THE VOYAGE OF THE HASSLER 139 
were several lesser hills called the “Asses’ Ears”? which 
were all craters and from Mt. Aymond Pourtalés said 
you could see thirty or forty such craters. All this is 
very interesting and novel, as none of the explorers 
seem to have examined these hills though they have 
been named and entered on the charts, but I suppose 
their position has been ascertained from a distance. 
The mountain party with the exception of one or two 
of the strong ones were “dead beat,” for the tramp 
had been a most fatiguing one, but I never saw Pour- 
talés look so animated and so excited as he did on his 
return. They had seen large herds of guanacos, from 
fifty to a hundred at a time; they say they were so 
graceful, and when disturbed they hurry close to- 
gether and stand startled and alert with their pretty 
heads lifted listening and whinnying to each other 
like young colts. While they feed on the plain they 
have a sentinel at watch on high ground to give warn- 
ing of danger. The skin and fur are very soft and 
make excellent robes, and the Indians use them also 
for their tents. The skin and head of the one they shot 
yesterday are lying on the deck now. It is a beautiful 
head like that of a young deer. 
March 16 
Last evening about four o’clock in the afternoon we 
anchored off Elizabeth Island and went on shore for 
the sunset. Dr. Steindachner most amiably dragged 
my dead weight (which grows daily more imposing 
on account of much food and little exercise) up a 
steep cliff, and once landed on the top I took quite a 
