16 The Wine-Dark Sea - Libro della tutto

Patrick O'Brian The Wine-Dark Sea
walked across an accidented stretch of country
when, rounding a tumble of rock, they heard
the squealing neigh of a guanaco. They
stopped short, and there on the left hand
stood the guanaco they had heard, while still
farther to the left a string of others fled at a
great pace, vanishing down the slope.
The guanaco neighed again, louder, still
more shrill, stamped the tall spiky ichu grass
with his front feet and began rearing and waving
his head in a great passion, never yielding
a foot as they approached.
'He is challenging you,' said Eduardo. 'He
has been fighting – look at the blood on his
sides. He may attack you presently. You could
not ask for a better shot; nor a better supper.'
'But I must not shoot him?'
'Why, don Esteban,' cried Eduardo, 'how can
you speak so? He is no vicuña – he is much