IBEX-SHOOTING IN SPAIN. 143 



the ground covered was of great extent, traversed by many 

 ravines and comes, and had not been disturbed since the 

 preceding autumn. Yet it proved blank : only a single 

 ibex (male) was enclosed, and it escaped on the right, to 

 snow-fields beyond our reach. 



This operation had lasted four hours, during which the 

 cold had been intense, a bitter blast blowing with hurri- 

 cane-force through the rock-passes where we held guard, as 

 through a funnel. At intervals the wind came laden with 

 fine snow or jagged crystalline icicles which ricochetted from 

 the rocks like things of life. At one period — the climax of 

 the storm — if a hundred ibex or wolves had filed past the 

 writer's post, his fingers were too benumbed by exposure to 

 have handled the rifle. The ascent had also occupied four 

 hours — the apparent altitude (by aneroid) being nearly 

 8,000 feet — and the return to the spot fixed for our camp 

 would require two more. Hence no time remained for 

 further operations that day, and we returned, sad and 

 empty-handed, to camp. 



Two blank days followed, and on the third a hurricane 

 of wind, rain, and driving mist forbade all hope of sport. 

 The first beat next morning was again blank, no ibex 

 being seen ; but a second, though covering a much smaller 

 area, enclosed a band of eleven. These, when first 

 viewed, were coming in directly towards the guns, 

 and held this course till lost to sight in an intervening 

 ravine. Shortly afterwards the upper flank of the beaters 

 crested the further ridge, and at once, we saw, they opened 

 out their line, extending upwards towards the snow. These 

 men had already seen that the goats, true to their natural 

 instincts, were seeking to gain the higher ground : and a 

 marvellous sight ensued — to watch, through the binoculars, 

 these hardy mountaineers fairly racing with the fleet- 

 footed ibex, and striving, by sheer speed and strength of 

 limb and lung, to head their flight, and cut off their retreat 

 to the snow-sanctuaries above. 



At first one could not believe that biped, however 

 specially organized, could possibly cope, in simple activity, 

 with the wild-goats on their native rocks. Yet, when the 



