THE

CIVIL HISTORY

OF

CHILI.

BOOK II.

CHAPTER I.

Local Situation, Character, Dress and Dwellings of the Araucanians.

THE Araucanians inhabit that delightful country situated between the rivers Bio-bio and Valdivia, and between the Andes and the sea, extending from 36. 44. to 39. 50. degrees of south latitude. They derive their appellation of Araucanians from the province of Arauco, which, though the smallest in their territory, has, like Holland, given its name to the whole nation, either from its having been the first to unite with the neighbouring provinces, or from having at some remote period reduced them under its dominion. This people, ever enthusiastically attached to their independence, pride themselves in being called Auca, which signifies frank or free, and those Spaniards, who had left the army in the Netherlands to serve in Chili, gave to this country the name

of Araucanian Flanders, or the Invincible State, and some of them have even had the magnanimity to celebrate in epic poetry the exploits of a people who, to preserve their independence, have shed such torrents of Spanish blood.

The Araucanians, although they do not exceed the ordinary height of the human species, are in general muscular, robust, well proportioned, and of a martial appearance. It is very unusual to find among them any person who is crooked or deformed, not from their pursuing, as some have supposed, the cruel custom of the ancient Spartans, in suffocating such unfortunate children, but because they leave to nature the care of forming them, without obstructing her operations by the improper application of bandages and stays. Their complexion, with the exception of the Boroanes, who, as I have already observed, are fair and ruddy, is of a reddish brown, but clearer than that of the other Americans. They have round faces, small animated eyes full of expression, a nose rather flat, a handsome mouth, even and white teeth, muscular and well shaped legs, and small flat feet. Like the Tartars, they have scarce any beard, and the smallest hair is never to be discerned on their faces, from the care they take to pluck out the little that appears; they esteem it very impolite to have a beard, calling the Europeans, by way of reproach, the long beards. The same attention is paid to removing it from their bodies, where its growth is more abundant; that of their heads is thick and black, but rather coarse;

they permit it to grow to a great length, and wind it in tresses around their heads; of this they are as proud and careful as they are averse to beards, nor could a greater affront be offered them than to cut it off. Their women are delicately formed, and many of them, especially among the Boroanes, are very handsome.

Possessed of great strength of constitution, and unincumbered with the cares that disturb civilized society, they are not subject, except at a very advanced period of life, to the infirmities attendant upon old age. They rarely begin to be grey before they are sixty or seventy, and are not bald or wrinkled until eighty. They are generally longer lived than the Spaniards, and many are to be met with whose age exceeds a hundred; and, to the latest period of their lives, they retain their sight, teeth and memory unimpaired.

Their moral qualities are proportionate to their physical endowments; they are intrepid, animated, ardent, patient in enduring fatigue, ever ready to sacrifice their lives in the service of their country, enthusiastic lovers of liberty, which they consider as an essential constituent of their existence, jealous of their honour, courteous, hospitable, faithful to their engagements, grateful for services rendered them, and generous and humane towards the vanquished. But these noble qualities are obscured by the vices inseparable from the half-savage state of life which they lead, unrefined by literature or cultivation; these are drunkenness, debauchery, presumption, and a haughty contempt for all other

nations. Were the civil manners and innocent improvements of Europe introduced among them, they would soon become a people deserving of universal esteem; but, under the present system, this happy change appears impossible to be effected.

All those nations whom either the nature of the climate or a sense of decency has induced to clothe themselves, have made use at first of loose garments, as being the most easily made. But the Araucanians, from their great attachment to war, which they consider as the only true source of glory, have adopted the short garment, as best suited to martial conflicts. This dress is made of wool, as was that of the Greeks and Romans, and consists of a shirt, a vest, a pair of short close breeches, and a cloak in form of a scapulary, with an opening in the middle for the head, made full and long so as to cover the hands and descend to the knees. This cloak is called poncho, and is much more commodious than our mantles, as it leaves the arms at liberty, and may be thrown over the shoulder at pleasure; it is also a better protection from the wind and the rain, and more convenient for riding on horseback, for which reason it is commonly worn not only by the Spaniards in Chili, but by those of Peru and Paraguay.

The shirt, vest and breeches are always of a greenish blue or turquois, which is the favourite colour of the nation, as red is that of the Tartars. The poncho is also, among persons of inferior condition, of a greenish blue, but those of the higher classes wear it of different colours, either white, red or blue, with stripes a span broad, on which are wrought, with

much skill, figures of flowers and animals in various colours, and the border is ornamented with a handsome fringe. Some of these ponchos are of so fine and elegant a texture as to be sold for a hundred and even a hundred and fifty dollars.

The Araucanians make use of neither turbans nor hats, but wear upon their heads a bandage of embroidered wool, in the form of the ancient diadem. This, whenever they salute, they raise a little, as a mark of courtesy, and on going to war ornament it with a number of beautiful plumes. They also wear around the body a long woolen girdle or sash handsomely wrought. Persons of rank wear woollen boots of various colours, and leather sandals, called chelle, but the common people always go barefooted.

The women are clad with much modesty and simplicity. Their dress is entirely of wool, and, agreeable to the national taste, of a greenish blue colour. It consists of a tunic, a girdle, and a short cloak, called ichella, which is fastened before with a silver buckle. The tunic, called chiamal, is long, and descends to the feet, it is without sleeves, and is fastened upon the shoulder by silver broaches or buckles. This dress, sanctioned by custom, is never varied; but, to gratify their love of finery, they adorn themselves with all those trinkets which caprice or vanity suggests. They divide their hair into several tresses, which float in graceful negli. gence over their shoulders, and decorate their heads with a species of false emerald, called glianca, held by them in high estimation. Their necklaces and