SOME HUNTING CAMPS i6i 



quite unable at that distance to make out the cause of it. We 

 marked the place and I took a couple of bearings, and in the early 

 dark we rode back into camp. 



The next morning we sogaed up the horses and set out. 



We wanted some meat, having only a little left of the last 

 guanaco. We saw a number of guanacos on the hills and one 

 half-grown one, which we attempted to gallop, but had to desist, as 

 the ground was too false for the horses, and the basalt rocks and 

 hills told in the guanaco's favour. At length, quite near the spot 

 wiiere I had shot one on the previous evening, we found a big old 

 buck standing alone, and we speedily made a plan of campaign. I 

 rode round and hid in the rocks far above him. Scrivenor tried 

 stalking him and Jones headed him off from the north. 



He went towards Jones, who sent a bullet through his heart at 

 good range. 



Immediately on our killing, the condors, caranchos, and chi- 

 mangos began to gather and almost to drop upon the meat in our 

 presence. I have before remarked on the number of these uncanny 

 birds which haunted the Gorge. They were huge, black, ragged, 

 bald, wrinkled, and offensive in odour, incarnations of lust and evil. 

 The horrible flesh-colour of the bare skin on head and neck was 

 glassy and livid. And how wonderful was their instinct ! You 

 shot your game, and within a few minutes a condor appeared far 

 away in the heavens ; then another and another ! Perhaps they 

 had some signal bidding to the feast. 



Having cut up the guanaco, we descended into the canadon 

 of the Jeinemeni, where we had on the previous evening seen the 

 rising dust — which meant the movement of living things. At first 

 it was one of the nastiest of horseback climbs, all loose stones, and 

 sand and sandstone chippings. The gorge below us was a chess- 

 board of small-looking round folds set in the bases of the higher 

 hills and hummocks. Among these were many boulders, with two 

 or three deep black waterholes, eye-shaped ; and, of course, there 

 were condors. We arrived at the place where we had perceived 

 the cloud of dust. A large herd of guanaco had passed at the 

 gallop, as was evident from the tracks. 



We rode on to the gorge of the Jeinemeni and made our 



