250 THROUGH THE HEART OF PATAGONIA 



swimmers, and cross the broad arms of Lake Argentino without 

 hesitation. 



In December the huemules which I shot were sheddino' their 

 winter coat, and I noticed the bucks were farther advanced in this 

 matter than the does. There were a few scraps of velvet chnging 

 to the horns of one of the bucks which I shot on December 9, 

 1 901. It is curious to note that the Indians, on seeing my rein- 

 deer-skin sleeping-bag. triumphantly identified it as being made of 

 the pelt of the huemul ! 



The best head that I secured carried five points. Mr. Von 

 Plaaten llallermund, of the Argentine Boundary Commission, told 

 me lie had seen a huemul's head carrying eight points in the neigh- 

 bourhood of Lake San Martin. One of my peones, Bernardo 

 Hahansen, who had penetrated into the same district, said he had 

 also seen an eight-pointer. Mr. Cattle and his companions shot 

 two bucks, both of which were four-pointers. 



Save for the attacks of pumas, the huemul lives pretty well un- 

 disturbed in his fastnesses. The Indians do not hunt them, as in 

 the forest-land horses and bolcadorcs are comparatively useless. 

 They do occasionally kill a few of these deer, however, which may 

 have strayed to the foothills or to the shores of the lakes. 



Huemules are, in general, very confiding, for their range is 

 confined for the most part to districts where they have little chance 

 of making acquaintance with the human race. But near the colony 

 of The 1 6th October, Jones told me that they had become very 

 wary and difficult of access, as was to be expected in a region where 

 they are constantly hunted. In the more unpenetrated parts the 

 buck is very courageous in the rutting season, and has been known 

 to make some show of attacking man. On open ground, in my 

 own experience, they manifested wonderfully little timidity, and 

 would wait for the approach of man, but inside the forests they 

 invariably dashed away on catching a glimpse of one of our party. 

 If, however, you have a dog with you, they will in all cases take to 

 flight. 



In the preceding chapter I have given various illustrations of 

 the natural tameness of the huemul. 



W'hen it has observed something unusual in its surroundings. 



