WILD SPAIN

(ESPAÑA AGRESTE)

RECORDS OF

SPORT   WITH   RIFLE,   ROD,   AND   GUN,
NATURAL   HISTORY   AND   EXPLORATION



BY
ABEL CHAPMAN, F.Z.S.
AUTHOR OF "BIRD-LIFE OF THE BORDERS"

AND

WALTER J. BUCK, C.M.Z.S., of Jerez

WITH 174 ILLUSTRATIONS, MOSTLY BY THE AUTHORS

LONDON
GURNEY AND JACKSON, 1, PATERNOSTER ROW
(Successors To Mr. Van Voorst)
1893

LONDON:
PRINTED BY WOODFALL AND KINDER,
70 TO 76, LONG ACRE, W.C.

CONTENTS.
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
GLOSSARY.
INDEX.

PREFACE.

IN "Wild Spain" we endeavour to describe a little-known land from a point of view hitherto almost unoccupied—that of the sportsman-naturalist. Many books have been written on Spain—some very good ones: but recent volumes chiefly confine themselves to the history, antiquities, architecture, &c., of the country, with their authors' impressions of the Spanish people. Such subjects find no place—save incidentally—in the present work, which systematically avoids the beaten track and essays to depict some of the unknown and more remote regions.

During more than twenty years the authors have undertaken sporting expeditions into various parts of Spain—chiefly in Andalucia, but including, at one time or another, nearly all the western provinces from the Mediterranean to Biscay. A love of wild sport has been, perhaps, the leading motive; but the study of natural history has hardly been of secondary importance. In pursuit of these twin objects we have spared neither time nor trouble, spending weeks—sometimes months—at a time, in the sierras and wildernesses of Spain, bivouacing wherever night overtook us, or the chances of sport might dictate, and camping-out on the glorious snow-clad cordilleras.

Our subjects are the wild-life and feræ naturæ of the Peninsula—including in the latter expression, by a slight stretch of the term, the brigand and the gypsy, with remarks on agriculture as cognate and supplementary. As far as convenient, the sequence of chapters follows the change of the seasons, commencing with spring-time. Hence the earlier part of the book is more concerned with natural history—though the pursuit of ibex and bustard may be followed in spring; while the latter half is more exclusively devoted to sport.

Long residence in Spain has afforded opportunities which are not available to the casual traveller. Especially is this the case with sport, of which we have, at times, enjoyed some of the best that Spain affords. But it should be remarked that many of the shooting campaigns herein described have been on private and preserved grounds; and, while we naturally select the more fortunate records, we pass over in silence many a blank day and fruitless effort. Nearly all ground on which large game is found, is preserved, with the exception of remote parts of the sierras, where wild pig and roe may be shot, and those higher mountain-ranges which form the home of ibex and chamois; moreover, while indicating in general terms the distribution of the various games and other animals, we have in many instances avoided naming precise localities.

In describing a foreign land, it is impossible entirely to avoid the use of foreign terms for which, in many cases, no precise equivalents exist in English: but, to minimize this drawback, we append a glossary of all Spanish words used herein. Conversely, lest Spanish readers should misinterpret the title of this book, we have added a translation in the terms España Agreste.

The illustrations consist of reproductions, either from photographs or from rough sketches in pen-and-ink and water-colours by the authors, whose only merit lies in their essaying to represent in their native haunts some of the least-known birds and beasts of Europe, several of which, it is probable, have never before been drawn from the life. If some of these sketches are not as satisfactory as we could have wished, the difficulties under which they were produced may serve as some excuse. At the last moment we have had some of them "translated" in London by Messrs. C. M. Sheldon and A. T. Elwes, and are also indebted to Miss M. E. Crawhall for several sepia-drawings made by her in Spain.

It had been our intention to append a list of the birds of Spain, with their Spanish names and short notes on each species; but this we find would exceed our limits, and moreover the blanks and "missing links" still remain so numerous that we have abandoned—or at least deferred—that part of our programme. This may explain a certain want of continuity or coherence, in an ornithological sense.

We are indebted to Lord Lilford and to Messrs. J. C. Forster and Ralph W. Bankes for several valuable notes and assistance, also to Admiral Sir M. Culme-Seymour for photographs taken in "Wild Spain"; while we cannot sufficiently express our gratitude to Mr. Howard Saunders, who has in the kindest manner gone through the proof-sheets, and whose long experience and intimate knowledge of Spain have been most generously placed within our reach. For any serious mistakes which may remain, the authors must be solely responsible.

 

December 31st, 1892.

 

CONTENTS.   CHAPTER I PAGE An Unknown Corner of Europe. Andalucia and her Mountain-barriers.    i. Introductory 1  ii. Life in the Sierras 13 iii. A night at a Posada 19 CHAPTER II A Boar-hunt in

the Sierra 23 CHAPTER III The Great Bustard 33 CHAPTER IV Big days with Bustard.  i. Jedilla 46 ii. Santo Domingo—an Idyl 50 CHAPTER V Tauromachia.   The Fighting Bull of Spain;       Notes on his history: his breeds and rearing: and his
        life up to the encierro—i.e., the eve of his death 54 CHAPTER VI The Bætican Wilderness.   Spring-notes of bird-life, natural history and exploration in the marisma    Part i.—April 70 CHAPTER VII The Bætican Wilderness (continued).    Part ii.—May 83 CHAPTER VIII Wild Camels in Europe 94 CHAPTER IX Among the Flamingoes.     Notes on their haunts and habits, and the discovery of their nesting-places 102 CHAPTER X Brigandage in Spain.     Sketches of two Robber-types.        i. Vizco el Borje 116       ii. Agua Dulce 124 CHAPTER XI The Spanish Ibex.     Notes on its natural history, haunts, habits and distribution 128 CHAPTER XII Ibex-shooting in Spain.       i. Sierra de Gredos (Old Castile) 140      ii. Riscos de Valderejo 150 CHAPTER XIII Ibex-shooting in Spain (continued).      iii. Sierra Bermeja (Mediterranean) 157      iv. Nevada and the Alpujarras. Ten days in a snow-cave 166 CHAPTER XIV Trout and Trouting in Spain.       i. Castile, etc. 173      ii. Santandér 179 CHAPTER XV Trouting in the Asturias and in Leon

href="@public@vhost@g@gutenberg@html@files@38201@[email protected]#page_183" class="pginternal" tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">183 CHAPTER XVI Experiences with Eagles.        i. Forest and plain 188 CHAPTER XVII Further Experiences with Eagles and Vultures.       ii. Chiefly relating to the Sierra 205 CHAPTER XVIII On Spanish Agriculture.        i. Cereals, green crops, etc. 220 CHAPTER XIX On Spanish Agriculture (continued).       ii. The olive 231       iii. Horse-breeding and live stock 233       iv. Supplement 236 CHAPTER XX Bird-life of the Spanish Spring-time.        i. The pinales, or pine-region 238 CHAPTER XXI Bird-life of the Spanish Spring-time (continued).        ii. The cistus-plains and prairies 250 CHAPTER XXII Bird-life of the Spanish Spring-time (continued).       iii. By lake and lagoon 266 CHAPTER XXIII The Spanish Gypsy.     Notes on the history of the "Gitanos" 277 CHAPTER XXIV The Spanish Gypsy of to-day 287 CHAPTER XXV In Search of the Lämmergeyer.     A winter ride in the Sierras 293 CHAPTER XXVI The Home of the Lämmergeyer 307 CHAPTER XXVII Ramon and the two big Rams.     An incident of Ibex-stalking 316 CHAPTER XXVIII The Ibex-hunter's Betrothal 320 CHAPTER XXIX On Viticulture in Spain and Portugal 325 CHAPTER XXX Some further Notes on the Great Bustard.     His natural history and habits

align="right">338 CHAPTER XXXI The Little Bustard 343 CHAPTER XXXII A Winter Campaign in Doñana 348 CHAPTER XXXIII Wildfowling in the Wilderness.       i. A wet winter 371 CHAPTER XXXIV Wildfowling in the Wilderness (continued).      ii. A dry season (flight-shooting) 384     iii. An Arctic winter 392 CHAPTER XXXV The Stanchion-gun in Spain 395 CHAPTER XXXVI Deer-driving in the Pine-forests.     My first stag 405 CHAPTER XXXVII Winter in the Marshes.        i. Snipe-shooting 417       ii. Cranes, storks, and bitterns 420      iii. Miscellaneous marsh-birds 424 CHAPTER XXXVIII Deer-stalking and "Still-hunting."     On the Southern plains 428   APPENDIX. PART I. The Large Game of Spain and Portugal,     With notes on other Spanish Mammalia 437         Red Deer 437         Fallow Deer 438         The Roebuck in Spain 439         The Spanish Ibex 440         The Chamois 441         The Bear 442         Wild Boar 443         Wolf and Fox 444-5         Spanish Lynx 446         Smaller beasts 447 et seq. PART II. Spring-migrants To

Spain,   With dates of arrival, etc., in Andalucia 450 PART III.     i. Spring-notes in Navarre 454    ii. Supplementary notes on birds (Southern Spain) 457 GLOSSARY. INDEX.

 

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. PLATE NO. PAGE i. Map of Spain and Portugal Frontispiece An Andaluz 3 A Granadino 4 Basque peasant 5 ii. Relics of the Moors—Ruins of the Watch-tower of Melgarejo To face 6 Fair Sevillanas 8 A choza: the home of the Andalucian peasant 13 iii. Pair of Civil Guards—Jerez To face 14 A water-seller 18 iv. Daughters of Andalucia To face 19 Dancers with castanets 20 A village posada 21 "Furniture" 25 Our quarters in the Sierra 26 A straight charge (wild boar) 30 v. "That old tusker" (wild boar) To face 31 A mule with trappings 32 vi. Bustards on the barrens—winter;—a first shade of
suspicion To face 33 vii. Watering the cattle—summer-time To face 35 Great Bustard—echando la rueda 39 viii. Bustard-driving—the pack come "well in" To face 40 Great Bustards—an April dawn 43 ix.     "       " —among the spring-corn To face 48 The Bustard-shooter—triumph! 51 x. Ancient draw-well on the plains To face 52 xi. Bulls on the plains To face 57 xii. The morn of the Fight—Bulls in the toril (Miura's

breed) To face 61 xiii. The Encierro To face 65 A Bull-fighter 66 A Matador 68 Fishing-boat on the Guadalquivir 78 Flamingoes 74, 102 and 115 Avocets 77, 82 and 87 Stilts 70, 86 and 92 xiv. Booted Eagle To face 81 xv. Pintailed Sand-Grouse To face 85 Grey Plovers—summer-plumage 89 xvi. The Spanish Wild Camels—our first sight of a couple in the marisma To face 94 xvii. Wild Camels—seen through the binoculars To face 98 Flamingoes on feed 104 A right-and-left at Flamingoes 106 Spanish Lynx 107 A toilet in the wilderness (Flamingoes) 109 Flamingoes and nests 111 xviii. Flamingoes on their nests To face 112 Civil Guards—a sketch from life 121 Draw-well at the Zumajo, near Jerez 127 Spanish Ibex, Old Ram—Sierra de Gredos 131 —— —— —— Sierra Nevada 133, 135, and 170 xix. On the crags of Almanzór (Ibex) To face 137 Old olive-trees near Talavera 139 xx. Ibex-hunting—a sketch in the Sierra de Gredos To face 141 Our first old Ram 145 xxi. Ibex-hunting—the two old Rams at the "Cannon-Rock" To face 148 The peaks of Gredos

tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">149 xxii. Our camp on the Riscos de Valderejo To face 152 Ibex-hunters of Gredos—a sketch by the camp-fire 154 Ibex, female—Riscos de Valderejo 155 —— —— Bermeja 158 xxiii. Ibex-hunting—a sketch in the Sierra Bermeja To face 161 Forest Ibex, old Ram—Bermeja 164 Trout 175, 182, and 186 Chamois 179 and 442 Spanish Imperial Eagle 190, 198, and 219 —— —— (Spotted stage) 193 —— —— The Eagle's swoop 262 Tawny Eagle 195 Black Vulture 201 and 202 At roost—Serpent-Eagles 204 xxiv. A Vulture's banquet To face 206 Griffon Vulture and nest—Puerta de Palomas 208 Strange neighbours (Vultures and Storks) 209 xxv. "Where the carcase is" To face 213 Bonelli's Eagle (adult) 217 and 383 xxvi. Ploughing with oxen To face 221 Wooden ploughshare 224 xxvii. The harvest-field To face 225 xxviii. Threshing corn with mares To face 226 xxix. Winnowing To face 228 "Waiting for death" (old olive-trees) 232 xxx. Kites and Marsh-Harriers To face 242 xxxi. Sand-dunes and Corrales of Doñana To face 245 Hoopoes 248 A serenade (Red-leg Partridge) 251 Azure-winged Magpies

align="right">258 Eyed Lizard and Serpent-Eagle 260 Black Stork 265 xxxii. Mallards and Ferruginous Ducks—Alamillo To face 268 xxxiii. White-fronted Ducks—Santolalla To face 270 Buff-backed Heron 83 and 272 Marsh-Harrier—very old male 274 Summer evening—Owls and Moths 276 xxxiv. Dancers at Granada—the Bolero To face 289 Gypsy lad 290 Gypsy dance 292 Lämmergeyer—a first impression 295 Dance and guitar 297 Griffon Vulture (a sketch from life) 303 "Roses in Spain" 306 xxxv. Lämmergeyer—a sketch from life in the Sierra Bermeja To face 309 Our quarters at Guentar del Rio 312 Ibex-head—Sierra de Gredos 319 xxxvi. Vineyard and gateway To face 325 Vines in March (Jerez) 326 xxxvii. In a Jerez Bodega To face 328 xxxviii. Irrigation by the noria, or water-wheel To face 334 A vineyard at Jerez 336 Great Bustards 337 and 340 Little Bustards—May 345 xxxix. A Spanish jungle—The Angosturas To face 348 Fishing-boats 349 xl. Palacio de Doñana To face 350 xli. Breakfast-time—Doñana To face 352 A royal head—Doñana 354 Dead Lynx 355 Group of forest-guards 357 Pannier-pony and game 358 Spanish Red Deer—a mountain-head from Morena

align="right">360 and 430 —— a stag of thirteen points 363 xlii. Spanish wildfowlers approaching duck with cabresto
ponies To face 365 xliii. A shot in the open (Red Deer) To face 367 Wild Boar—an old tusker 368 xliv. Salavar—a sketch in a Spanish Mancha To face 369 xlv. Wildfowling with cabrestos— —— —— No. 1. The approach To face 372 xlvi. —— —— No. 2. The shot To face 374 xliii. xlviii. —— —— No. 3. The result To face 381 "Anseres son!" 377 Greylag Geese flighting—daybreak 378 xlii. Grey Geese and Wigeon—midday To face 378 Marsh-Harrier (young) 380 xlix. "The farewell shot" To face 382 Mallards 387 Grey Geese 390 and 391 l. Redshanks (101 and) To face 393 Stilts 396 and 404 Little Gull and Tern 398 li. "A hundred at a shot—now or never!" To face 400 "The Biter and the Bit" (Harrier and Teal) 401 lii. La Marismilla—a shooting morning To face 405 Spanish guns 411 "The eleven-pointer" (Red Deer) 413 A fifteen-pointer (Red Deer) 414 "Dropped in his tracks" (Wild Boar) 416 Stork's nest—The Banderas, Seville 422 —— —— on straw-stack 459 Spanish Lynx 436 Spanish Ibex—Five-year-old Rams 440