103 



blieSj where the best orators of the country dis- 

 play their eloquence. 



From hence is derived the attention which they 

 generally pay to speak their language correctly, 

 and to preserve it in its purity^ taking great care 

 to avoid the introduction of any foreign word, 

 in which they are so particular^ that whenever a 

 foreigner settles among them, they oblige him to 

 relinquish his name and take another in the 

 Chilian language. The missionaries themselves 

 are obliged to conform to this singular regula- 

 tion, if they would obtain the public favour. 

 They have much to endure from this excessive 

 fastidiousness, as even while they are preaching 

 the audience will interrupt them, and with im- 

 portunate rudeness correct the mistakes in lan- 

 guage or pronunciation that escape them. Many 

 of them are well acquainted with the Spanish 

 la-nguage, both from their frequent communica- 

 tion with the neighbouring Spaniards, and from 

 having been accustomed to speak a soft, regular, 

 and varied language, which readily adapts itself 

 to the pronunciation of the European dialects, as 

 has been observed by Captain Wallis respecting 

 the Patagonjans, who are real Chilians.* They, 

 however, make but little use of it, none of them 

 ever attempting to speak in Spanish in any of 



Hawkesfvorth's Voyage of Captain WalUs. 



