236 Unexplored Spain 
These alquertas—warrens we may translate the word—consist 
of den-like hovels straggling without order or huddled together 
according as the rock-formation may dictate—some half-piled one 
on another, others separate. Many are mere holes in the earth— 
lairs, shapeless as nature left their walls, but roofed over with 
branches and grass held in place by schistose slabs that serve 
for slates. Hardly, in some cases, can one distinguish human 
dwellings from surrounding bush, earth, or rock. As our 
companion, a civil guard, remarked of one set of eyries that 
adhered to a cliff-face, they rather resembled “the nests of crag- 
martins”’ (nzdos de vencéjos) than abodes of mankind. 
Within are two tiny compartments, the first occupied by 
goats or swine, the second littered with bracken on which the 
whole family sleep, irrespective of age or sex. There is no light 
nor furniture of any description ; no utensils for washing, hardly 
even for cooking. ‘True, there is in some of the lairs a hollowed 
trunk which may serve as a bed, but its original design (as the 
name batane imports) was for pressing the grapes and olives in’ 
autumn. No refuse is ever thrown out; even the filthy ferns are 
retained for use as manure for the orchards—in a word, these 
poor creatures habitually sleep on a manure-heap. Even wild 
beasts, the wolves and boars, are infinitely more attentive to 
domestic cleanliness and purity. 
Another alqueria visited by the authors, that of Rubidco, 
consisted of a massed cluster of sties embedded on the slopes of 
a low ridge bordered on either side by crystal-bright mountain 
streams. So timid and shy are the natives that several were 
descried actually taking to the hill on our appearance. A dis- 
tribution of tobacco, with coloured handkerchiefs for the women, 
restored a measure of confidence, and we succeeded in collecting 
a group or two for the camera. The day, however, was dull and 
overcast, and rain, unluckily, fell at that precise moment. 
These people, clad in patch-work of rags, leather and untanned 
skins, were undersized, pallid of complexion, plain (though we 
would scarce say repulsive) in appearance, with dull incurious 
eyes that were instantly averted when our glances met. The 
men, otherwise stolid and undemonstrative, affected a vacuous 
grin or giggle, but utterly devoid of any spark of joy or gladness. 
Many (though by no means all) displayed distinctly flattened 
noses, somewhat of the Mongolian type; and not even among 
