CHAPTER VII. 



THE LAND OF GIANTS. 



The Patagonians — Guanaco Hunting — Singular Burial Customs — A 

 Horse with a Proboscis — Extinction — Up the Santa Cruz — Puma 

 Tracks — Catching the Condor — Falkland Islands — Among the 

 Glaciers — The Fuegians — Giant Sea- Weed and Its Work. 



ATAGONIA was looked 

 forward to by Darwin 

 with no little pleasure, 

 and on December 22d the 

 Beagle cast anchor in the 

 harbor of Port Desire, near 

 the ruin of an old Spanish 

 settlement. The animal 

 life here was somewhat 

 limited, as was the flora, 

 the most characteristic 

 animal being the curious 

 little wild llama or guanaco, which was found in large 

 herds on the plains. They were shy, but Darwin took 

 advantage of their curiosity by making various mo- 

 tions and assuming strange postures, and succeeded in 

 shooting a number. When discovered several miles 

 off they immediately took fright and ran, while one, 



72 



