SHOOTING IN SPAIN. 195 



scraping, and beat a tattoo on his belly with his tail, he sud- 

 denly turned his back and left me. I had scarcely recovered 

 from the nervous feeling attendant on this adventure, when 



I heard my name called, and M. L , who had been 



attracted by the noise, came up to me, and exclaimed, 

 " What, shooting in maize, at nine o'clock ! you will catch 

 a tabardillo* 



To join our companions, who had gone on ahead, we 

 regained the banks of the river, shooting as we went along. 

 I was a little in front, when I perceived a great troop of 

 horned beasts, which, when they saw me, placed themselves 

 in line, like so many soldiers. Never as yet having met any- 

 thing but herds of inoffensive cows, and thinking, in spite of 

 my recent adventure, that the little pasture now remaining 

 in the country would only be too useful to the vendors of 

 milk, butter, and cheese, I innocently 4 advanced, with the 

 intention of passing through the midst of them, but my dog 

 would not follow me, and remained at a distance. 



Suddenly a man on horseback rode up to me at full 

 gallop brandishing a great lance he had in his hand, and 

 exclaiming, at the utmost pitch of his lungs, " Toros ! son 

 toros /" 



Bulls they were, in real earnest, that disputed my passage ; 

 and this knight-errant, who arrived in time to protect inno- 

 cence in peril, was the shepherd of the flock, holding his 

 crook. 



In a few minutes more I should have been torn to pieces. 

 I very prudently beat a retreat, and by way of turning the 



inexpugnable position of the enemy, M. L and I were 



forced to enter the river up to our waists. Another time, I 

 said to myself, when I go on a shooting party in Spain, I 

 shall not forget the robbers by night and the bulls by day. 



Coup de soleil stroke of the sun. 



