tribes, or communities, independent of each other, but subject to certain chiefs, called Ulmenes. These tribes, beginning at the north and proceeding to the south, were called Copiapins, Coquimbanes, Quillotanes, Mapochinians, Promaucians, Cures, Cauques, Pencones, Araucanians, Cunches, Chilotes, Chiquilanians, Pehuenches, Puelches and Huilliches.

The Inca Yupanqui, who reigned in Peru about the year 1450, being informed of the natural advantages possessed by Chili, resolved to attempt the conquest of it. With this view he marched with a powerful army to the frontiers of that kingdom; but, either through apprehension of his personal safety, or with the view of being in a more favourable situation to furnish the means of effecting his designs, he established himself with his court in the neighbouring province of Atracama, and entrusted the command of the expedition to Sinchiruca, a prince of the blood royal.

Preceded, according to the specious custom of the Peruvians, by several ambassadors, and followed by a large body of troops, this general subjected to the Peruvian government, more by persuasion than by force, the Copiapins, Coquimbanes, Quillotanes and Mapochinians. After this, having passed the river Rapel, he proceeded to attack the Promaucians, who could not be induced by the persuasions of the ambassadors to submit themselves. This nation, whose name signifies the free dancers, from their being much attached to that diversion,

inhabited the delightful country lying between the rivers Rapel and Maúle, and were distinguished, from all the other tribes by their fondness for every species of amusement. The love of pleasure had not, however, rendered them effeminate: they op、 posed the Peruvian army with the most heroic valour, and entirely defeated it in a battle, which, according to Garcilasso the historian, was continued for three days in succession, in consequence of the continued reinforcements of both parties.

The Inca, on learning the ill success of his arms, and the invincible valour of the Promaucians, gave orders, that in future the river Rapel should serve as the boundary of his dominion on that side. Garcilasso says, that it was the river Maúle, but it is by, no means probable, that the conquerors should be comprehended within the territories of the vanquished. In fact, not far from the river Cuchapoal, which, together with the Tinguiririca, forms the Rapel, are still to be seen upon a steep hill, the remains of a fort of Peruvian construction, which was undoubtedly built to protect that part of the frontier against the attacks of the unconquered Promaucians.

Thus Chili became divided into two parts, the one free, and the other subject to foreign domination. The tribes, who had so readily submitted to the Peruvians, were subjected to an annual tribute in gold, an imposition which they had never before experienced. But the conquerors, whether they dared not hazard the attempt, or were not able to effect it, never introduced their form of govern

ment into these provinces. Of course, the subjected Chilians as well as the free, preserved until the arrival of the Spaniards, their original manners, which were by no means so rude as many are led to imagine.

CHAPTER III.

State of Chili before the arrival of the Spaniards. Its agriculture and aliment.

MAN, in his progress to the perfection of civil life, passes in succession through four important states or periods. From a hunter he becomes a shepherd, next a husbandman, and at length a merchant, the period which forms the highest degree of social civilization. The Chilians, when they were first known to the Spaniards, had attained the third state; they were no longer hunters but agriculturists. Reasoning from general principles, Dr. Robertson has therefore been led into an error in placing them in the class of hunters, an occupation which they probably never pursued, except on their first establishment. Becoming soon weary of the fatigueing exercise of the chace, in a country where game is not very abundant, and having but few domestic animals, they began at an early period to attend to the cultivation of such nutritious plants, as necessity or accident had made known to them. Thus were they induced from the circumstances of their situation, and not from choice, to pass rapidly to the third period of social life.

These plants, which have been described in the first part of this work, were the maize, the magu, guegen, the tuca, the quinoa, pulse of various

the

kinds, the potatoe, the oxalis tuberosa, the common and the yellow pumpkin or gourd, the Guinea pepper, the madi and the great strawberry. To these provisions of the vegetable kind, which are far from despicable, may be added the little rabbit, the Chiliheuque, or Araucanian camel, whose flesh furnished excellent food, and whose wool clothing for these people. If tradition may be credited, they had also the hog and the domestic fowl. Their dominion over the tribe of animals was not extended beyond these, although they might as readily have domesticated the guanaco, a very useful animal, the pudu, a species of wild goat, and various birds with which the country abounds.

However, with these productions, which required but a very moderate degree of industry, they subsisted comfortably, and even with a degree of abundance, considering the few things which their situation rendered necessary.

To this circumstance is owing, that the Spaniards, who under the command of Almagro invaded Chili, found upon their entering its vallies an abundance of provisions to recruit themselves after the hunger which they had endured in their imprudent march through the desarts bordering upon Peru.

Subsistence, the source of population, being thus secured, the country, as we before remarked, became rapidly peopled under the influence of so mild a climate; whence it appears, that the first writers who treated of Chili cannot have greatly exaggerated in saying that the Spaniards found it filled with