DAILY LIFE AND OCCUPATIONS 123

good as that of the llama. At the time of the Spanish
conquest the herds of llama and alpaca had attained
enormous proportions in the highland country, herds of
five hundred being considered of no account ; on the
coast the animals could not live, owing to the heat, but
remains have been found there of individuals which
must have been imported for sacrificial purposes under
the Inca rule. As the only beast of burden in the coun-
try, the llama was invaluable, especially as it is very
tractable, easy to feed, and exceedingly sure-footed, a
quality much to be desired among the dizzy heights of
the inland roads. For carrying purposes it required no
harness, the load was simply arranged in a cloth so that
it hung in two equal portions on each side of the animal's
body. On long journeys as many as twenty-five beasts
were allowed to one load, since the animal is not capable
of great endurance, and it was therefore necessary to
make frequent changes. The llama and alpaca were
classed according to colour, and, if an animal were pro-
duced which differed from the rest of the herd in this
respect, it was transferred to another flock. The wild
species were hunted, together with other game.
