n in blossom, they add a little
more; and, lastly, when the pods are completely formed, they add a good
handful more to each plant, always taking care to supply them with
water, as it never rains in this country; otherwise, the salts contained
in the manure, not being dissolved, would burn the plants, as has been
found by experience. It is also for this reason that this manure is laid
on at different times, as already explained, the necessity of which has
been found by long use, and by the superior value of the crops thus
produced.

For the carriage of this _guana_, or fowl's dung, the people at Arica
generally use that sort of little camels which the Indians of Bern call
_Llamas_, the Chilese, _Chilihneque_, and the Spaniards, _Carneros de la
tierra_, or native sheep. The heads of these animals are small in
proportion to their bodies, and are somewhat in shape between the head
of a horse and that of a sheep, the upper lips being cleft like that of
a hare, through which they can spit to the distance of ten paces against
any one who offends them, and if the spittle happens to fall on the face
of a person, it causes a red itchy spot. Their necks are long, and
concavely bent downwards, like that of a camel, which animal they
greatly resemble, except in having no hunch on their backs, and in being
much smaller. Their ordinary height is from four feet to four and a
half; and their ordinary burden does not exceed an hundred-weight. They
walk, holding up their heads with wonderful gravity, and at so regular a
pace as no beating can quicken. At night it is impossible to make them
move with their loads, for they lie down till these are taken off, and
then go to graze. Their ordinary food is a sort of grass called _yeho_,
somewhat like a small rush, but finer, and has a sharp point, with which
all the mountains are covered exclusively. They eat little, and never
drink, so that they are very easily maintained. They have cloven feet
like sheep, and are used at the mines to carry ore to the mills; and, as
soon as loaded, they set off without any guide to the place where they
are usually unloaded. They have a sort of spur above the foot, which
renders them sure-footed among the rocks, as it serves as a kind of hook
to hold by. Their hair, or wool rather, is long, white, grey, and
russet, in spots, and fine, but much inferior to that of the Vicunna,
and has a strong and disagreeable scent.

The _Vicunna_ is shaped much like the Llama