19G SPORTING IN BOTH HEMISPHERES. 



We rejoined our friends at the entrance of Santi Ponci, 

 and at the residence of our former host counted the victims 

 of the morning. There were upwards of three hundred 

 quails. Everybody had distinguished himself, but the 

 Spaniards had the advantage over me of a knowledge of the 

 ground. We breakfasted with a good appetite, and my com- 

 panions having finished an outre of the white wine of Moguer, 

 slept as soundly in their siesta as they had done during the 

 night. 



I was shortly aroused from a dreamy sort of stupor into 

 which I was plunged, more by the force of example than 

 from any wish to sleep at that early period of the day, by 

 the entrance of a tall, ill-favoured individual, of dark and 

 greasy complexion, enveloped in a black gown or surplice, 

 and wearing a broad shovel-hat, just the same as Don Basil 

 in the " Barbiere di Seviglia." He was a sergeant, or eccle- 

 siastical officer, collector of tithes, which they call in Spain 

 lechuzos (owls), and which, indeed, are birds of evil omen. 

 He coolly sat down before the table, called the master of the 

 house, opened a great portfolio, which he carried beneath his 

 arm, and presented to the farmer an exact account of his 

 harvest. I allude to the produce, for he made no mention 

 of the expense of labour or seed, and ordered him to send 

 the tenth part immediately to the cilia* He accompanied 

 this order with a little sermon, in which he impressed upon 

 his hearer the necessity of the strictest exactitude in paying 

 tithes to the church. 



"Bemember, my brother," added he, raising his voice, 

 * < remember the terrible example of the labourer of Puabla, 

 who had all his crops destroyed by the hail, for having con- 

 cealed only some handfuls of barley ; and of the vigneron of 

 Montilla, whose vines were all parched up in the day of the 



* Public granary for the tithes. 



