Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 1.djvu/636

Rh 598 A L P A L P represents the other in different regions of the earth. A great deal of doubt and confusion has existed as to the number of species into which the llamas can be divided a very common occurrence in dealing with domesticated or semi-domesticated creatures. Most authorities now, how ever, agree in regarding them as separable into four species, following the classification of Von Tschudi, who has given much careful consideration to the subject. The species, according to that naturalist, are the llama (Auchenia lama), the huanaco or guanaco (-4. huanaco), the alpaca or paco (A. paco), and the vicugna (A. vicunna.) The two first-named species are, or rather were, more valued as beasts of burden, and for their flesh, than as sources of wool, being able&quot; to bear from 120 to 150 Bb burden over long distances daily. The guanaco attains a size not much less than our red deer; and is the largest and most widely spread of all the species, being found from the equator southward to Patagonia. The llama is next in size, but its habitat is limited to the loftier mountains of North Peru. Although both species yield a serviceable quality of wool, which is used by the Peruvians and found in com merce, it is chiefly to the alpaca we owe the supply of wool imported into this country under that name. The alpaca is considerably smaller than either the llama or the guanaco, but in general outline all the species resemble each other. In its native condition the alpaca ranges between 10 and 20 S. lat., from the centre of Peru into Bolivia, not coming lower down in vertical distribution than between 8000 and 9000 feet above the sea-level. At and above these heights it lives in herds in a semi- domesticated condition, being only driven into the villages to be shorn. The wool, which varies in length from 2 to 6 inches, is of a very lustrous and fine quality, and is mostly white, black, or gray, shades of brown or fawn being rarer. The vicugna is a much rarer animal than O O the alpaca, being found sparsely scattered from Ecuador, throughout Peru, into Bolivia, but seldom descending xinder 13,000 feet above the sea-level. It is about the same size as the alpaca, and yields an exceedingly delicate wool, varying in colour from a reddish yellow to a dull white. It is usually worth about twice as much as alpaca, and is greatly valued for fine felts. There is evidence of these animals having been held domesticated and used for their wool in their native regions from remote antiquity. Remains of clothing made from alpaca wools have been found in the graves of the Incas; and when, in the early part of the 1 6th century, Europeans first visited Peru, these animals formed the chief wealth of the natives, being the carriers of their commerce as well as the main source of their food and clothing. Small quan tities of the wool were occasionally met with in English com merce; but it was not till 1836 that it became established as a regular trading commodity with Europe. In that year Mr (now Sir) Titus Salt, a wool-broker and manufacturer in Bradford, purchased a quantity he met with in a Liver pool warehouse at 8d. per K&amp;gt;, and set himself to discover its capabilities. The amount and manner of his success will be described in the articles WOOL and WORSTED MANUFACTURES; it need only be remarked here that his experiments have resulted in making alpaca a staple second in importance to wool, and so creating an industry of great and rapidly increasing dimensions. The success of his experiments led to the erection of his great manu facturing establishment of Saltaire, in which iipwards of 3000 hands are employed in the alpaca manufacture. The quantity of alpaca imported into England from 1836 the year of Sir Titus Salt s first experimental purchase to 1840, averaged 560,800 K&amp;gt; yearly, which sold at about lOd. per Ib. In 1852 the imports had risen to 2,186,480 1b, aud the price advanced to 2s. 6d. per R&amp;gt;. In 1864 the imports amounted to 2,664,027 ft&amp;gt;, and in 1872 they were 3,878,739 Jb; the value of average qualities being from 2s. 6d. to 2s. lOd. per rb. The introduction of the various species of llama into Eulope has been frequently urged, Geoffrey St Hilaire and other French naturalists having specially pointed out the desirability of their introduction into France, and at one time a herd existed in the Pyrenees; but in Europe the creatures must be still re garded as curiosities of zoological collections. In 1859 systematic and costly attempts were made to acclimatise the alpaca in our Australian colonies by Mr Ledger, a gen tleman who had devoted many years to observation of the conditions of life of the animal. At first the experiment presented most encouraging prospects; the herds continued healthy and increased in numbers; but gradually the subtle influences of the loss of their native mountain climate became apparent, the creatures drooped, their numbers dwindled, and for the present the undertaking must be regarded as a complete failure. ALP ARSLAN or AXAIST, MOHAMMED BEN DAOUD, the second sultan of the dynasty of Seljuk, in Persia, and great- grandson of Seljuk, the founder of the dynasty. He was born in the year 1029 A.D., 421 of the Hegirn. He assumed the name of Mohammed when he embraced the Mussulman faith; and on account of his military prowess he obtained the surname Alp Arslan, which signifies &quot; a valiant lion.&quot; He succeeded his father Daoud as ruler of Khorassan in 1059, and his uncle Togrul Bey as sultan of Oran in 10G3, and thus became sole monarch of Persia, from the river Oxus to the Tigris. In consolidating his empire and sub duing contending factions he was ably assisted by Nizam- al-Mulk, his vizier, one of the most eminent statesmen in early Mahometan history. Peace and security being established in his dominions,, he convoked an assembly of the states, and declared his son Malik Shah his heir and successor. With the hope of acquiring immense booty in the rich temple of St Basil in Csesarea, the capital of Cappadocia, he placed himself at the head of the Turkish cavalry, crossed the Euphrates, and entered and plundered that city. He then marched into Armenia and Georgia, which, in the year 1064, he finally subdued. To punish the Georgians for the brave defence which they had made, and as a badge of their humiliating condition, the conqueror obliged them to wear at their ears horse-shoes of iron. In the year 1068 Alp Arslan invaded the Roman empire, the seat of which was then at Constantinople. The Emperor Romanus Diogenes, assuming the command in person, met the invaders in Cilicia. In three several campaigns his arms were victorious, and the Turks were forced to retreat beyond the Euphrates. In the fourth he advanced with an army of 100,000 men into the Armenian territory, for the relief of that country. Here he was met by Alp Arslan; and the sultan having proposed terms of peace, which were insultingly rejected by the emperor, a bloody and decisive engagement took place near Malazkurd, in which the Greeks, after a terrible slaughter, were totally routed. Romanus was taken prisoner and conducted into the presence of Alp Arslan, who treated him with a noble generosity. A ransom of a million and an annual tribute of 3000 pieces of gold, an intermarriage between the families, and the deliverance of all the captive Mussulmans in the power of the Greeks, having been agreed to as the terms of peace and the liberty of the emperor, Romanus was dismissed, loaded with presents and respectfully attended by a military guard. He was unable, however, to fulfil the terms of the treaty, and the war was accordingly renewed. At this time the dominion of Alp Arslan extended over the fairest part of Asia: 1200 princes or sons of princes surrounded his throne, and 200,000 soldiers were ready to execute his commands. He now declared