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[Illustration: image of the book's cover]
WILD SPAIN
[Illustration: "TWO IBEX-HUNTERS."]
[Illustration: Map illustrating
"WILD SPAIN"
BY
ABEL CHAPMAN & W. J. BUCK.]
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_
[Illustration]
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.
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