372 WILD SPAIN. 



flood of Guadalquivir had spread itself laterally over its 

 low riparian terrain to a breadth of perhaps sixty miles of 

 unbroken water. Miniature breakers dashed up against 

 the leeward shores ; the marsh lands which border the 

 marisma were submerged, and the whole delta, extending 

 to Seville, was under water. From the moment we beheld 

 that tawny expanse, it was clear that all hope of success in 

 wildfowling enterprise must be abandoned. It is not so 

 much that in a wet season wildfowl are less abundant 

 (for they are there in thousands), as that they are 

 scattered over so vast an area, instead of being concen- 

 trated at certain spots, which explains the difficulty of 

 their pursuit and the impossibility of securing, any large 

 numbers. 



Biding along the shores of this inland sea, we observed 

 numerous packs of wildfowl floating on its surface, but 

 always at such a distance from the shore as to be inac- 

 cessible by the ordinary Spanish system of the stalking- 

 pony. The cabresto is only available when ducks are found 

 in shallow water or in comparatively narrow channels 

 where the ponies can be worked round them till the fowlers 

 gradually bring their masked batteries to bear. But now, 

 with the whole country submerged, it was impossible to 

 concentrate the fowl, and our efforts were generally di- 

 rected against scattered packs, nearly always on the edge 

 of perfectly open water. Instead of being able, by 

 manoeuvring at a little distance, gently to move forward 

 the outside birds, to close up the ranks, and thus to gather 

 together a compact body upon which to direct our broad- 

 side, we had now to deal with loosely-scattered parties dotted 

 here and there for miles along what was practically an 

 open shore, and which simply swam away from us into 

 deeper water. Then, in this deeper water, the deception 

 naturally lost great part of its efficacy; for though the 

 sight of a half-wild pony grazing in shallow marsh where 

 grass and water-plants rise above the surface, has no 

 terror for the duck tribe, yet the case is obviously altered 

 when the pony is directed into open water, devoid of all 

 signs of vegetation, and reaching up to his belly ! No 



