118 Unexplored Spain 
bare ground from the telescopic sight of wild-geese? Occasionally, 
some small natural advantage may be found—such as tufts of 
rushes—and these are at once availed of. But this morning 
there is no such aid. Not a rush nor a mole-hill breaks that 
dead-level monotone for miles; and in such condition a human 
being, however flat he may lie, is bound to be detected by the 
keen-eyed geese long ere they arrive within shot.’ A dozen twigs 
of tree-heath, dipped in wet mud and then allowed to dry, so as 
to harmonise in colour with the surroundings, may be utilised ; 
but the annexed sketch shows better than words a portable 
screen we have devised and which fulfils this purpose. It consists 
of four bamboo sticks two feet long, sharpened at the point, and 
connected by four or five strings with one-foot intervals. This 
when rolled up forms a bundle no thicker than an umbrella. 
SHELTERS FOR DRIVING WILD-GEESE 
On reaching one’s post the bundle unrolls of itself, the sharpened 
points are stuck into the ground at an angle sloping towards the 
prostrate gun, a few tufts of dead grass (carried in one’s pocket) 
are woven through the strings and the shelter is complete. 
Needless to say, these preparations must be carried out with the 
minimum of movement in face of such vigilant foes. Some 
assistance, however, accrues from the geese continuing to watch 
the moving file of horsemen while the prostrate gunner erects 
his screen. 
Well, the circle being complete, all four drivers (distant now, 
say, 1000 yards) converge on the common centre. The watchful 
geese have ceased grubbing up the spear-grass, and now stand 
1 We have here in our mind’s eye our own shooting-grounds in the Betican marismas. 
But there are other regions in Andalucia where geese feed on open grassy plains on which 
shelter of some sort is often available. It may be but a clump of dead thistles or wild 
asparagus ; but at happy times a friendly ditch or dry watercourse will yield quite a decent 
hollow where one can hide in comparative comfort and security. On the day here described 
no such ‘‘advantage”’ befriended. 
