CHAPTER IV. 



SOME FEATURES OF BLANQUILLA — ANIMAL, VEGETABLE 

 AND GEOLOGICAL. 



There must be some hmidreds of goats, and scores of 

 donkeys on Blanquilla; and among them we saw also a 

 few mules and even horses. They have the free run of 

 the island, over which they roam in complete freedom, 

 and we met them in the thickest of the woods, where they 

 breed in undisturbed peace. Some of the young donkeys 

 were beautiful little creatures, living as they did in practi- 

 cally a wild state, and one could not help thinking that 

 this island would furnish a most ideal spot for conducting 

 experiments in the crossing of donkeys and zebras or 

 such like breeds. 



We were informed that the rent paid for the island to 

 the Venezuelan Government amounted to the equivalent 

 of about £70 a year. How long goats have lived here, I 

 cannot say; but Dampier, in 1682, relates that he found 

 none, although there were reported to be some, and he 

 with his buccaneer crew visited the island with the evident 

 intention of procuring som? for meat. It would, however, 

 be more interesting to be able to trace the inevitable 

 effect which these animals have exercised on the vege- 

 tation and appearance of the island. 



The flesh of all these goats is cured in the South 

 American fashion, and packed, ready for shipment, from 

 time to time, in some sheds, which have been erected near 

 the ranche owner's homestead. It is carried across to 

 the mainland in a schooner, which is managed by his 



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