Sierra de Credos 221 



— almost, but not quite ; for one bullet had taken efi'ect, and the 

 rocks beyond the little " pass " were sprinkled with blood The 

 late hour, 4 p.m., and the long scramble campwards forbade our 

 following the spoor that night, but the ram was recovered some 

 two miles beyond the point where we had last seen him — horn 

 measurements 24|^ inches, by 8^ inches basal circumference. 



The beaters reported having seen several ibex during this 

 drive, two small rams, females, and kids — thirteen in all. We 

 devoted a couple more days to this section of the sierra, but 

 both proved unsuccessful so far as regards the one grand ibex- 

 ram which we had seen. Here, on the Riscos del Fraile, and 

 later on at Villarejo, we each spared small beasts ; but at last 

 were fain to be content with a three-year-old goat, whose head 

 adorns our walls. 



Before daylight we were aroused by the breaking -up of 

 camp, and by seven o'clock had taken a downward course from 

 that lofty eyrie which we had occupied for ten days. It was 

 a lovely ride with bright sunlight lighting up every detail of 

 the mountain scenery, while every mile brought evidence of the 

 lowering altitude — first, in green herbage, then in brushwood and 

 stunted trees, till at mid-day we reached the region of pines in 

 the cool valley of the river Tormes. Here we halted, and while 

 lunch was being prepared, enjoyed a swim in those crystal 

 torrents. That afternoon was devoted to trout, but with meagre 

 results. The stream gleamed like polished steel, everything that 

 moved in the waters could be seen, and doubtless its denizens 

 enjoyed a similar advantage as regards things in the other 

 element. At any rate, none save the smaller trout would look 

 at a fly ; so we continued our journey, following the river-side in 

 the direction of the mountains of Villarejo. 



Dion;^sio and Caraballo had gone to a hamlet lower down for 

 bread and wine. There was no bread, and having to wait till it was 

 baked, delayed the march. Meanwhile, w^e wandered on through 

 pine-woods with the beautiful stream fretting and foaming, and 

 collecting a few bird-specimens, though none of much interest. 

 We did, however, come across two gigantic nests of the black 

 vulture, flat platforms of sticks, each superimposed on the summit 

 of a lofty pine. Even in these uplands the black vulture nests 

 in March, when the whole land is yet enveloped in snow, and 

 while frequent snowstorms sweep down the valleys. So closely 



