193 



boa as liis successor. The three years of Gamboa's 

 government were occupied on one side in opposing 

 ' the attempts of Paynenancu, and on the other in re- 

 pelling the Pehuenches and Chiquillanians, \vho, 

 instigated by the Araucanians, had begun to molest 

 the Spanish settlements.- 



The Pehuenches form a numerous tribe, and in- 

 habit that part pf the Chilian Andes lying between 

 the 34th and 37th degrees of south latitude, to the 

 east of the Spanish provinces of Calchagua, Maule, 

 Chillan and Huilquilemu. Their dress is no way 

 different from that of the Araucanians, except that 

 instead of drawers or breeches, they wear around 

 the waist a piece of cloth like the Japanese, which 

 falls down to the knees. Their boots, or shoes, are 

 all of one piece, and made from the skin of the hind 

 » leg of an ox taken off at the knee, this they fit to 

 the foot while green, turning the hair within, and 

 sewing up one of the ends, the skin of the knee 

 serving for the heel. These shoes, by being worn 

 and often rubbed with tallow, become as soft and 

 pliable as the best dressed leather. 



Although these mountaineers have occasionally 

 ^hown themselves to be valiarit and hardy soldiers, 

 they are nevertheless fond of adorning and decorat- 

 ing themselves like women. They wear ear-rings 

 and bracelets of glass beads upon their arms ; tliey 

 also ornament their hair with the same, and suspend 

 little bells around their heads. Notwithstanding they 

 have numerous herds of cattie and sheep, their usu- 

 al food is horse fiesh, which, like the Tartars, they 



Vet. ÍI. B b 



