H I L I. 



199 



Statistics, neck and legs. It inhabit! the coldest and most precipi- 

 Y tous ridges of the Andes, and has never been domesticat- 

 ed. Vicugnas are of a mild and timid disposition, and 

 taken in great numbers for the sake of their wool. Be- 

 ing first compelled by the hunters into a narrow circuit, 

 they are immediately surrounded by a rope, to which are 

 attached, at short intervals, a great number of rags : and 

 not daring to encounter this formidable barrier, they are, 

 without difficulty, overpowered and put to death. The 

 wool, which is of a pale rose colour and very fine, bear* 

 a high value in Europe. In the stomach is found the 

 bezoar stone. The flesh, which affords an excellent 

 nourishment, i sometimes applied externally in cases of 

 ophthalmia. The cJiilihueque, or, as the name implies, 

 the sheep of Chili, was oiiginally called hueque, but the 

 epithet chili was afterwards prefixed, in order to distin- 

 guish it from the Spanish sheep. It was anciently em- 

 ployed as a beast of burthen, and guided by a string pass- 

 ed through the rim of one of its ears. It has ot late, 

 however, entirely given place to the mule, which, for 

 services of that nature, is now universally preferred. It 

 is four feet high, and about six in length. The wool, 

 which is long and soft, and not confined to any particu- 

 lar colour, is superior to the Spanish, and reserved en- 

 tirely for the more costly articles. The guanaco, or lua, 

 approaches the horse in siz~, and equals him in speed. 

 It is hunted with dogs, but the old ones are seldum taken 

 except by the Indians, who, being well mounted, and 

 furnished with a laqui,* can strike and entangle them at 

 the distance of three hundred paces. The guanaco is 

 readily domesticated, and becomes often so extremely fa- 

 miliar as to follow its master like a dog. Its hair is em- 

 ployed in the manufacture of hats, and the flesh is pre- 

 pared and put up for the use of seamen. Besides these, 

 we may notice the viscac/ia, which, in its appearance, 

 unites the fox and rabbit ; the tail and colour being those 

 of a fox, and the form of the other parts, as likewise its 

 manners, connecting it with the rabbit ; whose hair sup- 

 plied the anci~nt Chilians with a very beautiful cloth, 

 but is now manufactured into hats. The great ivood 

 mouse, which resembles the marmot in colour, while it 

 doubles it in size, and is completely di tinguislied from 

 that animal by its characteristic features ; with several 

 other kinds of mice, varying Considerably in ci.lour, ha- 

 bits, and dimensions. The covnr or armadilla, of which 

 there are four species. The largest of these is th<- tola, 

 or eighteen banded, in length l:i inches; the piclii, or 

 four banded, which is the least, measures only 6 inches. 

 Of carmvoriius animals, the most formidable is the pagi, 

 or, as the Peruvians name it, thj puma. Considered ai 

 a species, it seems to form a ln.k between the lion and the 

 tiger, th.-ugh, in size and courage, it is greatly inferior 

 to either. It is about five feet long, of a greyish ash 

 colour dashed with yell w spots. Its head is round, like 

 that of the cat, and like the cat also it is fawning and 

 treacherous in its disposition. It is particularly destruc- 

 tive to horses, and upon discovering two of these animals 

 fastened together in the fields, has been known to make 

 $ure of both, by first killing one, and while dragging it 

 off, bv striku g the other with its paw and compelling it 

 to follow and -hare -the fate of its companion. Notwith- 

 standing, however, its strength and dexterity, the pagi 

 has learnt to dread the aspect of man, and a woman or 

 hild is often sufficient to scare it from its prey. It is 



hunted with dogs, and, while engaged in defence, a noose ^Statisn 

 is secretly slipped over its head by one of the hunters. " *""Y~ 

 When thus entangled, it is said to " roar terribly and to 

 shed a torrent of tears." The skin is manufactured into 

 a strong leather, and afterwards converted into boots and 

 shoes. There is a species of ferret called chinghue, 

 which, when attacked, besprinkles its assailant with a 

 sort of greenish oil, from a vesicle situated similarly with 

 that of the polecat, of an oduur so intolerably offensive 

 as effectually to preclude any farther molestation. As- 

 sured of safety from this singular resource, it fears nei- 

 ther dogs nor men, and will boldly enter the houses in 

 search of plunder, nothing daring to thwart its passage, 

 or call forth its displeasure. There is but one method 

 of destruction which the inhabitants venture to practise 

 against the intruder. While some oneengage its notice 

 by caresses, another catches it up by the tail, and the 

 muscL-s being from this position so mu<.h contracted, as 

 to prevent the emission of its lodthsome fluid, the animal 

 is dispatched without apprehension. The odour reaches 

 to a great distance, and repeated washings are necessary 

 in order to purify garments that have once received it* . 

 pollution. The skin is much valued by the Indians, who 

 use it for bed-covers. There are likewise the porcupine, 

 the culpeu or mild dog, wild cats, and weasels. In the 

 rivers are found the coyptt, a kind of water rat, equal in 

 size to the otter, and capable of domestication ; and the 

 guillino, a species of beaver, in high estimation for the 

 excellence of its fur. The sea contains a great number 

 of phocce, besides the chinchimen, which, with a strong 

 external resemblance, possesses all the ferocious cruelty 

 of a wild cat, and will dart upon any one that approaches 

 it. 



A great number of birds occur in Chili which are com- Birdi. 

 mon throughout Europe ; such as kites, falcons, herons, 

 gulls, swans, geese, ducks, plovers, crows, pigeons, par- 

 tridges, and domestic fowls. Some of these are found in 

 many varieties, but we shall notice only two : the royal 

 duck, which is distinguished by its superior size, a large 

 red comb which adorns its head, and a ring of white 

 feathers about its neck ; and the red-licaded lierun, whose 

 plumage is of a pure white, except the beautiful crest, 

 which affords its descriptive appellation. Partridges are 

 said to be so extremely numerous, that the muleteers of 

 St Jago, without almost needing to step aside from the 

 road, knock them down in great numbers with their 

 cudgels, and carry them for sale to Valparaiso. Of car- 

 nivorous birds, are the join of the vulture tribe ; the 

 tluini, a kind of eagle, which instead of pursuing seizes 

 its prey by stratagem ; the pcquen, a small owl, remark- 

 able for the extensive burrows which it forms under 

 ground, where it also deposits and hatches its eggs : But 

 the principal of this tribe is the condor, in Chili called 

 manque, which, from its enormous strength and rapacity, 

 proves often extremely injurious in its depredations. Be- 

 sides preying on sheep and goats, several of them will 

 seize upon a calf, scoop out its eyes with their beaks, and 

 instantly tear it in pieces. This bird is taken by a very 

 simple contrivance. A peasant extended upon his back 

 covers himself with the fresh hide of an ox, while others 

 conceal themselves at a short distance ; and when the con- 

 dor, in expectation of a repaot, alights upon the skin, its legs 

 are immediately seized and held fast, till the assistants 

 rushing forward, overpower it with their clubs. The 



The lajvi it a strip of leather, 6e or six feet long, to each end of which is fastened a stone about two pounds weight The 



a on horseback, holds one of these stones in his hand, and whirls the other round like s sling, as swiftly as possible, 



'" lh raorc forc * wh en h throws it at the animal he has singled out, which he almost certain of steiking.",* 



