. Wild Spain ... records of sport with rifle, rod, and gun, natural history and exploration . ^ to theisolated ibex of the Riscos ; their withdrawal would l)e thesignal for extermination within a few years. We had already pitched our tent on a slope abovethe col (5,600 feet), just within the lower fringe ofsnow, and were wondering at the non-arrival of ourhunters. Tliej^ had taken a short cut across themountains, and should have been the first to reach thespot. But after enjoying a delicious bathe in an adjoin-ing burn, and setting on the oFia to stew on an impro-vised anafc (a hollowed trench
. Wild Spain ... records of sport with rifle, rod, and gun, natural history and exploration . ^ to theisolated ibex of the Riscos ; their withdrawal would l)e thesignal for extermination within a few years. We had already pitched our tent on a slope abovethe col (5,600 feet), just within the lower fringe ofsnow, and were wondering at the non-arrival of ourhunters. Tliej^ had taken a short cut across themountains, and should have been the first to reach thespot. But after enjoying a delicious bathe in an adjoin-ing burn, and setting on the oFia to stew on an impro-vised anafc (a hollowed trench, in the deep centre ofwhich was kindled a fire), we suddenly saw them allappear, leaping down the opposite slope with the agilebounds of wild animals. They had simply lain hiddenfor hours, reconnoitring the movements of the civilguards ! Their first act on arrival was to hide their gunsamong the green/)/o///r? Again, when one evening the. Plate XXII. OUR CAiJP OX THE RISCOS DE VALDKREJO. Page 15i?. IBEX-SHOOTING IN SPAIN, 153 dreaded pair was reported to be ascending towards oureyry, the stampede was electric—each man seized his gunand all disappeared like rabbits among the rocks. Theincident serves to show the effective power wielded l)v thisfine corps in rural Spain. The conformation of this sierra was simple—on thenorth side the slope was gradual, though al)rupt: on thesouth almost perpendicular: that is, it formed a sheerrock-wall some three miles long and perhaps 2,000 feethigh, measuring from the head of the talus.* We foundhere a herd of nearly a score of ibex, ensconced in well-frequented lairs among the loose rocks and jnoynalcs alongthe highest ridge (they had not been disturl)ed formonths), and on so limited an area felt sure of morecertain success than on the boundless sierras of Gredos,with their snow-sanctuaries always open to the ibex. Butmatters were not so simple, nor were the goats. Here,too, they
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