CHAPTER IX.
A VICUNA HUNT.
The vicuna being of such value, both inside and out, both in flesh andwool, is hunted by the mountain Indians with great assiduity. It is ananimal most difficult to approach, and there is rarely any cover onthese naked plains by which to approach it.
The chief mode of capturing it is by the "chacu." This cannot beeffected by a single hunter. A great number is required. Usually thewhole population of one of the villages of the "Sierras" lower downturns out for this sport, or rather business, for it is an annual sourceof profit. Even the women go along, to cook and perform other offices,as the hunt of the _chacu_ sometimes lasts a week or more.
A hunting party will number from fifty to one hundred persons. Theyclimb up to the _altos_, or high and secluded plains, where the vicunadwells in greatest numbers. They carry with them immense coils of ropes,and a large quantity of coloured rags, together with bundles of stakesthree or four feet in length. When a proper part of the plain has beenchosen, they drive in the stakes four or five yards apart and running inthe circumference of a circle, sometimes nearly a mile in diameter.
A rope is then stretched from stake to stake, at the height of betweentwo and three feet from the ground, and over this rope are hung thecoloured rags provided for the occasion, and which keep fluttering inthe wind. A sort of scare-crow fence is thus constructed in the form ofa ring, except that on one side a space of about two hundred yards isleft open to serve as an entrance for the game. The Indians then, mostof them on horseback, make a grand detour, extending for miles over thecountry; and having got behind the herds of vicunas, drive them withinthe circle, and close up the entrance by completing the ring.
The hunters then go inside, and using the _bolas_, or even seizing theanimals by their hind-legs, soon capture the whole. Strange to say,these silly creatures make no attempt to break through the sham fence,nor even to leap over it. Not so with the guanacos, when so enclosed.The latter spring against the fence at once, and if, by chance, a partyof guanacos be driven in along with the vicunas, they not only breakopen the rope enclosure and free themselves, but also the whole herd oftheir cousins, the vicunas. It is, therefore, not considered any gain toget a flock of guanacos into the trap.
The hunt usually lasts several days, but during that time the enclosureof ropes is flitted from place to place, until no more vicunas can befound. Then the ropes, stakes, &c., are collected, and the produce ofthe hunt distributed among the hunters. But the Church levies its taxupon the "chacu," and the skins--worth a dollar each--have to be givenup to the priest of the village. A good round sum this amounts to, asfrequently four or five hundred vicunas are taken at a single _chacu_.
A good hunter is sometimes able to "approach" the vicuna. Guapo's friendwas esteemed one of the best in all the Puna. The sight of the herd outon the plain, with their graceful forms, and beautiful reddish-orangebodies, was too much for him, and he resolved to try his skill uponthem. He said he had a plan of his own, which he intended to practise onthis occasion.
Don Pablo and his party--even Dona Isidora and the little Leona--wereall outside the hut, although the morning air was raw and chill. But thedomicile of the worthy vaquero was not empty, for all that. It waspeopled by a very large colony of very small animals, and a night intheir society had proved enough for the travellers. The chill air of thePuna was even more endurable than such company.
The vaquero crawled back into the hut, and in a few minutes returned,but so metamorphosed, that had the party not seen him come out of thedoorway they would have mistaken him for a llama! He was completelydisguised in the skin of one of these animals. His face only was partlyvisible, and his eyes looked out of the breast. The head and neck of theskin, stuffed with some light substance, stood up and forward, after themanner of the living animal, and although the legs were a little clumsy,yet it would have required a more intelligent creature than the vicunato have observed this defect.
All hands, even the saturnine Guapo, laughed loudly at the counterfeit,and the vaquero himself was heard to chuckle through the long wool uponthe breast. He did not lose time, however, but instantly prepared to setoff. He needed no other preparation than to get hold of his_bolas_,--that was his favourite weapon. Before going farther, I shalltell you what sort of weapon it is.
The bolas consist of three balls--hence the name--of lead or stone, twoof them heavier than the third. Each ball is fastened to the end of astout thong made of twisted sinews of the vicuna itself, and the otherends of the three thongs are joined together. In using them the hunterholds the lightest ball in his hand, and twirls the other two in circlesaround his head, until they have attained the proper velocity, when hetakes aim and launches them forth.
Through the air fly the thongs and balls, and all whirling round incircles, until they strike some object; and if that object be the legsof an animal, the thongs become immediately warped around them, untilthe animal is regularly hoppled, and in attempting to escape comes atonce to the ground. Of course great practice is required before such aninstrument can be used skilfully; and to the novice there is some dangerof one of the balls hitting him a crack on the head, and knocking overhimself instead of the game. But there was no danger of Guapo's friendthe vaquero committing this blunder. He had been swinging the bolasaround his head for more than forty years!
Without more ado, then, he seized the weapon, and, having gathered itwith his _fore-feet_ into a portable shape, he proceeded in thedirection of the vicunas.
The travellers remained by the hut, watching him with interest, but hismovements were particularly interesting to Leon, who, like all boys, wasnaturally fond of such enterprises.
The herd of vicunas was not more than three quarters of a mile off. Forthe first half of this distance the vaquero shambled along rightspeedily, but as he drew nearer to the animals he proceeded slower andwith more caution.
The pretty creatures were busily browsing, and had no fear. They knewthey were well guarded by their faithful sentinel, in whom they hadevery confidence,--the lord and leader of the herd. Even from the hut,this one could be seen standing some distance apart from the rest. Hewas easily recognised by his greater bulk and prouder bearing.
The false llama has passed near the guanacos, and they have taken noheed of him. This is a good omen, for the guanacos are quite as sharpand shy as their smaller cousins, and since he has succeeded indeceiving them, he will likely do the same for the vicunas. Already heapproaches them. He does not make for the herd, but directly for theleader. Surely he is near enough; from the hut he seems close up to thecreature. See! the vicuna tosses his head and strikes the ground withhis hoof. Listen! it is his shrill whistle. The scattered herd suddenlystart and flock together; but, look! the _llama_ stands erect on hishind-legs; the bolas whirl around his head--they are launched out. Ha!the vicuna is down!
Where is the female drove? Have they scampered off and forsaken theirlord? No! faithful as a loving wife, they run up to share his danger.With shrill cries they gather around him, moving to and fro. The llamais in their midst. See! he is dealing blows with some weapon--it is aknife! his victims fall around him--one at every blow; one by one theyare falling. At last, at last, they are all down,--yes, the whole herdare stretched, dead or dying, upon the plain!
The struggle is over; no sound is heard, save the hoof-stroke of theguanacos, llamas, and alpacos, that cover the plain in their wildflight.
Leon could no longer restrain his curiosity; but ran off to the scene ofthe slaughter. There he counted no less than nineteen vicunas lyingdead, each one stabbed in the ribs! The Indian assured him that it wasnot the first _battue_ of the kind he had made. A whole herd of vicunasis often taken in this way. When the male is wounded or killed, thefemales will not leave him; but, as if out of gratitude for theprotection he has during life afforded them, they share his fate withoutmaking an effort to escape!