there is no means for building bridges of regular
construction. Of course, the traveller himself only can be got over by
the huaro. His horse, mule, or llamas must swim the stream, and in many
instances these are carried off by the rapid current, or dashed against
the rocks, and killed.

"The whole _cavallada_ of the expedition got safely over, and in a short
while we were all _en route_, once more climbing up toward the `altos.'
I asked my companion why we could not have got over the stream at some
other point, and thus have saved the time and labour. The answer was,
that it would have cost us a twenty miles' journey to have reached a
point no nearer our destination than the other end of the huaro rope!
No wonder such pains had been taken to ferry the party across.

"We reached the heights late in the evening. The hunt would not begin
until the next day.

"That evening was spent in putting up tents, and getting everything in
order about the camp. The tent of the padre was conspicuous--it was the
largest, and I was invited to share it with him. The horses and other
animals were picketted or hoppled upon the plain, which was covered with
a short brown grass.

"The air was chill--cold, in fact--we were nearly three miles above
ocean level. The women and youths employed themselves in collecting
_taquia_ to make fires. There was plenty of this, for the plain where
we had halted was a pasture of large flocks of llamas and horned cattle.
It was not there we expected to fall in with the vicunas. A string of
`altos,' still farther on were their favourite haunts. Our first camp
was sufficiently convenient to begin the hunt. It would be moved
farther on when the plains in its neighbourhood had been hunted, and the
game should grow scarce.

"Morning arrived; but before daybreak, a large party had set off, taking
with them the ropes, poles, and bundles of rags I have already noticed.
The women and boys accompanied this party. Their destination was a
large table plain, contiguous to that on which we had encamped.

"An hour afterwards the rest of the party set forth--most of them
mounted one way or other. These were the real hunters, or `drivers.'
Along with them went the dogs--the whole canine population of the
village. I should have preferred riding with this party, but the padre
took me along with himself, promising to guide me to a spot where I
should get the best view of the chacu. He and I rode forward alo