CHILI. 37 



The women, who are very industrious, weave a 

 great number of ponchos, while the men finish, at 

 times, and, as it were, for recreation, troughs and 

 other articles of wood. This industry is the fruit 

 of their intercourse with the Spaniards. Among 

 the few different kinds of trees which the Cordillera 

 produces, the fir-tree is the most esteemed. This 

 tree grows to the Iieight of twenty-five varas, 

 (about seventy-five feet), and its thickness is in 

 proportion to its height. It is probable that if the 

 least attention were paid to it, it would surpass all 

 other wood for ship-building. The Pehuenches 

 extend their intercourse with the Spaniards beyond 

 the Cordillera to Buenos Ayres. They formerly 

 made incursions in the Pampas, plundered travel- 

 lers, penetrated into the small villages and settle- 

 ments of the Spaniards, murdered the men, and 

 carried off the women and children, whom they 

 treated as slaves. The missionaries have redeemed 

 several of these unfortunate people from them, and 

 set them at liberty. The Pehuenches are now 

 kept in check by the two forts of St. Juan and St. 

 Carlos, which the people of Mendosa have erected 

 in proper places. 



D S 



