Making Game of Travellers 



glass mug with a handle, holding more than a quart. The 

 flip was not good, for want of sugar : there was none in the 

 house. There were no beds either, and we had to sleep on 

 two wretched narrow mattresses, or broad bolsters (bags 

 stuffed with straw and fleas), in the immediate vicinity of 

 the horses. Indeed they were only walled off by a low 

 partition ; and we could hear the Cid and Moor munching 

 their barley over our heads till we fell asleep. 



We had requested to sleep in the straw-loft, but our host 

 absolutely refused, saying that " St. John the Baptist him- 

 self should not go up into his pajar^ 



Next morning we were up betimes, and made our first 

 stage to Montizon. The country hereabouts changes from 

 broad cultivated valleys to the rolling hills of the dehesa. 

 Riding over one of these, we heard numerous voices in the 

 brushwood — a partridge got up — bang — no effect — bang — 

 this time the bird fell. We stopped a little while to see 

 the sport, and shortly about twenty men armed with 

 muskets came out upon the road. We were a little afraid 

 they might think it came well into their day's work to do 

 a stroke of business in the way of traveller-shooting. How- 

 ever, deeming it better not to seem to entertain the possi- 

 bility, we rode up to the party, and in a patronising manner 

 asked to see the contents of the bag, as we might prove 

 purchasers. There was only one rabbit besides the partridge 

 we had just seen slain ; but that was enough for our dinner, 

 so we bought them, and strung them on the iron rings of 

 our respective halters. 



On reaching Venta Quemada, we had our rabbit and 

 partridge hacked up and fried in oil ; and it was very good 

 and tender, not having had time to cool. 



There was a man smoking a pipe, a very rare thing in 

 these parts, where the paper cigar is almost universal. This 



257 



