THE LAMA. 



433 



sing their victuals. Thus, this animal alone 

 seems to comprise within itself a variety of 

 qualities, any one of which serves to render 

 other quadrupeds absolutely necessary for 

 the welfare of man : like the elephant, it is 

 manageable and tame ; like the horse, it 

 gives the rider security; it carries greater 



burdens than the ox or the mule, and its milk 

 is furnished in as great abundance as that of 

 the cow; the flesh of the young ones is sup- 

 posed to be as delicate as veal; their hair is 

 more beautiful, and more in request, than 

 wool; while even of its very excrements no 

 part is useless. 



CHAPTER LXIV. 



THE LAMA. 



AS almost all the quadrupeds of America 

 are smaller than the resembling ones of the 

 ancient continent, so the Lama, which may 

 be cotisidered as the camel of the new world, 

 is every way less than that of the old. This 

 animal, like that described in the former 

 chapter, stands high upon its legs, has a long 

 neck, a small head, and resembles the camel, 

 not only in its natural mildness, but its apti- 

 tude for servitude, its moderation, and its 

 patience. The Americans early found out 

 its useful qualities, and availed themselves of 

 its labours: like the camel, it serves to carry 

 goods over places inaccessible to other beasts 

 of burden ; like that, it is obedient to its dri- 

 ver ; and often dies under, but never resists, 

 his cruelty. 



Of these animals, some are white, others 

 black, but they are mostly brown ; its face 

 resembles that of the camel, and its height is 

 about equal to that of an ass. They are not 

 found in the ancient continent, but entirely 

 belong to the new ; nor are they found spread 

 over all America, but are found chiefly upon 

 those mountains that stretch from New Spain 

 to the Straits of Magellan. They inhabit the 

 highest regions of the globe, and seem to re- 

 quire purer air than animals of a lower situa- 

 tion are found to enjoy. Peru seems to be 

 the place where they are found in greatest 

 plenty. In Mexico they are introduced 

 rather as curiosities than beasts of burden ; 

 but in Potosi, and other provinces of Peru, 

 they make the chief riches of the Indians and 

 Spaniards who rear them: their flesh is ex- 

 cellent food ; their hair, or rather wool, may 



be spun into beautiful clothing; and they are 

 capable, in the most rugged and dangerous 

 ways, of carrying burdens, not exceeding a 

 hundred weight, with the greatest safety. It 

 is true, indeed, that they go but slowly, and 

 seldom above fifteen miles a day; their tread 

 is heavy, but sure; they descend precipices, 

 and find footing among the most craggy rocks, 

 where even men can scarcely accompany 

 them: they are, however, but feeble animals, 

 and after four or five days' labour they are 

 obliged to repose for a day or two. They 

 are chiefly used in carrying the riches of the 

 mines of Potosi ; and we are told that there 

 are above three hundred thousand of these 

 animals in actual employ. 



This animal, as was said before, is above 

 three feet high, and the neck is three feet 

 long, the head is small and well proportioned, 

 the eyes large, the nose long, the lips thick, 

 the upper divided, and the lower a little de- 

 pending ; like all those animals that feed 

 upon grass, it wants the upper cutting teeth; 

 the ears are four inches long, and move with 

 great agility ; the tail is but five inches long, 

 it is small, straight, and a little turned up at 

 the end ; it is cloven-footed like the ox, but 

 it has a kind of spear-like appendage behind, 

 which assists it in moving over precipices and 

 rugged ways ; the wool on the back is short, 

 but long on the sides and the belly; it resem- 

 bles the camel in the formation of the genital 

 parts in the male, so that it makes urine 

 backwards ; it couples also in the same man- 

 ner, and though it finds much difficulty in the 

 aciion,it is said to be much inclined to venery. 



