366 WILD SPAIN. 



grebes of many kinds. The nearer shore was massed 

 with teal, and a few yards beyond a big pack of mallards 

 were daintily pluming themselves. As the teal came first 

 in line, it was to them we directed our attention : with 

 alternate progression and feigned halts to " graze " we 

 continued our slow advance. We were now within twenty- 

 five yards of the teal : already a movement of preparation 

 had been made by the leading gun, instantly imitated by 

 the two who followed, when a tremendous scare took place 

 among the wildfowl, and the whirr of wings threw the 

 whole lake into confusion. A kite had swept across the 

 birds, and all had taken to the refuge of the deep waters. 

 " Paciencia," resignedly muttered our friends the pateros. 

 We uncocked our guns and squatted on the mud, each 

 under cover of his beast, thus spending an hour while the 

 frightened fowl gradually swam ashore and reformed on 

 the margin. A second time the moment to pull trigger 

 had almost arrived when the tyrant again swept over with 

 the same result as before. At last, however, the twice 

 delayed moment arrived, and our six barrels drove together 

 through the ranks of teal, leaving upwards of fifty dead 

 or wounded on the shore, of which we ultimately bagged 

 forty-four. This shot was taken against the wishes of 

 our friends, who declared that had we waited an horn- 

 longer we should have had the birds thick enough to have 

 killed three times that number. But we had other sport in 

 view, and could not wait for this golden opportunity ; besides, 

 our rival the kite might have spoiled our game again. 

 We had, however, seen enough to understand that one of 

 these men and his sagacious auxiliary can really account 

 for the almost fabulous number of ducks which they are 

 said occasionally to obtain at a single shot. These 

 men shoot for a living ; hence they never fire except 

 when they have made certain of a heavy shot. It is 

 not at all unusual for them to manoeuvre for a whole 

 day without discharging their ancient fowling-pieces. 

 They make the slowest approach, get to the closest 

 quarters possible, and never unnecessarily disturb the 

 fowl. When they do fire it is a bumper. In summer their 



