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 



