Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-09-27

sheared, as the animal is used only for pur.
poses of transportation. Its usual color is
muddy brown, while a few are light yellow
or nearly white. The Indians paint the lat.
ter with liquid dyes, and very odd it looks
ia see troop of them in all the colors offthe
rainbow-red, blue, purple pink and green
with gay tassels dangling from their ears.
Many OF the most valuable mines OF Peru
and Bolivia could hardly be carried on
without these hardy and sure-footed
little animals, though not one of
them can be made to bear more than
hundred pounds weight, while the
average load of a mule is 300 pounds. On
| all the mountain roads leading from the
mines hundreds of llamas may be seen with
bags of barilla, as the powdered ore is
called, fastened to pack saddles on their
which the indians pull. spin and weave as
they walk along. Where the trails are dam
gerously narrow each troop is led by one
having bell attached to his neck, so that
travellers coming from the other direction
may be warned by the ringing to wait in
some place where there is room enough to
pass.
PECULIAR ANIMAL.
None but Indians, shy as themselves and
unhampered by the ways of civilization, can
manage llamas; and white men never at
tempt it. Ii an ounce more than 100 pounds
be added to his burden. the beast will lie
down and refuse to stir until the surplus is
removed; and whenever he is tired burden
or no burden, he is bound to stretch out
until we'll rested. Meanwhile the patient
driver will halt all the rest of the flock and
lie down. too, waiting by the roadside until
nj 60
An Indian never strikes his llamas, the ut
most coercion he uses under any circum-
stances being q gentle push. Indeed he
takes better care of them than he does his
own children, perhaps with good reason,
since the four-foOted animals are of more
value commercially. The latter are worth
alive about 81 apiece, but sell for more when
dead, in the shape of hides, meat and tai
low. The natives prefer llama flesh, after it
has been frozen, to any other kind of meat,
and make great account of the tallow, which
is called sabo, using it for many purposes.
Male llamas only carry freight, the fe-
males being kept in corral for breeding pur-
poses. Soon as a young male is ready to
stand, he is trained to bear burdens, and at
2 years old is put into an alquila, the usual
drove Of 20 animals. To drive this number
easily, two persons are required. An Indian
will take his alquila, with 100 pounds piled
on the back OF each, and, assisted by his
wife or child, will drive them a distance of
15O miles in 1S or 20 days. For this service
he charges at the rate OF 80 cents per diem TO
each beast, Bolivian cents, worth about half
as much as ours.
THE EXPENSE OF TRAVEL.
At this price he feeds himself and the ami
mails, and furnishes the necessary ropes,
sacks and other equi pments; reckoning 40
cents day for the llamas, 20 cents for the
wear and tear of sacks and ropes, and 20
cents for the food of himself and companero.
The sack in which he carries grain, ore, etc.,
costs in the currency Of the country 81 %,
but will last long time. Under this con-
tract he will sometimes make journey of
two or three months duration, and save
money out of it.
The llama subsists upon a mountain
shrub or species of tough, coarse grass
mixed with the sand in which it grows. He
drinks almost no water and can travel
without food for a week, if given a square
meal at both ends of the journey. II too
we'll fed, he is subject to a skin disease,
which invariably proves fatal. Some years
ago, in 1857, 1 believe, an effort was made
to introduce llamas into the United States;
but 1t could not be carried out, principally
because the food was too good for them.
Seventy-two llamas were taken from Peru
to New York. Only 38 of that number sur
vlved the sea voyage and those were win
tered on Long Island farm-which GER
tainly must have been cold enough for the
most fastidious animal of the Andes. In
,he spring scarcely a dozen of these were
left alive; these were sold to museums and
nenageries and died at the first approach OF
warm weather. ..
A circumstance in connection with this |
singular animal should not be omitted, viz: |
hat its dung is universally used for fuel in
Bolivia and many parts OF Peru. It burns
Is readily as wood, gives out great deal of !
,eat, has no odor and can he bought at the |
ate of 80 cents per hundredweight, there |
ore it is highly priced in treeless sections,
where coal costs from $50 to S4S per ton. and |
he only other alternative is kind Of spongy |
ungus that grows on the mountains.
A QUEER FUEL SUPPLY.
A great deal of complaint is just now rife
n La Paz against the electric light COM
,any, the citizens asserting that so much
lama dung is consumed by its furnaces
hat their supply of food will soon be ex.
lausted. Knowing it to be in general use
n the kitchens of the country the tourist
n these parts ceases to insist on
oast and broiled meats and becomes quite
Wiling to put up with the eternal stews and
ries. The commercial name of the fuel is
aquia, and owing to the habits of the
nimal, it is by no means difficult to gather.
Tor example, in certain places along every
Dad where llamas are driven, always at the
DOT of the hills and in these places only,
1ill taquIa be iound-not an atom of it any
7here else for miles around. The same is
rue in corrals and fields where the animals
raze, each invariably adding his own quota
0 the general accumulation, always in pre-
isely the same spot
Llamas have queer but effective way of
BLENDING themselves when teased or made
ngry. Stamping the fore feet and turning
uddenly upon the object of rage, they will
iect between the teeth pint or more of
aliva, throwing 1t with great force dis
ance of several feet. This saliva produces
stinging sensation on the skin, and if it
cts into the mouth or eyes or on any place
here the skin is broken, violent infamma-
ion is Immediately caused, and deathly
lood poisoning mas been known to ensue.
therefore, those who are acquainted with the
eculiartles of the beast are very careful to
eep on the right side OF his temper, and at |
respectful distance from his nose.
FANNIE B. WARD,
A WANDERING Boys STORY.