50 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. I33 



of the same age groups. During recess periods the same three or four 

 older girls were usually seen sitting together chatting. Usually girls 

 from a particular countryside have a feeling of closeness to each other, 

 probably because they walk to and from school together ; the same is 

 true of boys. Lasting friendships are thus formed and extend through 

 adult life. 



Leadership among children does not seem to exist in any pro- 

 nounced way. Oratory gives prestige in the choosing of a leader, 

 even though it may not need to be exercised on the occasion for which 

 the leader is chosen, such as a procession. (Oratory gives distinction 

 to elders, also; something children undoubtedly know.) Quoting a 

 teacher : "No particular child in school acts as a leader at all times. 

 Any child, for instance, may suggest a game or the doing of something 

 and others will respond 'Bueno !' and off they will go to play or to do 

 the thing." 



Joviality and fun are part of the Araucanian child's life. School- 

 children told their own and each other's nicknames with much laughter 

 and teasing. A little girl brought an old-time silver neckpiece to school. 

 Every little girl placed it around her own neck, and then one placed 

 it around the teacher's neck, at which all clapped their hands, laughed, 

 danced around, and made complimentary remarks. There was much 

 joviality, too, between older girls who spent recess helping an herbalist 

 do a washing. At the end they slapped each other with pieces of wet 

 wash and laughed good-naturedly. 



THE SENSES OF THE CHILD 



A child's eyesight is keen. So are its powers of observation. School 

 children gave as points that they could see distinctly from the shore of 

 the Pacific below Alepue, the Isla Mocha, Punta Quele, Punta Corral, 

 and Puerta Saavedra (see fig. i) — points that neither the field as- 

 sistant, the interpreter, nor I could see even faintly. Quoting the 

 interpreter, a non-Araucanian herbalist: "These Mapuche children 

 have very keen sight. At great distances they can name the person 

 whom they see working or walking there. I cannot see there so much 

 as a speck, and I have excellent sight. Going along a path, they will 

 trace the steps of tiny insects that have gone that way, also; I can 

 hardly see them. When we look for anything outdoors, children find 

 it immediately. Their sense of hearing is just as keen." 



Red, blue, and green in bright shades are favorite colors of school 

 children. Several little girls were disappointed in not finding these 

 in a box of miscellaneous crayons : "We wanted to put nice colors on 



