4000003871

Royal

Commen.taries.

Boo~ VIII.

XVI.

tJf

their tame

Cattel, and of the g_reat

Caravans, ,

or Drovés

of them.

HE tame Cattei which God hath given to the

Indians

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.

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

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!

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

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

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.