almost always approach by degrees to reconnoitre him. It was an
artifice that was repeatedly practised by our sportsmen with success,
and it had moreover the advantage of allowing several shots to be
fired, which were all taken as parts of the performance. On the
mountains of Tierra del Fuego, I have more than once seen a guanaco, on
being approached, not only neigh and squeal, but prance and leap about
in the most ridiculous manner, apparently in defiance as a challenge.
These animals are very easily domesticated, and I have seen some thus
kept in northern Patagonia near a house, though not under any
restraint. They are in this state very bold, and readily attack a man
by striking him from behind with both knees. It is asserted that the
motive for these attacks is jealousy on account of their females. The
wild guanacos, however, have no idea of defence; even a single dog will
secure one of these large animals, till the huntsman can come up. In
many of their habits they are like sheep in a flock. Thus when they see
men approaching in several directions on horseback, they soon become
bewildered, and know not which way to run. This greatly facilitates
the Indian method of hunting, for they are thus easily driven to a
central point, and are encompassed.
The guanacos readily take to the water: several times at Port Valdes
they were seen swimming from island to island. Byron, in his voyage
says he saw them drinking salt water. Some of our officers likewise saw
a herd apparently drinking the briny fluid from a salina near Cape
Blanco. I imagine in several parts of the country, if they do not
drink salt water, they drink none at all. In the middle of the day
they frequently roll in the dust, in saucer-shaped hollows. The males
fight together; two one day passed quite close to me, squealing and
trying to bite each other; and several were shot with their hides
deeply scored. Herds sometimes appear to set out on exploring parties:
at Bahia Blanca, where, within thirty miles of the coast, these animals
are extremely unfrequent, I one day saw the tracks of thirty or forty,
which had come in a direct line to a muddy salt-water creek. They then
must have perceived that they were approaching the sea, for they had
wheeled with the regularity of cavalry, and had returned back in as
straight a line as they had advanced. The guanacos have one singular
habit, which is to me quite inexplicable; namely, that on successive
days they drop their dung in the same defined heap. I saw one of these
heaps which was eight feet in diameter, and was composed of a large
quantity. This habit, according to M. A. d'Orbigny, is common to all
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