The Vicunna is shaped much like the Llama, but much smaller and lighter, their wool being extraordinarily fine and much valued.  These animals are often hunted after the following manner:  Many Indians gather together, and drive them into some narrow pass, across which they have previously extended cords about four feet from the ground, having bits of wool or cloth hanging to them at small distances.  This so frightens them that they dare not pass, and gather together in a string, when the Indians kill them with stones tied to the ends of leather thongs.  Should any quanacos happen to be among the flock, these leap over the cords, and are followed by all the vicunnas.  These quanacos are larger and more corpulent, and are also called viscachas.  There is yet another animal of this kind, called alpagnes, having wool of extraordinary fineness, but their legs are shorter, and their snouts contracted in such a manner as to give them some resemblance to the human countenance.  The Indians make several uses of these creatures, some of which carry burdens of about an hundred-weight.  Their wool serves to make stuffs, cords, and sacks.  Their bones are used for the construction of weavers utensils; and their dung is employed as fuel for dressing meat, and warming their huts.

Before the last war, a small fleet called the armadilla used to resort yearly to Arica, partly composed of kings ships, and partly those of private persons.  By this fleet, European commodities were brought from Panama, together with quicksilver for the mines of La Paz, Oruro La Plata, or Chuguizaca, Potosi, and Lipes; and in return carried to Lima the king’s fifth of the silver drawn from the mines.  Since the galleons have ceased going to Porto-Bello, and the French have carried on the trade of supplying the coast of the South Sea with European commodities, Arica has been the most considerable mart of all this coast, and to which the merchants of the five above-mentioned rich, towns resort.  It is true that the port of Cobija is nearer Lipes and Potosi; but being situated in a barren and desert country, where nothing can be procured for the subsistence of man or beast, the merchants chuse rather to go to Arica, though more distant, as they are sure to find at that place every thing they need.  Besides, they find no great difficulty in bringing there their silver privately in a mass, and compounding with the corregidores or chief magistrates to avoid paying the royal fifth.

On leaving Arica, we sailed for the road of Ilo, about 75 miles to the N.W. where we arrived that same afternoon, and saw a large ship with three small ones at anchor.  The great ship immediately hoisted French colours, being the Wise Solomon of 40 guns, commanded by Mons. Dumain, who was resolved to protect the vessels that were beside him, and to oppose my coming into the road.  As it grew dark before I