58 



such systems, since, as they are not written, they 

 can neither be very compendious, nor made suffi- 

 ciently pubHc. 



The clearest and most explicit of their political 

 and fundamental laws are those that regulate the 

 limits of each authority ; the order of succession in 

 the Toquiates and in the Ulminates, the confedera- 

 tion of the four Tetrarchates, the choice and the 

 power of the commanders in chief in time of war, 

 and the right of convoking the general diets, v/hich 

 is the privilege of the Toquis ; all these laws have 

 for their object the preservation of liberty and the 

 established form of government. According to them, 

 two or more states cannot be held under the rule 

 of the same chief. Whenever the male branch of the 

 reigning family becomes extinct, the vassals recover 

 their natural right of electing their own chief I'rom 

 that family which is most pleasing to them. But 

 before he is installed, he must be presented to the 

 Toqui of their Uthalmapu, who gives notice of his 

 election, in order that the new chief may be acknow- 

 ledged and i-espccted by all in that quality. 



The subjects are not, as under the feudal govern- 

 ment, liable to a levy, or to any kind of personal 

 service, except in time of war. Neither are they- 

 obliged to pay any contributions to their chiefs, who 

 must subsist themselves by means of their own pro- 

 perty. They respect them, however, as their supe- 

 riors, or rather as the first among their equalR^; they 

 also attend to their decisions, and escort them wnv "^i- 

 ver they go out of the state. These chiefs, elated 

 witli their authority, would gladly extend its limits, 



