irection of the danger. They then take
to flight, at first slowly, but afterwards with the swiftness of the
roe; while the male, true to his trust, hangs in the rear, and halts at
intervals, as if to cover the retreat of the herd.

The llama, guanaco, alpaco, and vicuna, although different species, will
breed with each other; and it is certain that some of their hybrids will
again produce young. There exist, therefore, many intermediate
varieties, or "mules," throughout the countries of the Andes, some of
which have been mistaken for separate species.

CHAPTER NINE.

A VICUNA HUNT.

The vicuna being of such value, both inside and out, both in flesh and
wool, is hunted by the mountain Indians with great assiduity. It is an
animal most difficult to approach, and there is rarely any cover on
these naked plains by which to approach it.

The chief mode of capturing it is by the "chacu." This cannot be
effected by a single hunter. A great number is required. Usually the
whole population of one of the villages of the "Sierras" lower down
turns out for this sport, or rather business, for it is an annual source
of profit. Even the women go along, to cook and perform other offices,
as the hunt of the _chacu_ sometimes lasts a week or more.

A hunting party will number from fifty to one hundred persons. They
climb up to the _altos_, or high and secluded plains, where the vicuna
dwells in greatest numbers. They carry with them immense coils of
ropes, and a large quantity of coloured rags, together with bundles of
stakes three or four feet in length. When a proper part of the plain
has been chosen, they drive in the stakes four or five yards apart and
running in the circumference of a circle, sometimes nearly a mile in
diameter. A rope is then stretched from stake to stake, at the height
of between two and three feet from the ground, and over this rope are
hung the coloured rags provided for the occasion, and which keep
fluttering in the wind. A sort of scare-crow fence is thus constructed
in the form of a ring, except that on one side a space of about two
hundred yards is left open to serve as an entrance for the game. The
Indians then, most of them on horseback, make a grand detour, extending
for miles over the country; and having got behind the herds of vicunas,
drive them within the circle, and close up the entrance by completing
the ring. The hunters then go inside, and using the _bolas_, or even
seizin