74 



This parliament is renewed as often as a new pre- 

 sident is sent from Spain to Chili, and cannot pos- 

 sibly be dispensed with, as in that case the Arauca- 

 nians, imaginingthemsclves despised, would without 

 any other cause commence war. For this reason, 

 there is always a considerable sum ready in the roy- 

 al treasury for the expenses necessary upon these 

 occasions. On the arrival of a new president, an 

 envoy, called the national commissary, is dispatched 

 in his name to the four Uthalmapus, to invite the 

 Toquis and the other Ulmenes to meet liim at the 

 place appointed, for the purpose of becoming ac- 

 quainted with each other, and to confirm the friend- 

 ship contracted with his predecessors. In this conven- 

 tion nearly the same ceremonies are practised as arc 

 made use of on ratifying a treaty of peace. The Ul- 

 menes collect upon this occasion in great num- 

 bers, not only for the purpose of becoming person- 

 ally acquainted with the new governor, but to form 

 an opinion, from his manners and countenance, of his 

 pacific or warlike disposition. This meeting attracts 

 to the place it is held a great number of merchants, 

 who form there a kind of fair mutually advanta- 

 geous to both nations. 



consented to allow the residence of deputies among them, en- 

 trusted with the charge of maintaining harmony between the two 

 ujL\.ioni„..Rayna¡'s History of t/ie Indies. 



