26 THE THOPICAL WORLD. 



The hunting of the vicunas, which is very singular and 

 interesting, takes place in April or May. Each family in the 

 Puna villages is obliged to furnish the contingent of one of its 

 members at least ; and the widows accompany the hunters, to 

 serve as cooks. The whole troop, frequently consisting of 

 seventy or eighty persons, and carrying bundles of poles and 

 large quantities of cordage, sets out for the more elevated 

 plateaus, where the vicunas are grazing. In an appropriate 

 spot the poles are fixed into the earth, at intervals of twelve 

 or fifteen paces, and united by the cordage, about two feet 

 from the ground. In this manner a circular space, called 

 Chacu, of about half a league in circumference, is enclosed, 

 leaving on one side an entrance several hundred paces wide. 

 The women attach to the cordage coloured rags, which wave 

 to and fro in the wind. As soon as the Chacu is ready, the 

 men disperse, and forming a ring many miles in circumference, 

 drive all the intervening vicuna herds througli the entrance 

 into the circle, which is closed as soon as a sufficient number 

 has been collected. The shy animals do not venture to spring 

 over the cord and its fluttering rags, and are thus easily killed 

 by the bolas of the Indians. These bolas consist of three balls 

 of lead or stone, two of which are heavy, and one lighter, each 

 ball being attached to a long leather thong. The thongs are 

 knotted together at their free extremity. When used, the 

 lighter ball is taken in the hand, and the two others swung 

 in a wide circle over the head. At a certain distance from the 

 mark, about fifteen or twenty paces, the hand-ball is let loose, 

 and then all three fly in hissing circles towards the object 

 which they are intended to strike, and encompass it in their 

 formidable embrace. The hindlegs of the vicunas are generally 

 aimed at. It is no easy matter to throw the bolas adroitly, 

 particularly when on horseback ; for the novice often wounds 

 either himself or his horse mortally, by not giving the balls 

 the proper swing, or letting them escape too soon from his 

 hand. The flesh of the vicunas is divided in equal portions 

 among the hunters. When dried in the air, and then pounded 

 and mixed with Spanish pepper, its taste is not unpleasing. 

 The Church, however, manages to get the best part of the 

 animal, for the priest generally appropriates the skin. As soon 

 as all the entrapped vicunas are killed, the chacu is taken to 



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