iy4 



prefer to any other, but, rnore delicate than that peo- 

 ple, they eat it only when boiled or roasted. 



They dwell in the manner of the Bedouin Arabs, 

 in tents made of skins, disposed in a circular form, 

 leaving in the centre a spacious field, w^here their 

 cattle feed during the continuance of the herbage. 

 When that begins to fail they transport their habita- 

 tions to another situation, arid in this manner, con- 

 tinually changing place, they traxerse the vallies of 

 the Cordilleras. This wandering life is not, however, 

 without its pleasures : by this means they acquire 

 new acquaintances, new accommodations, and new 

 prospects. 



Each village or encampment is governed by an 

 Ulmen, or hereditary prince. In their language and 

 religion ijiey differ not from the Araucanians. They 

 are fond of hunting, and often, in pursuit of game, 

 traverse the immense plains that lie between the great 

 river of Plata and the straits of Magellan. These 

 excursions they sometimes extend as far as Buenos 

 A}res, and plunder the country in the vicinity. 

 They frequently attack the caravans of merchandize 

 going from thence to Chili, and so successful have 

 they been in their enterprises, that at present, owing 

 to that cause, the comiaerce in that quarter is said 

 to be almost entirely stopped.* 



f It n)ay be ]icre proper t») relate what I mysclf'no.ticed on my 

 passage through these districts. On the 27th of April, 1783, I left 

 Mendoza with post horses for Buenos Ayres. We soon learned 

 from somcptopie whom we met, that the Pehucnches were out on 

 their excursions ; and we soon after received the melancholy in- 

 formation of the niassacics they had committed in the Portion of 

 ^lu'^daltna. lu consequence of this there was not a post house 



