Wild-Geese in Spain 121 



thereafter pass down the entire line of guns, possibly affording 

 shots to each in turn. 



Two guns can then be effectively brought into action. 

 Needless to add, the second must be handled with the utmost 

 rapidity. 



In wet winters, when the marisma is submerged, "driving" 

 is not available. Obviously you cannot place a line of guns, 

 however keen, in six inches of water, much less in half-a-yard. 



My first impression of wild-goose driving (writes J.) was one of 

 wonder that such intensely astute and wide-awake fowl would ever fly 

 near, much less over so obvious a danger as the little loose semicircle of 

 rosemary twigs behind which I la}' prone on the barest of bare mud. 

 Peering through between their naked stalks, I could plainly see the geese 

 some half-mile away, and it seemed incredible that I should not be 

 equally visible to them. Possibly the brown leaves on top of the twigs 

 may have concealed me from the loftier anserine point of view, and the 

 equestrian manoeuvres beyond no doubt greatly aided the object. Any- 

 way, the whole pack — three or four hundred, and pro]wrtionally noisy — 

 did come right over me, and a wildly exciting moment it was, I can assure 

 you ! We had six or seven drives that day, and bagged twenty-eight 

 splendid great grey geese, of which eight fell to my lot. 



I may perhaps be allowed to add (since such details are taken for 

 granted, or regarded as unworthy of note by regular gunners of the 

 marisma) that to-day we had no less than six times to cross and recross 

 a broad marsh-channel called the Madre — floundering, splashing, slither- 

 ing, and stumbling through 100 yards of mud and water full three- 

 foot deep. It may be nothing (if you're used to it), yet twice I've seen 

 horses go down, and their riders take a cold bath, lucky if they didn't 

 broach their barrels ! To follow Vasquez about the marisma is a job 

 that requires special equalities that not all of us possess or (perchance 

 fortunately ?) require to possess. 



The following instructions may be worth the attention of new 

 beginners : — 



(1) Never tire till you are fairly certain to kill at least one. 



(2) Never rise or even move in your " hide " till the beat is 

 entirely finished. 



(3) Reload at once ; when big lots are being moved, two, 

 three, or more chances may offer quite unexpectedly. 



(4) Wear suitably coloured clothes and head-gear, and never 

 let the sun oUnt on the sfun-barrels. 



(5) After firing, watch the departing geese till nearly out of 



