Wild-Geese in Spain 11g 
alert with a forest of necks erect, while an increasing volume 
of gabbling attests their growing suspicion. Presently, with 
redoubled outcry, they rise on wing, and now commences the real 
science of our Spanish fowlers. The guns, after all, command 
but a small segment of the circle—anywhere else the geese can 
break out scathless—and this mischance it is the object of our 
drivers and flankers to avert. No sooner does the gaggling band 
shift its course to port or starboard than the “stop” on that 
side is seen to be urging his horse in full career to intercept their 
flight, yet using such judgment as will neither deflect their course 
too much or turn them back altogether. Sometimes both flankers 
and drivers are seen to be engaged at once, and a pretty sight 
it is to the prostrate gunners to watch the equestrian manceuvres. 
Presently the whole band head away for what appears the 
only available outlet, and should they then pass directly over one 
or other of the guns, are seldom so high but that a pair should 
be secured right-and-left. 
In strong gales of wind the geese, on being driven, are apt, 
instead of taking a direct course, to circle around in revolving 
flight, gaining altitude at each revolution; and in such case not 
only come in very high but at incredible speed—mas lejeros que 
zarcetas—swifter than teal, as Vasquez puts it. 
The first essential of success in driving wild-geese (and the 
same applies to great bustard and all large winged game) is to 
instal the firing-line as near as may be without disturbing the 
fowl. The more remote the guns the greater the difficulty in 
forcing the game through the crucial pass. 
To manceuvre single bands of geese as above, three or four 
guns at most, with the same number of drivers, are best. A 
great crowd of horsemen (such being never seen in these wilds) 
unduly arouses suspicions already acute enough. With any 
greater number of guns, it is advisable to extend the field of 
operations to, say, two or three miles, thereby enclosing several 
troops of geese—this requiring a large force of drivers. It does 
not, however, follow that each of these enclosed troops will 
“enter” to the guns; for should one pack come in advance, the 
firing will turn back the others. This mischance—or rather 
bungle—may be averted (or may not) by the leading driver 
firing a blank shot behind so soon as the first geese are seen to 
have taken wing. Needless to remark, once a shot has been fired 
