When their children begin to walk, which is very soon, they neither put them into stays nor any other confined dress, but keep them loosely clad, and let them go any where and eat what they please. Formed thus, as it were, by themselves, they become well shaped and robust, and less subject to those infirmities that are the consequence of a tender and a delicate education. Indeed, the maladies that prevail among the Araucanians are but few, and are for the most part reducible to inflammatory fevers, originating either from intemperance in drinking, or to the excessive exercise which they sometimes use.

If the physical education of the Araucanian children is in a certain degree laudable, the moral education which they receive will not certainly meet with our entire approbation. It is, nevertheless, conformable to the ideas of that high-minded people, respecting the innate liberty of man, and such as may be expected from an uncivilized nation. Their fathers are satisfied with instructing them in the use of arms, and the management of horses, and in learning them to speak their native language with elegance. In other respects they leave them at liberty to do whatever they please, and praise them whenever they see them insolent, saying that in this manner they learn to become men. It is very unusual for them to chastise or correct them, as they hold it as an established truth, that chastisement only renders men base and cowardly.

CHAPTER X.

Food; Music and other Diversions.

THE usual diet of the Araucanians is very simple; their principal subsistence is several kinds of grain and pulse, which they prepare in a variety of different modes. They are particularly fond of maize or Indian corn, and potatoes; of the last they have cultivated more than thirty different kinds from time immemorial, esteeming them a very healthy nutriment, which the experience of ages has sufficiently demonstrated. Although they have large and small animals and birds in plenty, yet they eat but little flesh, and that is simply boiled or roasted. They have the same abstemiousness in the use of pork, from which they know very well how to prepare black puddings and sausages. Their seas and rivers abound with excellent fish, but they do not much esteem this kind of aliment. Instead of bread, which they are not accustomed to eat except at their entertainments, they make use of small cakes or roasted potatoes with a little salt. Their usual drinks consist of various kinds of beer and of cider, made from Indian corn, from apples and other fruits of the country. They are nevertheless extremely fond of wine, which they purchase from the Spaniards, but hitherto, either for political reasons, or more probably from carelessness, they have

VOL. II.

paid no attention to the raising of vines, which, as has been proved by experiment, produce very well in all their provinces.

The master of the house eats at the same table with the rest of his family. The plates are earthen, and the spoons and cups are made of horn or wood. The Ulmenes have in general wrought plate for the service of their tables, but they only make use of it when they entertain some stranger of rank; upon such occasions they ostentatiously display it, being naturally fond of show, and of being considered rich. Their seasonings are made of Guinea pepper, of madi, and salt. In summer they are fond of dining in the shade of trees, which for this purpose are always planted around their houses. They do not use the flint for the purpose of obtaining fire, but employ, like the Kamtschatdales, two pieces of dry wood, one of which they place upon another, and turn it in their hands until it takes fire, which is very Besides dinner, supper and breakfast, they have every day without fail their luncheon, which consists of a little flour of parched corn, steeped in hot water in the morning, and in cold in the evening.

soon.

But they often deviate from this simple mode of living at the public entertainments, which they give each other on occasion of funerals, marriages, or any other important event. At such times no expense is spared, and they are profuse of every thing that can promote festivity. In one of these banquets, at which it is common for three hundred persons to be present, more meat, grain and liquor is con

sumed, than would be sufficient to support a whole family for two years. It is usual for one of these feasts to continue two or three days; they are called cahuin, or circles, from the company seating themselves in a circle around a large branch of cinna

mon.

Such entertainments are made gratuitously, and any person whatever is permitted to participate in them without the least expense or requisition. But this is not the case with the mingacos, or those dinners which they are accustomed to make on occasion of cultivating their land, threshing their grain, building a house, or any other work which requires the combined aid of several. At such times all those who wish to partake in the feast must labour until the work is completed. But as these people have abundant leisure, the labourers convene in such numbers, that in a very few hours the work is finished, and the rest of the day is devoted to feasting and drinking. The Spaniards who live in the country have also adopted a similar plan, availing themselves of the same kind of industry to complete their rural labours.

Fermented liquors, in the opinion of the Araucanians, form the principal requisites of an entertainment; for whenever they are not in plenty, whatever may be the quantity of provisions, they manifest great dissatisfaction, exclaiming golingelai, it is a wretched feast, there is no drink. These bacchanalian revels succeed each other almost without interruption throughout the year, as every man of property is ambitious of the honour of giving them, so

that it may be said that the Araucanians, when not engaged in war, pass the greater part of their lives in revelry and amusement. Music, dancing and play form their customary diversions. As to the first, it scarcely deserves the name, not so much from the imperfection of the instruments, which are the same they make use of in war, but from their manner of singing, which has something in it harsh and disagreeable to the ear, until one has been accustomed to it for a long time. They have several kinds of dances, which are lively and pleasing, and possess considerable variety. The women are rarely permitted to dance with the men, but form their companies apart, and dance to the sound of the same in

struments.

If what the celebrated Leibnitz asserts is true, that men have never discovered greater talents than in the invention of the different kinds of games, the Araucanians may justly claim the merit of not being in this respect inferior to other nations. Their games are very numerous, and for the most part very ingenious; they are divided into the sedentary and gymnastic. It is a curious fact, and worthy of notice, that among the first is the game of chess, which they call comican, and which has been known to them from time immemorial. The game of quechu, which they esteem highly, has a great affinity to that of backgammon, but instead of dice they make use of triangular pieces of bone marked with points, which they throw with a little hoop or circle supported by two pegs, as was, probably, the fritillus of the ancient Romans.