120 PORT DESIRE. [CHA.P. vm, 



in pairs ; their cry is very loud and singular, like the neighing of the 

 guanaco. 



The guanaco, or wild llama, is the characteristic quadruped of the 

 plains of Patagonia ; it is the South American representative of the 

 camel of the East. It is an elegant animal in a state of nature, with a 

 long slender neck and fine legs. It is very common over the whole of 

 the temperate parts of the continent, as far south as the islands near 

 Cape Horn. It generally lives in small herds of from half a dozen to 

 thirty in each ; but on the banks of the St. Cruz we saw one herd 

 which must have contained at least five hundred. 



They are generally wild and extremely wary. Mr. Stokes told me, 

 that he one day saw through a glass a herd of these animals which 

 evidently had been frightened, and were running away at full speed, 

 although their distance was so great that he could not distinguish them 

 with his naked eye. The sportsman frequently receives the first notice 

 of their presence, by hearing from a long distance their peculiar shrill 

 neighing note of alarm. If he then looks attentively, he will probably 

 eee the herd standing in a line on the side of some distant hill. On 

 approaching nearer, a few more squeals are given, and off they set at an 

 apparently slow, but really quick canter, along some narrow beaten 

 track to a neighbouring hill. If, however, by chance he abruptly meets 

 a single animal, or several together, they will generally stand motion- 

 less and intently gaze at him ; then perhaps move on a few yards, turn 

 round, and look again. What is the cause of this difference in their 

 shyness ? Do they mistake a man in the distance for their chief enemy 

 the puma ? Or does curiosity overcome their timidity ? That they are 

 curious is certain ; for if a person lies on the ground, and plays strange 

 antics, such as throwing up his feet in the air, they will almost always 

 approach by degrees to reconnoitre him. It was an artifice that was 

 repeatedly practised by our sportsmen with success, and it had more- 

 over the advantage of allowing several shots to be fired, which were all 

 taken as parts of the performance. On the mountains of Tierra del 

 Fuego, I have more than once seen a guanaco, on being approached, not 

 only neigh and squeal, but prance and leap about in the most ridiculous 

 manner, apparently in defiance as a challenge. These animals are 

 very easily domesticated, and I have seen some thus kept in northern 

 Patagonia near a house, though not under any restraint. They are in 

 this state very bold, and readily attack a man by striking hirrj from 

 behind with both knees. It is asserted that the motive for these attacks 

 is jealousy on account of their females. The wild guanacos, however, 

 have no idea of defence ; even a single dog will secure one of these 

 large animals, till the huntsman can come up. In many of their habits 

 they are like sheep in a flock. Thus when they see men approaching 

 in several directions on horseback, they soon become bewildered, and 

 know not which way to run. This greatly facilitates the Indian method 

 of hunting, for they are thus easily driven to a central point, and are 

 encompassed. 



The guanacos readily take to the water : several times at Port Valdes 

 they were seen swimming from island to island. Byron, in his voyage, 



