176 PORT DESIRE 



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 see the herd stand- 

 ing 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 motionless 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 

 moreover 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 

 him 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 hunts- 

 man 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. 



