SHOOTING IN SPAIN. 191 



proacli of any one, a " qui vive ?" was uttered, and we made 

 ready our arms. The other travellers we met on the road 

 pursued an exactly similar course, challenging us by a " qui 

 vive ?" and answering us by the usual words, " gente de pay? 

 when the two parties, glancing suspiciously at each other, 

 passed to the right and left, ready to fire upon the enemy 

 upon the slightest cause being given. I could not suppress 

 my astonishment that close to a large city, containing more 

 than 100,000 souls, we were forced to travel like a caravan in 

 the deserts of Arabia. 



" You are, perhaps, not aware," said an hidalgo, one of our 

 companions, who spoke French perfectly, " that in Andalusia, 

 to be a ladron is merely a profession like any other, only 

 more exposed to danger, and, as it requires more courage, 

 gains more celebrity. From the ninos d'Ecija, heroes of 

 so many popular legends, to the famous Jose Maria, who, 

 since he has become old, has turned alguazil, many honest 

 men have gained their living on the high roads. That dark, 

 stout little fellow, who has just passed us on his mule, and 

 saluted us so courteously, I am certain is on his way to join 

 his comrades, or, perhaps, place himself in ambuscade for 

 some traveller alone. I observed his short carabine at his 

 saddle-bow, and, besides that, we are old acquaintances. I 

 could easily denounce him to the corregidor, but God forbid ! 

 I should be sorry to do him any harm." 



" You have perhaps bought a safe conduct of him, renew- 

 able from year to year T I observed. 



ft No," he replied ; " on the contrary. About three leagues 

 from hence I have a pretty cortigo,* amidst a grove of 

 orange trees, where I shall have great pleasure in showing 

 you a young bull-hunt (picar novitlos), and where, although 

 I keep a guard of a corporal and four men at my own 



* Country house. 



