i^o Unexplored Spain 



attest a bygone enterprise. To this day, we are told, the l)aths 

 of Fuen-Calieute attract summer-visitors ; we trust their health 

 benefits thereby. Surely some counter-irritation is needed to 

 balance the perils of a sojourn within that unsavoury eyrie. We 

 write feelingly, even after all these years, and after suffering 

 assorted tribulations in many a rough spot — Fuen-Caliente is bad 

 to beat. 



Having tents and full camp-outfit, we had thought to live 

 independent of the village posada. One night, however, as we 

 climbed the rising ground that leads to the higher sierra there 

 burst in our faces an easterly gale [levante), with driving snow- 

 storms that even a mule could not withstand. Nothine^ remained 

 but to seek shelter in the villao-e below. 



Here my bedroom measured twelve feet by four, with a door 

 at each end. The door proper was reached by a vertical ladder ; 

 the second might perhaps be differentiated as a window, but 

 could only be distinguished as such by its smaller size — both 

 being made of solid wood. Thus, were the window open, snow 

 swirled through as freely as on the open sierra ; if shut, we 

 lived in darkness dimly relieved by the flicker of a mainposa, 

 that is, a cotton-wick reposing in a saucer of olive-oil. Under 

 such conditions, with other nameless horrors, we passed three days 

 and nights while gales blew and snow swirled liy incessant. 



On the fourth morning the wind fell, and snow had given 

 place to fine rain. These levantes usually last either three or 

 nine days ; so, thinking this one had blown itself out, we packed 

 the kit and set out in renewed search of ibex, Caraballo, with 

 accustomed forethought, buying a bunch of live chickens, which 

 hung by their legs from the after-pannier of the mule. On the 

 limited area of Quintana, ibex offer the best chance of stalking. 



Mules are marvellous mountaineers. The places that animal 

 surmounted to-day passed belief. Two donkeys that belonged 

 to the local hunters, Abad and Brijido, who accompanied us, soon 

 got stuck, and had to be left below. 



By three o'clock we, mule and all, had reached the highest ridge 

 of Quintana, and encamped within a few hundred feet of its top- 

 most riscos. 



To set up a tent among rocks is never easy ; even specially 

 made iron tent-pegs find no hold, and guy-ropes have to be made 

 fast, as securely as may be, to any projecting point. 



