226 



Unexplored Spain 



ino" point of these, there fell within view three human habitations 

 — tliree, in a vista of thirty miles — two tall castles perched in 

 strong places, the third apparently a considerable farm. The 

 landscape is often lovely enough, park-like, with infinite sites for 

 country halls ; yet all, all seems abandoned by man and beast. 

 The few wild creatures observed included common and azure 

 magpies, hoopoes, and bee-eaters, rollers, doves, kestrels, with a 

 sprinkling of partridge and an occasional hare. 



A landowner in this province (Badajoz) endeavoured to preserve 

 the ofame on his estate. At first all went well. As their enemies 

 decreased, partridge rapidly multiplied. But thereupon occurred 

 an influx of extraneous vermin (foxes and wild-cats) from adjacent 

 wilds, and Nature restored her former exiguous balance of life. 



ROLIiER, {Coracias garrida) 



The scene changes. For the next twenty miles there is not a 

 tree or a bush, liardly a living thing on those dreary levels save 

 larks and bustards. The hungry earth shows brown and naked 

 through its scanty herbage, stript by devouring locusts. 



Travelling by rail the abandonment seems yet more striking, 

 since thus we cover more o;round. True, alono- the line cluster 

 some slight attempts at cultivation elsewhere absent ; but these 

 amount to nothing — a few patches of starveling oats, six to eighteen 

 inches high, with scarce a score of blades to the yard ! Two men 

 are reaping with sickles. Each has his donkey tethered hard by, 

 and at nightfall will ride to his distant village, a league away 

 maybe, hidden in some unnoticed hollow. Scarce a village have 

 we seen. 



The monotony wearies. The abject barrenness of Estremadura, 

 its lifelessness, is actually worse, more pronounced and depressing, 

 than we had anticipated. Now the far horizon on the north 



