282 Haunts of the Condor in Peru. 



tated about our descent to Iquique, which we anticipated would 

 be rather amusing, for it was svire to be steeper than the 

 Guantaca track. Having had some experience in clambering 

 about the badly- worked mines of Huantajaya, we imagined our- 

 selves fit for any emergency. Now and then we called out to 

 one another, " Take care ;" " Mind that piece of rock you are 

 standing on, it looks rather loose ;" or " That lump of rock above 

 does not want much of an earthquake-shake to send it down ;" 

 for earthquakes are almost of daily occurrence in that region. 

 Onwards we went, having to pick our way with the greatest 

 caution ; above us were the rugged peaks, below us the abrupt 

 declivity going down to the very ocean. Had giddiness seized 

 us and caused a false step, it would have been our last. 



My companion was in advance, and as he had been to sea 

 in his younger days, he had a better knack of balancing him- 

 self whilst progressing and springing over bad places. At 

 length this paseo, or ramble, began to tire us, and although 

 Iquique appeared as if at our feet, we were not in a position 

 to make anything like a straight course to it; and, after a 

 little time, we got into a most awkward position as the moun- 

 tain became much rounded on the steep descending slope; 

 our footway was of decomposing granite, which we felt had 

 only to be heavily trod on, and then away would slide down 

 a portion of the coating of the hill. Occasionally pieces of rock 

 would fall, and the way they made their descent showed too 

 plainly how we should go if we fell. 



Our course became worse. I was brought to a stand still, 

 and not being able to ascend or descend, was obliged to poise 

 myself most carefully. I now commenced cutting foot holes, 

 working myself round a projecting bluff, when I came in sight 

 of Don Jorge scrambling up to a withered cactus, astride of 

 which he got, so as to take a rest. He soon shouted, " Look 

 out, Don Guillermo, here come a lot of condors, we must take 

 care of ourselves." I looked up and around, and sure enough 

 I saw the condors whirling round in circles, the circles getting 

 smaller as they approached us. Other condors were in the 

 distance, all apparently of the same flock. They had doubtless 

 seen us for some time from one of their look-outs, probably the 

 Morro of Tarapaca, about nine miles off, in a straight line, and 

 some 3000 feet higher than we were. 



Two of the largest of the condors would approach at inter- 

 vals, in rather too close a proximity to my friend, when he 

 would shout his loudest, and bang stones at them, sometimes 

 hitting our enemy ; this seemed to astonish the birds, and we 

 could see them gently shake their wings. 



I had some hovering about me, but one kept itself in a line, 

 as if it intended to come butt up against me. These were 



