284 Unexplored Spain 



Tlie first stage — on wlieels — ])rouoht us to tlie village of 

 Arenas de Cabrales, where a gipsy fair or liomey^ia was raging, 

 affording striking display of local customs and fashion. The girls, 

 liandsome though somewhat stalwart, wearing on their heads 

 bright-coloured kerchiefs (instead of, as in Audalucia, flowers in 

 the hair), danced strange steps to the music of a drum and a sort 

 of bagpipe called the Gaita. Cider here replaced wine as a 

 beverage, and wooden sabots are w'orn instead of the hempen 

 sandals of the south. 



Maize is the chief crop, and women work hard, doing, except 

 the ploughing, most of the field labour. 



The hill-country around belonged chiefly to our host, who 

 was received with a sort of feudal respect. Ancient rights included 

 (this we were told, but did not see enforced) the privilege of 

 kissing all pretty daughters of the estate. The region is primitive 

 enough even for the survival of so as^reeable a custom. Such 

 detail in a serious work must appear frivolous by comparison, 

 yet it reflects the genius loci. 



This was the point at Avhich we had to take the hill. 



Our outfit was packed on ponies, and being joined by three 

 of the chamois-hunters, we set out, following the course of the river 

 Cares. This gorge of the Cares, along with its sister-valley the 

 Desfiladero de la Deva, form two of the most magnificent canyons 

 in all the Asturias, and perhaps have few equals in the wider world 

 outside. The bridle- track led alono; rock-shelves on the hanojino- 

 mountain-side, presently fallingagain till we rode close by the torrent 

 ot the Cares, here swirling in foaming rapids with alternations of 

 deep pools of such crystalline water that trout could be discerned 

 swimming twenty feet below the surface. The water varied 

 between a diamond-white and an emerald-o-reen, according as the 

 stream flowed over the white limestone or rocks of darker shade. 



Approaching Bulnes, the track became absolutely appalling, 

 zigzagging to right and left up an almost perpendicular mountain. 

 Hiding was here out of the question. It was giddy work enough 

 on foot, roundinof corners where the outer rim ovcrhuno- a sheer 

 drop of hundreds of feet to the torrent below, and with no 

 protection to save horse or man in the event of a slip or false 

 step. Not without mental tremors we surmounted it and reached 

 Bulnes, a dozen stone, wdndowless houses clustered on an escarp- 

 ment. This is facetiously called the " Upper Town," and we 



