which is brought from Iquique, and which fertilizes the soil in a wonderful manner, making it produce four or five hundred for one of all sorts of grain, as wheat, maize, and so forth, but particularly of this agi, or Guinea pepper, when rightly managed.  When the plants are sufficiently grown in the seed-bed to be fit for transplanting, they are set out in winding lines like the letter S, that the furrows for conveying the water may distribute it equally to the roots of the plants.  They then lay about the root of each plant of Guinea pepper as much guana, or bird’s dung formerly mentioned, as will lie in the hollow of the hand.  When 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.