THE LLAMA. 



55 



decorated with tufts of colored woollen fringe, hung with little bells ; and 

 his extreme height, (often six feet,) gallant and graceful carriage, pointed 

 ear, restless eye, and quivering lip, as he faces you for a moment, make 

 him as striking an object as one can well conceive. Upon pressing 

 on him he bounds aside, either up or down the cliff, and is followed by 

 the herd scrambling over places that would be impassable for the mule 

 or the ass. 



They travel immense distances, but by short stages — not more than ' 

 nine or ten miles per day. It is necessary, in long journeys, to have 

 double the number required to carry the cargo, so as to give them 

 relays. The burden of the llama is about one hundred and thirty 

 pounds ; he will not carry more, and will be beat to death rather than 

 move when he is overloaded or tired. The males only are worked ; the 

 females are kept for the breed. They appear gentle and docile, but 

 when irritated they have a very savage look, and spit at the object of 

 their anger with great venom. The spittle is said to be very acrid, and 

 will raise blisters where it touches the skin. We saw none in the wild 

 state. They are bred on the haciendas in great numbers. We had no 

 opportunity of seeing the guanaco or alpacca, (other varieties of the 

 Peruvian sheep,) though we now and then, in crossing the mountains, 

 caught a glimpse of the wild and shy vicuna. These go in herds of 

 ten or fifteen females, accompanied by one male, who is ever on the 

 alert. On the approach of danger he gives warning by a shrill whistle, 

 and his charge makes off" with the speed of the wind. The wool of the 

 vicuna is much finer and more valuable than that of the other species — 

 it is maroon-colored. 



A good and learned Presbyter, Dr. Cabrera, whose portrait hangs in 

 the library at Lima, by patience and gentleness, succeeded in obtaining 

 a cross between the alpacca and vicuna, which he called paco vicuna, 

 the wool of which is said to combine the fineness of that of the vicuna 

 and the length of staple of that of the alpacca. The value of vicuna 

 wool, at the port of shipment, was, in 1838, one hundred dollars the 

 hundred weight ; that of the alpacca, twenty-five dollars ; and that of 

 the sheep, from twelve to fifteen. Peru shipped from the ports of 

 Arica, Callao, and Islay, during the four years between 1837 and 1840, 

 inclusive, wool of the sheep, alpacca, and vicuna, to the value of two 

 million two hundred and forty-nine thousand and thirty-nine dollars. 

 (Castelnau, vol. 4, page 120.) 



Were any care taken in the rearing of these wild sheep of Peru, the 

 country might draw a great revenue from the sale of their wool. 



May 30. — Dull, rainy day. Gibbon laid up with chills and fever, 



