Royal
Commen.taries.
Boo~ VIII.
CH
A
P.
XVI.
tJf
their tame
Cattel, and of the g_reat
Caravans, ,
or Drovés
of them.
·
T.
HE tame Cattei which God hath given to the
Indians
o[
Peru,
are of two
ÍOltS¡
which, as
Bla-1 Valera
faith, are of a Difpofüion as gemle and eafie
ás the
Jndians
are themfelves; being fo tame, efpecially thofe which ferve to car–
ry their burthens, that a Child may be able to govern them. Thefe are of two
forcs, fome of a bigger kind, and fome ofa lefs ; in general ,the
Indians
give them
the name of
Llama,
·and che Shepherd or Paíl:or of them,
Llama Michec.
In
di·
fiinguifhing them one from the other, they call the greater
Huanacullama,
becaufe
it hath a likenefs with that brave and fierce Creature, which is c:illed
Huanacu,
being of the fame íhape with it, but different onely in the colour; the carne
Hu.
anacu
varies as much in its colours as the Horfes do in
Spain,
bue the wild is of
a dark ChefmÍt colour onely. This Creature is about the ftze or bignefs of the
Hart
or Stag in
Spain,
·hqc refembles a Carnel moíl: of any oth~r, che bunch upon
rhe back onely excepted, hut in proporcion is but one third of its bignefs ; ics
Neck is long and fmooth, che Skin ofwhich being flead, the
Jndians
ufed to make
it gemle and fupple, and being dreífed afcer their faíhion , ferved for foals to
, their Shoes; but becaufe they had not attained
to
the Skill ofTanning ofLeathet,
they always took off rheir Shoes when they were to pafs wet, or Wacers, becaufe
the moiíl:ure fpoiled them, and made rhem like a Gut, or Tripe. The
Spaniarh
,
rnade Reigns of them for their Horfes, after the Fafhion of rhofe which come
from
Barbary,
as alfo Gires and Cruppers for their Saddles. This fort of Catee!
is
ufefull both to the
India11s
and
Spaniards,
for carrying their Merchandife from
and
to what place they pleafe; but commonly they chofe fuch ways where rhe Coun–
trey is plain and even; as is between
Cou o
and
Potoéchi,
being about two hundred
teagues; and likewife from maoy other parts they go and c.;ome
to
and from thofe
Mines, carrying Provifions, Commodities Qf the
lndians,
Merchandizes from
Spain,
füch as Wine, Ojl, Conferves-, and all otber things which are confümed in
that Countrey, and efpecially that Herb which is called
Cuca.
I remember that·in
my time they had Drovesof that Cartel which _carried burrhens, fomerimes fix or
eight hundred, or a rhoufand in a
Caravan;
and that a drove of five hundred was
efl:eemed as nqrhing. The burtheo which one of thefe Beaíl:s will carry is about
three or four Aroves, (an Arove in
Spain
is about twenty five pounds weighr)
and
, will travel about three Leagues a day, which is about nine Miles. They are
not
to be driven beyond their ufual pace, for ifthey_ are, they will tire, and lie clown,.
and rhen all rhat can be done
to
them, cannot raife them, though they eafe them
.of rheir Burchen, and cake off their Saddles; for when they c9me to raife them
.up, they prefently ejeét ali they have in their Maw, or Scomach; into their
Metlths; whence they caíl: it, if poffible, into che Faces of chofe who difiurb
chem; which feems to be the onely Revenge and iníl:rument they are able to ex•
ercife, having no Horns like the Scag or Harc. Howfoever the
Spaniards
call them
Mutton, or Sheep, though the difference between thefe and chofe he as rnuch as
we have before mentioned. And thac thefe Crearures, nor any of rhem, may
tire, and hinder che Travels of che whole Caravan, or Drove, they have
al–
ways forry or fifcy of them, which go loofe, and free of burchen in their com·
pany, and fo foon as they obferve that one begins to tire, they prefently eafe him
of bis Burthen, and lay it upon another, for if he once lies down, there is no re–
medy, though y~u kill him, to raife him again. The Fleíl} ofchis fort of
Gmel
is che beíl:, and moíl: favoury of any in che World, being both tender and whol–
fome. The Phyficians prefcribe the Fleíh of che young ones of four or
five
monrhs old to their Patients, and prefer it far before Hens or Cbickens.
In