258 



Unexplored Spain 



I liad hoped to exploit this in i)assiiig-. Hardly had we entered 

 upon the corn-lands than we espied fifteen bustard, a quarter-mile 

 away on the right. The rough bridle-track being worn slightly 

 hollow and no better cover appearing, I decided to " flatten " on the 

 spot, sending my two men to ride round beyond the game, which, 

 being in a dip, was now below "my range of sight. In due course 

 the bustards appeared, winging directly towards me, but alighting 

 in front when already almost in shot. Feeling practically certain 

 of them now, since I could hear the shouts of the beaters beyond, 

 I raised myself slightly, only to see, to my utter chngrin, the 

 bustards flying off" in diametrically the opposite direction while 



simultaneously a hissing sound from be- 

 hind and overhead caused me to glance 

 upwards. A black object hurtling earth- 

 ward through space, shot diagonally past 

 me — this I mistook as merely a peregrine 

 pursuing some hare that had been dis- 

 turbed by the beaters. But on hastening 

 forward over the ridge, I perceived one of 



f^' the beaters riding up with a dead bustard 



^ across his saddle — a female, with a great 



gaping gash in her side. The beaters re- 

 ported that just as they flushed the bustard 

 a second time an eagle had swept down 

 upon them, knocked down this one, and sent the rest, scattered in 

 wild disorder, over their heads. Paco had then galloped up to 

 within a few yards before the eagle reluctantly abandoned its prize 

 and sailed aloft. Continuing our interrupted journey, half a mile 

 ahead another pack of bustard was descried, and while rapidly 

 surveying the situation, yet another lot appeared on wing, flying 

 from the rio-ht. These last, we instantly concluded both from 

 their direction and also by the curiously unsettled style of 

 their flight, were a part of the band which had recently 

 been attacked by the eagle. Under such circumstances I 

 realised that (though I was mounted and in full view) they 

 mio-ht yet pass within shot, so, jumping from the horse, I 

 fired at the nearest old cock-bustard and distinctly saw blood 

 spirt from his snow-white breast. He flew slowly away with 

 ever lowerino- flight, finally disappearing over a crest close by 

 the scene of our first drive. Confident of gathering him, we 



HURTLING THROUGH 

 SPACE" 



