382 THE LAMA. 



lity in their state of nature. The stag is scarcely 

 more swift, or the goat or the chamois a better 

 climber. All its shapes are more delicate and 

 strong ; its colour is tawny, and its wool is but 

 short. In their native forests they are gregari- 

 ous animals, and are often seen in flocks of two 

 or three hundred at a time. When they perceive 

 a stranger, they regard him at first with astonish- 

 ment, without marking any fear or surprise ; but 

 shortly, as if by common consent, they snuff up 

 the air, somewhat like horses, and at once, by a 

 common flight, take refuge on the tops of the 

 mountains. They are fonder of the northern 

 than the southern side of the Andes ; they often 

 climb above the snowy tracts of the mountain, 

 and seem vigorous in proportion to the coldness 

 of their situation. The natives hunt the wild 

 lama for the sake of its fleece. If the dogs sur- 

 prise one upon the plain, they are generally suc- 

 cessful ; but if once the lama obtains the rocky 

 precipice of the mountain, the hunters are oblig- 

 ed to desist in their pursuit. 



The lama seems to be the largest of the camel 

 kind in America: there are others, which are 

 called Guanacoes and Pacos, that are smaller and 

 weaker, but endued with the same nature, and 

 formed pretty much in the same manner. They 

 seem to bear the same proportions to each other 

 that the horse does to the ass, and are employed 

 with the same degree of subordination. The 

 wool however of the paco seems to be the most 

 valuable ; and it is formed into stuffs not inferior 

 to silk, either in price or beauty. The natural 



