Part 24 (1/2)

At 4000 feet we encamped beneath the pines by a lovely trout-streaement we e perhaps to the eye, yet beyond all doubt radiantly glad to welcoreed of dollars inspired that enthusiasm, but solely the bond of a common passion that bound us all--that of the hunter It was, however, but sorry hearing to listen to the reports they told us around the ca scarcer, dwindling to an inevitable vanishi+ng-point, former haunts already abandoned--or, we should rather say, swept clean Where but a score of years before, 150 ibex had been counted in a single _monteria_, our friends reckoned that exactly a dozen survived One relee our friends assured us, ”one oat, a ras of Al head had it dwindled?

[Illustration: ”MINOR GAME”]

The valley of the Tagus divides two geological periods, and perhaps at one ti Africa Marked differences distinguish the fauna on either side of the river, and that of the north (with its 10,000 feet altitude) proation Not a yard of that great mountain-land of Gredos has been trodden by British foot (save our own) since the days of Wellington

Hence it was an object with us to secure, not only ibex heads, but specihts Our mountain friends assembled round the camp-fire--twenty-five in all--each proame every hitherto unconsidered _bi+cho_ of the hills, whether feathered, furred, or scaled If ibex failed us, at least a harvest in such ame we meant to assure[34]

Three o'clock saw us astir, bathing in the dark burn while h soear packed on ponies and mules, breakfast finished--ere off, heavenwards Then, just as the laden pack-anih the burn, there rode up a ed our exuberant joy to grief--bad news from home

There could be no doubt--the writer must return at once Within five minutes I had decided to make for a point on the northern railway beyond the hills and distant soe and battery were abandoned; a handbag with a satchel of provisions and a wine-skin for rey dawn on a barebacked mule devoid of saddle, bridle, or stirrups, and acco pillion behind or running alongside in turn

Where the grey ramparts of the Risco del Fraile and the Casquerazo frown on a rugged earth below I parted with my old pals, they to continue the ibex-hunt, I on my mournful homeay

Bee-eaters poised and chattered, brilliant butterflies (whose na those fearful edges and boulder-studded steeps Six hours of this brought us to a rock-poised hamlet of the sierra The landlord of the _posada_ was also the _Alcalde_ ( of the council (_ayunta with oat-herd friends, we made breakfast

Thence over the e of a track, and a tremendous ravine stopped us for hours, and for a time threatened to prove impassable By patience and recklessness ered mule and ourselves down scrub-choked screes, and after sooat-herd's track which led upwards to the pass After clearing the reverse slope we traversed for twenty miles a dreary upland (6000 feet) till we struck the head-waters of the Albirche river, where _!

Kites beat along the stony hills, where wheatears and stonechats fluttered incessant, with dippers and sandpipers on the burn below

We halted at a lonely _venta_ (wayside wine-shop), where asseoat-herds courteously made room, and passed me their wine-skin

Presently one of the, ”Your Excellency is clearly not of this province” Three or four skinny rabbits hung on the wall, and the landlord, after inquiring what his Excellency would eat, assuredin his commendation of _rabbit_ that I knew those wretched beasties were the only food in the place Presently with s, poultry, wasps, and fleas, we sat down to dine on trout, rabbits-_a-pie)

I believe !

Two hours after dark ere still dragging along the upland, while the outlines of the jagged cordillera behind had faded in gathering night I could scarce have sat ht was descried far below, and, on learning that ere still twenty ht at that little _venta_ of Alside my boys, and close by the heels of our own and sundry other mules

[Illustration]

At breakfast there sat down, besides ourselves and hostess, sundry muleteers, all sympathetic and co holaterra--so Juanito had explained--because my brother was _poco bueno_--not very well The hostess looked hard, and said, ”Senor, it rave_ (very serious), or they would not have telegraphed for the _caballero_ to return”

Manyfollowed ere at last fro spurs we could see the end of the hills and the white track winding away till lost to view across the plain below

Here in the highest growth of trees were grey shrikes (_Lanius , besides missel-thrushes, turtle-doves, etc On the level corn-lands belohichtraversed for miles, we observed bustards (these, ere told, retired to lower levels in Septe else beyond the usual larks and kestrels common to all Spain

[Illustration: SCENES IN SIERRA DE GReDOS

MOREZoN CUCHILLAR DE NAVaJAS ALMANZoR

THE CIRCO DE GReDOS

LAGUNA DE GReDOS

A BIRD'S-EYE VIEW--SHOWS THE AMEaL AND CUCHILLAR DEL GUETRE]