H 



OVALLE*S HISTORICAL RELATION OF CHILE. ' 



They are made ufe of at this time in feme parts, for carriage of wine, wheat, maize, 

 and other provifions ; and I remember to have feen them about thirty years ago ferve 

 to carry water at St.Jago from the river to the houfes, for the ufe of the family -, but 

 now they are not at all employed there in this kind of labour, there being fuch quan- 

 tities of mules and afles for all that fervice. Thefe flieep have their upper lip flit, with 

 which they do, as it were, fpit at thofe who vex them ; and the children, who ufe to 

 do it, when they fee them ready to fpit, run away ; for they know, and it is a common 

 truth, that wherever their fpitting falls, it caufes a fcab ; and having a very long neck, 

 about three feet long, they ufe thefe defenfive arms the better. Their wool is extremely 

 valued ; for of it are woven cloaks or mantles fo fine, that they look hke camblet : 

 they govern them by a kind of bridle, which they put through holes in their ears, 

 4nJ^v and fo by pulling the reigns, turn them which way they will : they kneel down to be 

 loaded, and when the loading is well fitted and faftened, they rife and carry it 

 very gravely. 



There are likewife natural to that country a fort of little rabbits, called by the 

 Indians Pegues, which they eat with much pleafure : they are wild. The taking of 

 them is very good fport : for they carry water in great tubs to their holes ; and though 

 they are very deep, and have fecret iffues and correfpondencies with each other under 

 ground, to avoid being purfued by the hunters or their dogs, yet the water overcomes 

 them J and while they fly from it, the Indians watch for them at their other holes, and 

 with their dogs take them as they come out to avoid the water. 



There are another fort of Httle rabbits, which are like thefe, but they are tame, and 

 the Indians call them Cuyes, which are alfo very good meat : they are of pretty colours, 

 and fpotted : they are very common every where. 



The fquirrels are not fo ; and I do not know they are to be found any where in 

 Chile, but in the valley of Guafco : they are grey or afh-coloured, and their fliins are 

 mightily valued for furs, for their warmth and finenefs of the touch. 



The animals called Guanacos, Chamois, or wild goats, are very like thefe country 

 fheep, as well in their fliape as motions ; but they are of a different colour ; for they 

 are red, of a clear colour : they never can be tamed, but go in flocks, feeding in the 

 fields ; and it is as much as a very fwift horfe can do to overtake them running ; and 

 if they have the leaft ftart of them, they feem to play with them ; for by an eafy gallop, 

 they make the horfe fl:rain ; in which they are much helped by their long legs, for by 

 them they gain more ground at every reach : yet it is very eafy to catch the young ones, 

 or thofe that are not ufed to be hunted ; becaufe being fo tall, and their bones, becaufe 

 of their youth, not well knit, they are eafily tired ; fo that by following a flock of them 

 on horfeback with dogs, (and they go three or four hundred in a flock,) the young 

 ones are forced to lag behind, and fome are killed by the dogs, fome are knocked on 

 the head with a flick by the hunter. I have feen them bring thus three or four dead 

 at a time. And this is not only a pleafant, but a ufeful fport ; for the flefli of thefe 

 young ones is like kid*s flefli, and is eaten frefh : but that of the old ones is not fo, 

 but dried and fmoaked : it is the befl: of that kind in the world. 



Thefe creatures breed, in a bag they have under the belly, the bezoar-fl;ones, which 



Mflw-/ j^j.g |-Q valued againfl: poifon, and malignant fevers, good to rejoice the heart, and other 



^ admirable effefts. The matter out of which they are made, are herbs of great virtue, 



which thefe animals eat to cure themfelves of any thing they ail, and preferve themfelves 



from the poifon of any venomous creature, as ferpents, or poifonous plants, and other 



accidents. 



Thefe 



