21 2 



Unexplored Spain 



" Your Excellency is clearly not of this province." Three or four 

 skinny rabbits hung on the wall, and the landlord, after inquiring 

 what his Excellency would eat, assured me he had plenty of every- 

 thing, was yet so strong in his commendation of rabbit that I 

 knew those wretched beasties were the only food in the place. 

 Presently with my two lads, and surrounded by mules, cats, dogs, 

 poultry, wasps, and fleas, we sat down to dine on trout, rabbits- 

 d-pimiento, and chorizo (forty horse-power sausage). I believe 

 my boys also ate the frog ! 



Two hours after dark we were still dragging along the 

 upland, while the outlines of the jagged cordillera behind had 

 faded in gathering night. I could scarce have sat much longer 

 on that bony saddleless mule when a light was descried far 

 below, and, on learning that we were still twenty miles from 

 our destination, I decided to put up for the night at that little 



venta of Almenge, sleeping on bare 

 earth alongside my boys, and close 

 by the heels of our own and sundry 

 other mules. 



At breakfast there sat down, 

 besides ourselves and hostess, 

 sundry muleteers, all sympathetic 

 and commiserate since my mission 

 had become known. I was hurry- 

 ing homewards to distant Ingia- 

 terra — so Juanito had explained — 

 because my brother was poco bueno 

 — not very well. The hostess looked hard, and said, " Senor, it 

 must be muy grave (very serious), or they would not have 

 telegraphed for the caballero to return." 



Many more hours of tedious mule-riding followed ere at last 

 from lowering spurs we could see the end of the hills and the 

 white track winding away till lost to view across the plain below. 

 Here in the highest growth of trees were grey shrikes [Lanius 

 meridionalis), adults and young, besides missel-thrushes, turtle- 

 doves, etc. On the level corn-lands below, which we now traversed 

 for miles, we observed bustards (these, we were told, retired to 

 lower levels in September) — nothing else beyond the usual larks 

 and kestrels common to all Spain. 



It was past noon ere the long ride was completed, and we 



