126 THE BOOK OF A NATURALIST 
a meeting and dinner at a neighbouring estancia, 
and after putting out his linen on his bed he went 
into an adjoining room for a hot bath. Coming 
back to his bedroom he was just in time to see his 
pet guanaco pick up his beautifully-got-up snow- 
white shirt from the bed and make a dash for the 
open door. He uttered a wild yell, which had no 
effect, but he was determined not to lose his shirt, 
for at that moment he remembered that it was the 
only clean one he possessed; he rushed out just 
as he was with nothing but a towel round him, and 
jumping on to his horse, which stood saddled at 
the gate, started in pursuit. Away he went, 
shouting to the dogs to come and help him recover 
his shirt. His yell and shouts brought all the men 
about the place on the scene, and running out they 
too mounted their horses in hot haste and started 
after him. And away far ahead of them went the 
guanaco at a pace no horse could equal, the shirt 
held firmly in his teeth waving and flapping like a 
white banner in the wind. But from time to time 
he made a stop, and bringing the shirt down to the 
ground would hurriedly tear a piece out of it, then 
picking it up would rush on again. The dogs over- 
took him only to dance round him, barking joy- 
fully to encourage him to run on and keep the fun 
going. He was their friend and playmate, and it 
was to them nothing but a jolly sham hunt got up 
by their sport-loving master for their amusement. 
The chase led up the valley of the river, a great 
flat plain, and continued for about four to five 
