THE STANCHION-GUN IN SPAIN. 399 



security — more rarely in those of suspicion. Bather 

 further away waded half a dozen spoonbills, revolving on 

 their axis at each forward step in their peculiar fashion ; 

 a purple heron or two, and sedate storks seeking a feast of 

 frogs. A pack of avocets swept by in chattering flight : 

 ruffs and redshanks, green sandpipers, and others of that 

 class, with whole troops of plovers, splashed and preened 

 in the shallows. All these we passed silently by. Even a 

 "bunch" of the beautiful garganey teal would not tempt 

 us this morning, for ambition soared high. 



Gradually we stole round the flank of the ducks — a 

 long way off, for it was necessary to save the wind and 

 get to leeward. In this we succeeded, and there now only 

 remained between us and the black streak that represented 

 thousands of keen eyes, some 300 yards of open water : 

 surely no very formidable obstacle with a well-handled 

 craft. So we thought, and so a fair experience of ducks 

 and their ways at home justified us in thinking. Alas ! 

 for misplaced confidence : hardly had our bows shot clear 

 of the last sheltering fringe of rush than the nearer birds 

 began to rise, and spread the alarm through the deep ranks 

 beyond. Quickly the danger-signal was communicated 

 to the furthest outposts : the roar of wings increased, and 

 in a few seconds the whole mass lifted off the water as one 

 might lift a carpet by the corner — not a living thing re- 

 mained afloat, while the heavens grew dark with quivering 

 pinions and gyrating clouds, and resonant with a babel of 

 bird-music. 



Thus ended the first attempt in conspicuous failure ; 

 and a second, third, and fourth shared a like fate : we 

 were never within measurable distance of succeeding, and 

 began to realize that what our native fowlers had reported 

 was only too near the truth. It is fair to add that Yas- 

 quez's handling of the punt, after a few preliminary trials, 

 left little to be desired ; his aptitude for the new work was 

 surprising. He held a capital course, steered accurately to 

 signal, and got a " way " on the boat that would have 

 satisfied Hawker. 

 The very numbers of the ducks proved, to some extent, 



