IN THE PACIFIC. 11 



two blue-jackets across to head the guanaco, we 

 went round the arm to intercept them. Pre- 

 sently we saw the herd trotting towards us, so, 

 lying down on the side of a hill, we watched the 

 graceful animals as they approached us, uncon- 

 scious of danger. 



When about 200 yards off they stopped, and 

 we fired several shots at them, but with no 

 better result than to scatter them in all direc- 

 tions. Seizing my gun, while Packe took the 

 rifle, we gave chase. I followed a small lot of 

 five or six, but had great difficulty in keeping 

 them in sight, and still more so in getting any- 

 where near them, owing to the unfavourable 

 nature of the ground not a tree or bush was 

 to be seen, nothing but a succession of low 

 sand-hills ; however, the inquisitive nature of 

 the beasts assisted me. Running as fast as 

 possible, with my body bent almost double, I 

 must have presented a curious object to these 

 unsophisticated creatures, whilst my curly- 

 coated, black retriever running beside me, like 

 an animated mat, completed the illusion. I 



