85 



of less importance. These ideas arc certainly 

 very rude, but it must be acknowledged that the 

 Araucanians are not the only people who have 

 regulated the things of heaven by those of the 

 earth. 



In the first class of these subaltern divinities, 

 is the Epunamun, or god of war ; the Meulen, 

 a benevolent deity^ the friend of the human race; 

 and the Guecubu^ a malignant being, the author 

 of all evil, who appears to be the same jjs the Al- 

 gue. From hence it appears, that the doctrine of 

 two adverse principles, improperly called Mani- 

 cheism, is very extensive, or in other words, is 

 found to be established among almost all the 

 barbarous nations of both continents. These 

 being, from the uncultivated state of their minds, 

 incapable of investigating the origin of good and 

 evil, and deducing inferences from effects, have 

 had recourse to the invention of two opposite 

 agents, in order to reconcile the apparent con- 

 tradiction in the natural and moral government 

 of the world. 



The Guecubu* is the Mavari of the Oro- 

 noques, and the Aherman of the Persians. He 

 is, according to the general opinion of the Arau- 

 canians, the efficient cause of all the misfortunes 

 that occur. If a horse tires, it is because the 



* Huecuvu, or Huecuvoe, the word is written by Falkiier, 

 and explained to mean the Wanderer without. . E. 



e3 



