Ch. IX. SOUTH AMERICA. 275 



particulars, I ihall next proceed to mention that car- 

 ried on with the wild Indian';, and this confifts in fell- 

 ing them hard ware, as bits, fpurs, and edge tools $ 

 alfo toys, and fotne wine. All this is done by barter; 

 for though the countries they inhabit are not deftitute 

 of gold, the Indians cannot be prevailed upon to open 

 the mines; fo that the returns confift in ponchos, 

 horned cattle, horfes of their own breeding, and In- 

 dian children of both fexes, which are fold even by 

 their own parents for luch trifles ; and this particular 

 kind of traffick, they call reicacur, ranfoming. But no 

 Spaniard of any character will be concerned in fuch 

 barbarous exchanges, being carried on only by the 

 Guafos, and the meaneil: clafs of Spaniards fettled in 

 Chili. Thefc boldly venture into the parts inhabited 

 by the Indians, and addrefs themfelves to the heads of 

 the feveral families. 



The Indians of A rauco, and thofe parts, are not 

 governed by Caciques, or Curacas, like thofe of 

 Peru, the only fubordination known among them 

 being with regard to age, fo that the oldeft perfon of 

 the family is refpeded as its governor. The Spaniard 

 begins his negociation with offering the chief of the 

 family a cup of his wine. After this he difplays his 

 wares, that the Indian may make choice of what belt 

 pkafcs him; mentioning at the fame time the return 

 he expeéts. If they agree, the Spaniard makes him a 

 prefent of a little wine; and the Ipxlian chief informs 

 the community that they are at liberty- to trade with 

 that Spaniard as his friend. Relying on this protec- 

 tion, the Spaniard goes from hut to hut, recomincnd- 

 ing himfclf at fiift by giving the head of every family 

 a tafle of his wine. After this they enter upon 

 bufinefs, and the Indian having taken what he wanted, 

 the trader goes away without receiving any equiva- 

 lent at that time, and vifits the other huts, as they 

 lie dilperfcd all over the country, till he has dil- 

 pofed of his flock. He then returns to the cottage of 

 T 2 the 



