ceeded in thus making a _battue_ of a whole herd. Once he had
approached a flock of vicunas disguised in the skin of a guanaco, and
killed most of them before they thought of retreating.

"It was necessary for us to return to the hut for our horses in order to
carry home the game, and this required several journeys to be made. To
keep off the wolves and condors my companion made use of a very simple
expedient, which I believe is often used in the North--among your
prairie trappers here. Several bladders were taken from the vicunas and
inflated. They were then tied upon poles of maguey, and set upright
over the carcasses, so as to dangle and dance about in the wind.
Cunning as is the Andes wolf this `scare' is sufficient to keep him off,
as well as his ravenous associate, the condor.

"It was quite night when we reached the Indian hut with our last load.
Both of us were wearied and hungry, but a fresh vicuna cutlet, washed
down by the Catalan, and followed by a cigarette, made us forget our
fatigues. My host was more than satisfied with his day's work, and
promised me a guanaco hunt for the morrow."

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN.

A CHACU OF VICUNAS.

"Well, upon the morrow," continued the Englishman, "we had our guanaco
hunt, and killed several of the herd we had seen on the previous day.
There was nothing particular in regard to our mode of hunting--farther
than to use all our cunning in getting within shot, and then letting fly
at them.

"It is not so easy getting near the guanaco. He is among the shyest
game I have ever hunted, and his position is usually so far above that
of the hunter, that he commands at all times a view of the movements of
the latter. The over-hanging rocks, however, help one a little, and by
diligent creeping he is sometimes approached. It requires a dead shot
to bring him down, for, if only wounded, he will scale the cliffs, and
make off--perhaps to die in some inaccessible haunt.

"While sojourning with my hunter-friend, I heard of a singular method
practised by the Indians, of capturing the vicuna in large numbers.
This was called the `chacu.'

"Of course I became very desirous of witnessing a `chacu,' and the
hunter promised to gratify me. It was now the season of the year for
such expeditions, and one was to come off in a few days. It was the
annual hunt got up by the tribe to which my host belonged; and, of
course, he, as a practised and professional hunter, was to bear a
disti