The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-12-09

siderable herds-from 80 to 100-and at night
| sleep In them standing. heads out, in q ring
| while the kids stand within the circle. This
habit protects the young from the wild cats and
foxes. The guanaco has no defence against the
assault Of q panther save in flight.
In the right season each tough old male gathers
q harem Of from thirty to fifty females. over
which he presides In lordly fashion. and in one
respect the old fellow is q very good head Of q
family. He leads the females into the hollows.
where the grass Is most abundant, while he re-
mains on the highest knoll of the vicinity keep
| ing watch for the enemy. and contenting HIM
self bv browsing on the scant heritage he finds
about him. Al times. however. tho guanacos
live In vast herds, and then all the older males
remain on the higher knobs as senti-
nels. Their sense Of smell is very keen.
1t is well nigh impossible to get within
half q mile of the sentinels by travelling
down Wholesome say they can smell a
party Of hunters that is a full mile away, and
even more up wind. II approached carefully on
the lee side one may get very close, however.
and then the action Of the ~sentinels Is something
that makes the gauchos laugh. The way the
old bucks prance and jump stiff legged and paw
the air and neigh horse fashion Is one Of the
funniest things the plainsmen see.
But. like the antelope. the guanaco is full OF
curiosity. With a little flag or even a handker-
| chief q man. after concealing himself on the leo
side OF a herd, can toll them within pistol range
by simply waving the cloth in the air at brief
intervals. IL Is likely that the animal distin-
cuisines colors. for the use OF two or three flags
Of bright but different colors excites them much
more than ono white flag will.
When a herd Is fired at with a gun (something
that happens rarely In Patagonia the report ex-
cites but does not necessarily start the beasts
running. Indeed the sight OF the smoke may
draw them toward the gun. The wounded ami
NAL. II able TO run, invariably plunges down tho
nearest declivity, and In the mountains this
sometimes means q drop of hundreds OF feet.
II the animal is one of the leaders the whole
herd with 1t will follow. sheep fashion. A
gaucho who had guided an English hunter from
Punta Arenas up into the cordillera said one
shot OF the Englishman's rife one day killed
over a hundred guanacos in this way. They all
plunged over a lofty precipice. There was a
camp OF Indians In the vicinity at the time, and
the result Of the shot made the white mar a
very great medicine man in their estimation.
Guanacos can climb a mountain or run on =
narrow ledge as well as a goat. Though found
on the seabeach they also feed clear up to the
edge Of perpetual snow. and are quite at home in
either locality. Their food is grass and twigs,
but they are not found in the woods, save only as
the natural parks along the foothills Of the
AnQe9 mlknl v ~ tdlltu nOOulhud5. ENCu lucIC
they avoid going into the clumps Of trees.
Guanacos, when taken young. are readily
tanned. and for two or three years, or until they
get their full growth, make very pleasing pets.
They are fond OF being caressed, are very play
full, and will thrive on any food suitable for
sheep or cattle. But In the mating season. after
the third year. they become so vicious that IL is
dangerous for women and children TO keep them
about. The females are then particularly i'll
empered toward women. They show their dis
like by jumping toward the person that excites
their anger and striking with all four feet at
once. They also spit to a distance OF five feet an
acrld substance at the Objectionable individual.
II they knock one down they will bite as well as
jump on him.
The flesh OF 3 guanaco that is under three
years of age is very good that OF a yesrllBg or
under is delicious, and, killed in the early fall.
It is fat and tender; TO my taste the young
are the equal OF any ~Venison. The old ones are
tough and rank. The Indians do not kill the
old ones unless driven 70 It by starvation, as
during a long storm. To the Indian. however,
the guanaeO Is the mainstay OF life. From the
hide Of the full-groSn animals he makes his
tent. and from the skins Of the very young
preferably those OF the unbOrn-With their silky
fur he manufacture the great blahket-like wraps
thAt form his distinctive dress. The skin Of
the hind legs is readily turned into an easy
boot. and the skin Of the long neck Is dressed
and cut into strips which form cords for the
bolas. straps. and brides and horscgcar general
ly-in short, serves about all the uses Of leather,
In the slnsWs OF the back the squaWs ind ex-
ecllsnt thread. and In ths So0l a material i'd
mirably adapted 10 weaving blankets and hlling
mattresses and cushions. Nor Is that al, fOF