292 Unexplored Spain 
mountain which stands out like a perpendicular and four-square 
tower, in the central group or massif of the Picos—that known 
as Urriales. The actual height of the Naranjo is given as 9424 
feet, which is exceeded by those of either of the other two groups 
to east and west respectively. But its abrupt configuration gives 
the Naranjo by far the most imposing, indeed appalling appear- 
ance, far surpassing all its rivals, while its lateral walls of sheer 
rock, some of which reach 1500 to 2000 feet vertically, long lent 
this peak the reputation of being absolutely unscalable. That feat 
has, however (after countless failures), been accomplished, in the 
first instance by Don Pedro Pidal, Marquis de Villaviciosa de 
Asturias, who was accompanied in the ascent by Gregorio Perez, 
a famous chamois-hunter of Cain. 
At Arénas de Cabrales we bade farewell to our kind host, 
despatched Caraballo with the baggage to Santandér, thence to 
find his way to Jerez as best he might, by sea; and ourselves 
drove off through the hills forty miles to the railway at Cabezén 
de la Sal, there to entrain for Bilbao, Paris, and London. 
On August 19, 1881, at a royal monteria above Aliva and 
Andara H.M. Don Alfonso XII. recovered the same evening 
(lying dead around his post) no less than twenty-one chamois. 
Thirteen more, which had fallen into the abyss beneath, were 
brought in next morning, and nine others later, making a total 
of forty-three chamois actually recovered, besides those that had 
lodged in such inaccessible spots that their bodies could not be 
reached. 
At another royal shoot held 1st and 2nd September 1905 
H.M. King Alfonso XIII. killed five chamois, the total bag on 
that occasion being twenty-three. 
THE PicoS DE EUROPA DECLARED A Roya, PRESERVE 
In 1905 the freeholders of those villages in the three provinces 
of Santandér, Ledn, and Asturias, which lie encircling the Picos 
de Europa, offered to H.M. King Alfonso XIII. the exclusive 
rights of hunting the chamois throughout the whole “Central 
Group.” His Majesty was pleased to accept the offer, and in 
the following year commissioned the Marquis of Villaviciosa de 
Asturias (the intrepid conqueror of the Naranjo) to appoint guards 
to preserve the game, 
