IN SEARCH OF THE LAMMERGEYER. 301 



" papelito," and one, as usual, " touched " the guitar. 

 My host had a narrow " catre " set up for me in his own 

 room, and next morning, after an early cup of the delicious 

 thick Spanish chocolate and the sweet biscuits for which 

 the neighbouring village of Alcala bears a local repute, we 

 started on foot to ascend the range behind the house while 

 yet the hills were wrapped in mist-wreaths. 



The ascent at first lay through hanging forests, broken 

 here and there by grey crags, the home of the chough and 

 the eagle-owl. Here a cushat occasionally dashed away, 

 or a jay awoke the echoes at safe distance. Above the 

 trees the climb became harder and the ground of the 

 roughest, stony acclivities choked with brushwood. Be- 

 yond these came the region of rock, vast monoliths and rock 

 walls beside which a man felt a very mite in the scale of 

 creation. 



On the conical rock-pile, the Picacho del Aljibe, which 

 towers over the surrounding sierras not unlike a gigantic 

 Arthur's Seat over the Salisbury Crags, we had enjoyed in 

 a former year a sight of the Gypaetus ; but now it proved 

 blank, nor could our guides, nor a goatherd we met on the 

 mountain, give us any information beyond the customary 

 " hay muchos en Estremadura." Whatever one may seek, 

 it would appear, abounds in Estremadura ! The Spanish 

 peasant, whether from an over-anxious desire to assist, or 

 from a fear of appearing ignorant, is apt to err on the side 

 of imagination or exaggeration. Information received 

 from them needs careful sifting, or disappointment may 

 ensue. Thus, while on a fishing expedition in the north of 

 Spain, I was sounding my companion, a Gallegan peasant, 

 as to the bears, deer, and other game of the surrounding 

 sierras. At first his answers seemed straight and fair, but 

 a bear story or two took me aback, and presently he in- 

 sisted that the red deer in those hills never cast their horns, 

 which grew to a fabulous size. Before abandoning the 

 discussion I said casually — with a view to " fix " him — 

 " Y leones?" "Lions! No, sehor, here there are none; 

 but further over yonder (this with a wave of his hand to 

 the westward) there are many." The expression, mas alia 



