Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-09-27

over the lett shoulder of each was tied a
scarf of hand-woven wool, striped with
brilliant colors. This chuno festival is
participated in by all the Indians far and
near, and is curious mingling of the
rites of the heather Incas and the cere-
monies of the church. Though ante
dating the Christianization of the coun-
try, it is carried on to-day under the con-
troll of the priests, who, through the $50
years that have interviewed since the con-
quest, have always found it expedient to
retain some traces of the ancient customs.
As in these regions
INDIANS AND LLAMAs
Are generally seen together, description
of one animal without mention of the
other would be incomplete. One who has
never seen a llama can hardly form an
idea of how the strange little creature
looks, with the head of camel, the body
of deer, tie wool of sheep, the hoofs
of mule and the neigh OF a horse. 1t is
found nowhere but in the Andes, and
is the more interesting because it is the
only native domesticated animal in South
America, the OK, horse, sheep, hog and all
others having been brought originally
from some other country. 1t is the only
beast of burden used in the higher alti-
tudes, where mules and horses cannot en-
dure the thin air, as it alone is exempt
from s1roche, its natural home being 5000
feet and upwards. Though domesticated
in Peru, Bolivia and Chile, and not able to
live below a certain elevation unless the
weather is very cold, great numbers of
them run wild on the foothills and sandy
plains of Patagonia, even near the level of
the sea so far from the equator.
FULL GROWN LLAMA
Is about the size of a year-old colt, stand
ing from four to six feet high, and is COW
cred with long and surprisingly thick
coat of wool which, however, is seldom
sheared, as the animal is used only for pur-
poses of transportation. Its usual color
is muddy brown, while few are light
yellow or nearly white. The Indians
paint the latter with liquid dyes and very
odd it looks to see troop of them in all
the colors of the rainbow, red, blue, pur.
pie, pink and green, with gay tassels dang
ling from their ears. Many of the valu-
able 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 100 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
backs by ropes made from their own wool,
which the Indians spin and weave as they
walk along. Where the trails are danger
ously 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.
MANAGING THE LLAMA.
None but Indians, shy as themselves and
unhampered by the ways of civilization,
can manage llamas; and white men never
attempt it. If 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 well rested. Meanwhile
the patient driver will halt all the rest of
the flock and lie down too, waiting by the
roadside until the refractory animal is
ready to move on. An Indian never strikes
his llamas, the utmost coercion he uses
under any circumstances being gentle
push. Indeed, he takes better care of
them than he does of his own children,
perhaps with good reason, since the four
footed animals are of more value CONNER
cially. The latter are worth, alive about
81 apiece, but sell for more when dead, in
the shape of hides, meat and tallow. The
natives prefer llama flesh, after it has been
frozen, to any other kind of meat, and
make great amount of tallow, which is
called 8ab0, using it for many purposes.
MALE LLAMAs
Only carry freight, the females being kept
in corral for breeding purposes. Soon as
young male is ready to stand he is trained
to bear burdens, and at two years old is
put into an alquila, the usual drove of
twenty animals. To drive this number
easily Two persons are required. An In
dian viii take his alquila, with 100 pounds
piled on the back of each, and, assisted by
his wife or child, will drive them dis
lance of $50 miles in eighteen or twenty
days. For this service he charges at the
rate of so cents per diem to each beast,
Bolivia cents worth about half as much as
ours. At this price he feeds himself and
animals, and furnishes the necessary ropes,
sacks and other equipments; reckoning 40
cents day for the llamas, 20 cents for the
wear and tear of sacks and ropes, and 20
cents for efood 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 contract he will sometimes make
journey of two or three months duration,
and save money out of it.
SUBSISTENCE OF THE LLAMA.
The llama subsists upon a mountain
shrub or a 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. If too
well fed he is subject to a skin disease,
which invariably proves fatal Some
years ago, in 1857, believe, an effort was
made TO introduce llamas into the United
States; but it 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 thirty
eight of that number survived the sea
voyage and those were wintered on Long
Island farm-which certainly must have
been cold enough for the most fastidious
animal OF the Andes. In the spring
scarcely dozen of these were left alive;
these were sold to museums and menageries
and died at the first approach of warm
weather.
A CIRCUMSTANCE
In connection with this singular animal
should not be omitted, viz: that its dung is
universally used for fuel in Bolivia and many
parts of Peru. 1t burns as readily as wood,
gives out a great deal of heat, has no odor
and can be bought at the rate of sixty
cents per hundredweight; therefore it is
highly priced in tree!ess sections, where