The alpaca is kept in herds on the high grounds of Bolivia and South Peru, whence it is annually driven down to be sheared. The Incas dyed the wool—which is of two qualities, a fine and a coarse—with bright colours, and made it up into cloth or blankets, as the occasion served.
Photo by the Duchess of Bedford] [Woburn Abbey.
LLAMAS.
Largely used as beasts of burden in Peru, where these and the alpaca were formerly the only domesticated ruminants.
The earliest account of this animal is by Augustin de Zarate, the Treasurer-General of Peru in 1544. He speaks of the beast as a sheep; but since he describes it as camel-like in shape, though devoid of a hump, there can be no doubt that it is the llama he is describing. He says: "In places where there is no snow the natives want water, and to supply this they fill the skins of sheep with water, and make other living sheep carry them; for, it must be remarked, these sheep of Peru are large enough to serve as beasts of burden. They can carry about 100 lbs. or more, and the Spaniards used to ride them, and they would go four or five leagues a day. When they are weary, they lie down on the ground; and as there are no means of making them get up, either by beating or assisting them, the load must of necessity be taken off. When there is a man on one of them, if the beast be tired and urged to go on, he turns his head round and discharges his saliva, which has an unpleasant odour, into the rider's face. These animals are of great use and profit to their masters, for their wool is very good and fine ... and the expense of their food is trifling, as a handful of maize suffices them, and they can go four or five days without water. Their flesh is as good as that of the fat sheep of Castile. There are now public shambles for the sale of their flesh in all parts of Peru, which was not the case when the Spaniards came first."
Photo by Miss E. J. Beck.
LLAMA.
The larger of the two domesticated forms descended from the guanaco.