

 of mine, w^ho was hurrying home to save being locked 

 out. His red coat must have ensured their knowing 

 who he was. 



This gate question was one of the nuisances of 

 Gibraltar hunting. The gates of the Rock are all 

 locked at evening gun-fire. When, however, the 

 hounds are not back at kennels the ceremony is 

 deferred till they arrive. If, however, you have lost 

 your way, or lamed your horse and cannot return 

 with them, no power will suffice to open the gates 

 that night ; and unless you happen to have hospitable 

 acquaintance at the Musketry Camp on the North 

 Front, you are likely to fare badly. 



From the very nature of things Gibraltar memories 

 do not contain those of many red-letter days, most of 

 the runs being short spins, or ringing ones. I do, 

 however, recollect one day when we had a really first- 

 rate gallop, and what is more, it followed another 

 very fair run the same day. 



The meet was at the Second Venta, or in other 

 words in the Cork Wood Country. Before we had 



1 What lunatics the English are. 



