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lihueque is very much like that of the sheep ; its 

 ears are also oval and flaccid, the eyes large and 

 black, the nose long and bunched, the lips thick 

 and hanging, the tail of a similar form, but 

 shorter, and the whole ])odv covered with a very 

 long and soft wool. The length of the chilihue- 

 que, from the upper lip to the root of the tail, is 

 about six feet ; and its height, measured from 

 behind, is nearly four feet. The individuals of 

 this species vary in colour ; there are some of 

 them which are white, others brown, black, and 

 grey. 



The ancient Chilians made use of these ani- 

 mals as beasts of burden, and were accustomed 

 to lead them by a rope fastened to a hole made in 

 the rim of the ear, from whence has arisen the 

 errors of several geographical v/riters, who have 

 asserted, that the sheep which had been carried 

 to Chili had so far increased in size, that they 

 w^ere loaded and employed as mules in the trans- 

 portation of merchandize. Some writers pret nd 

 that, before the arrival of the Spaniards, th3 

 Chilians employed the hueqne in the cnltivatioa 

 of their lands, and for drawing a kind of cart 

 which they called quetahue. This agrees with 

 the account of Admiral Spilsberg, who says that 

 the inhabitants of Mocha made use of them when 

 he landed there. The chilihueques are highly 

 valued by the Araucanians ; who, though they 

 are fond of their flesh, never kill them except 

 upon festivals, or on some solemn sacrifice. 



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