Vicuña

“ The vicuña stands higher than a goat, and the colour of its wool is a clear chestnut. They are so fleet that no dog can overtake them, and frequent the loftiest fastnesses near the line of snow.” G. de la Vega, i, lib. viii, caps. 16 and 17.
“Among the notable things possessed by the Indians of Peru,” says Acosta, “are the vicuñas and llamas. These llamas are tame and very useful; the vicuñas are wild. The vicuñas live in the loftiest and most uninhabited parts of the mountains, which are called punas. Snow and frost do not harm them, and they run very swiftly. ”

“ The vicuña is smaller and a much more neatly-formed animal than the llama, with a coat of fine curly wool; its color resembles that of the smaller deer. In the distribution of animals, as well as I can judge, the vicuña naturally seeks an atmosphere just below the llama. It is very swift and difficult to capture. The Indians take them by driving them into pens. Now and then a young one may be found tamed, and kept as a pet among the children; they are never used as beasts of burden. Fine cloths and valuable hats are manufactured from the vicuña. ”

“ The vicuña inhabits the high plains of the Andes, though, unlike the guanaco, it rarely ventures up the rocky cliffs, as its hoofs are only calculated for the soft turf of the plains. It roams about in larger herds than the other—eighteen or twenty in the herd—and these are usually females under the protection and guidance of one polygamous old male. While feeding, the latter keeps watch over the flock, usually posting himself at some distance, so that he may have a better opportunity of seeing and hearing any danger that may approach. ”

“ A vicuña poncho is as soft as velvet, and as durable as steel. You can find plenty of them in the Argentine Republic and in Chili that have been, like grandfather’s clock, in the old families for two centuries or more, and have been handed{578} down with the family jewels as heirlooms. They never wear out, and, like lace, improve with age. But genuine vicuña ponchos are hard to get, and very expensive, costing often as much as a camel’s-hair shawl, as the animal is becoming scarce. The color is a delicate fawn, and will not change when wet, which is a sure test of its genuineness. ”

“ The culture of vicuña wool deserves especial attention as it is one of the most lucrative industries of the country, and, with intelligent and persevering devotion to its interests, may be developed far beyond its present condition. The existence of the vicuña in Peru dates back to pre-Columbian times, when it was a favorite offering of the Incas in sacrifice to the God of the Sun at the great feast of Raymi. ”

“ In many parts of the Andes there are regular vicuña hunters, while, in other places, whole tribes of Peruvian Indians spend a part of every year in the chase of this animal and the guanaco. When we go farther south, in the direction of Patagonia, we find other tribes who subsist principally upon the guanaco, the vicuña, and the rhea or South-American ostrich.
“Hunting the vicuña is by no means an easy calling. The hunter must betake himself to the highest and coldest regions of the Andes—far from civilised life, and far from its comforts. ”

“ The guanaco is supposed to be a cross of the vicuña and the llama, and is next in value and beauty to the vicuña. If the kid is killed the moment it is born the hair has the same color, and is about as fine as the genuine vicuña, but is not so long or so luscious. This animal is numerous, easily domesticated, and breeds rapidly. It is almost as plentiful in South America as the goat, and is valuable for its skin and flesh. ”

“ The llama and the alpaca are domesticated; the guanaco and the vicuña run wild. Of the four the alpaca and the vicuña are the most valuable wool-bearing animals: the alpaca on account of the quality and quantity, the vicuña on account of the softness, fineness and quality of its wool. In the early days of the 19th century, the usual length of alpaca staples appears to have been about 12 in., this being a three years growth; but to-day the length is little more than about half this, i.e. a one to two years growth, although from time to time longer staples are to be found. ”

“ In one instance, we met with an exciting adventure. As we were crossing a broken range of mountains, we perceived a small animal, resembling a deer, pursued by a bird of enormous size. My guide immediately informed me that the quadruped was a vicuna, and that the pursuer was a species of vulture, which is familiar to most readers under the name of condor. When we first saw them, the vicuna was straining every nerve to escape, while the condor hung over his back, and at every opportunity struck his talons into his flesh. ”

“ The llama, alpaca, and vicuña are best understood and most easily managed by native Indian shepherds, who seldom have any trouble in leading them wherever they will. The Indian never treats his pastoral charge with cruelty, and his methods are distinguished by that nonchalance and abundant leisure which seem to be his most marked characteristics. The vicuña produces less wool than either the llama or the alpaca, but its fleece is of a much finer quality, which brings better prices in the European market. Peru exports annually about four million pounds of wool. ”

“ Without the guanaco the question of existence would be a difficult one for those people to solve. The vicuña, which is found in Northern Chile and Bolivia, is of the same family but smaller and more beautiful. Its fur is very valuable and [174] this animal is becoming scarce. The alpaca is still smaller but flocks of this animal are maintained as we herd sheep. The wool is almost as fine and soft as silk, and, after a year’s growth, becomes almost a foot long.
Of this animal family, which is closely allied to the camel, the most important is the llama. ”

“ Aniwee explained to her young friends that here ended the limit of the guanaco, which entirely disappeared as they went more inland, giving place to the vicuña, an animal greatly resembling him, only with softer fur, and a habitant of the mountains in contradistinction to the guanaco, which favoured the plains, and she promised them many an exciting stalk after the former. ”

“ The alpaca is highly prized for its fine wool, which is a staple export from Bolivia, but the animal is reared with difficulty and the product cannot be largely increased. The vicuña also is celebrated for its wool, which the natives weave into beautiful and costly ponchos (blanket cloaks) and other wearing apparel. The guanaco is hunted for its skin, which, when dressed, makes an attractive rug or robe. The slaughter of the guanaco and vicuña is rapidly diminishing their number. ”

“ In Tarma and its neighborhood the natives weave an exquisitely fine description of woollen cloth. They make ponchos of vicuña wool, which sell for 100 or 120 dollars each, and which are equal to the finest European cloth. The beauty of these Indian textures is truly wonderful, considering the rude process of weaving practised by the natives. They work various colors, figures, and inscriptions in the cloth, and do all this with a rapidity which equals the operations of ordinary looms. The most valuable textures they weave are those produced from the wool of the vicuña and the alpaco. ”

“ The fleece is a delicate light tan color, darker on the back 393than elsewhere, the coat showing light under the body and on the inside of the legs, where it is almost white. The vicuña has no horns and its chief defense is the same as that of the llama, which shows displeasure by spitting at the offending object. ”

“ The llama is now never found in a wild state, and the paco very seldom; the huanaco is rarely domesticated, and the vicuña scarcely ever, owing partly to its natural timidity, and [Pg 91] to the effect which a warm climate has on it, often producing a kind of mange, of which the animal dies. As already mentioned, the huanaco leaves the cold regions during the winter, but the vicuña never, always preferring to live among the snow and the ice. ”

“ To obtain this, the Indians hunt down and destroy these animals, insomuch, that it is probable the race will one day become extinct in Peru. If, as is confidently asserted by many intelligent natives of that country, the vicuna can, like the llama, be tamed and domesticated, flocks may be collected to open a new speculation to the cultivator, and to afford the prospect of great commercial benefits to the community. ”

“ Tierra del Fuego and the Patagonian plains support great herds of the Guanaco (Lama huanacus) , which extends along the Andes to Ecuador and Peru, where it is associated with the Vicuña (L. vicunia) , a smaller and more slenderly built species. The Vicuña does not range south of Bolivia. Just as the mountain systems of North America carry the Boreal and Transition faunas through nearly the whole breadth of the Sonoran region, so the high [179] Andes afford a pathway by which the mammals of the south temperate zone extend their range to the equator. ”

“ Only in a very limited region of the Andes is the vicuña to be found, chiefly in Peru and Bolivia, where it seeks the highest parts of the sierra at an altitude of from ten thousand to fifteen thousand feet above sea level, in a region where the temperature is below freezing point. ”

“ A good hunter is sometimes able to “approach” the vicuña. Guapo's friend was esteemed one of the best in all the Puna. The sight of the herd out on the plain, with their graceful forms, and beautiful reddish-orange bodies, was too much for him, and he resolved to try his skill upon them. He said he had a plan of his own, which he intended to practise on this occasion.
Don Pablo and his party—even Doña Isidora and the little Leona—were all outside the hut, although the morning air was raw and chill. But the domicile of the worthy vaquero was not empty, for all that. ”

“ The llama, guanaco, alpaco, and vicuña, 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.
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CHAPTER IX.
A VICUÑA HUNT.
The vicuña being of such value, both inside and out, both in flesh and wool, is hunted by the mountain Indians with great assiduity. ”

“ The false llama has passed near the guanacos, and they have taken no heed of him. This is a good omen, for the guanacos are quite as sharp and shy as their smaller cousins, and since he has succeeded in deceiving them, he will likely do the same for the vicuñas. Already he approaches them. He does not make for the herd, but directly for the leader. Surely he is near enough; from the hut he seems close up to the creature. See! the vicuña tosses his head and strikes the ground with his hoof. Listen! it is his shrill whistle. The scattered herd suddenly start and flock together ”

“ She was weeping with excitement as he overtook her. "Brave," she said, "brave!" and he ceased to feel like a hunted thief. He looked over his shoulder and about him, and saw that they were already out of Bognor—for the Vicuna stands at the very westernmost extremity of the sea front—and riding on a fair wide road. ”

“ The Puna seems the natural elevation for sheep; they thrive best there, The llama don’t do so well. The place of the vicuña is between these two mountainous distributions of animal life. Horned cattle and horses are above their station here, and thrive badly. ”

“ A hunting party will number from fifty to one hundred persons. They climb up to the altos, or high and secluded plains, where the vicuña 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. ”

“ On the other hand, the Guanacos and Vicuñas are wild animals, and are eagerly hunted by the mountain tribes of Indians for their flesh and skins, but in the case of the vicuña for the very fine wool which it yields, and which commands an enormous price in the markets of Peru.
The Cordilleras of the Andes, below the line of perpetual snow, is the region inhabited by these creatures. In the hot countries, lying lower, they do not thrive; and even die in journeys made to the tropic coast lands. ”

“ Their prototypes are the wild huanaco and vicuña, of uniform color, and untameable. Many centuries must have elapsed before the wild creatures of the Andean solitudes, with the habits of chamois, could have been converted into the Peruvian sheep which cannot exist apart from men. [1145]
LLAMAS.
[One of the cuts which did service in the Antwerp edition of Cieza de Leon. Cf. Bollaert on the llama, alpaca, huanaco, and vicuña species in the Sporting Review, Feb., 1863; the cuts in Squier, pp. 246, 250; Dr. Van Tschudi, in the Zeitschrift für Ethnologie, 1885.—Ed.] ”

“ Amongst their native mountains they are so light and agile, in all their motions, that it is not easy to come within reach of them, except by stratagem; and, consequently, though dogs are sometimes employed to hunt them, they are much more frequently killed by snares or traps than in any other way.
In consequence of the great advantages which, in America, are derived from the wool of the vicuna, the Spaniards were, some years ago, induced to attempt the introduction of these animals into Europe. Some of them were brought to Spain ”