10 



WILD SPAIN. 



Burdened with all this cargo, and in a rough country 

 where each traveller makes his own road — since no others 

 exist — i^rogress is slow : through jungle, broken ground or 

 wood, the wayfarer steers by compass, landmark, or in- 

 stinct — sometimes by the lack of the latter, as he finds too 

 late. Deep bits of bog and frequent lagoons must be 

 circumvented, and rivers forded where no " fords " exist : 

 an operation which, owing to the deep mud and treacher- 

 ous ground bordering the sluggish southern rivers, often 

 involves off-loading, carrying across in detail, and restow- 

 ing on the other bank — a troublesome business, especially 

 after dark. 



In this land of surprises, the jmys de Vimprcvu, it is the 

 unexpected that always occurs. Seldom does a ride through 

 the wilder regions of Spain pass without incident. Thus 

 once we were carried off as prisoners by the Civil Guard — 

 not having with us our cedidas de I'ecindad— and taken 

 forty miles for the purpose of identification : or the way 

 may be intercepted by that fraternity whose ideas of meum 

 and tuum are somewhat mixed ; or, worse still, as twice 

 happened to us, by a fighting bull. One tow hravo, 

 having escaped in a frenzy of rage from a herd whose 

 pasturage had been moved fifty miles up the country, was 

 occupying a narrow cactus-hedged lane near his old haunts, 

 and completely barred the way, attacking right and left all 

 who appeared on the scene. Warning of the danger ahead 

 was given us at a wayside shanty where the ventero and 

 his wife had sought refuge on the roof. Nothing re- 

 mained but to clear the way and rid the district of 

 a dangerous brute already maddened by a wound with 

 small shot. Leaving the horses in safety, we proceeded 

 on foot to the attack, two of us strategically covering 

 the advance behind the shelter of the cactus ; while 

 our cazador, Jose Larrios, boldly strode up the lane. 

 No sooner had he appeared round a bend in the 

 fence than the bull was in full charge. A bullet from 

 the "flank gun," luckily placed, staggered him, and a 

 second from .Jose, crashing on his lowered front, at five 

 yards, ended his career. When the authorities sent out 



