109 



one payment ; an ox two, &c. Their external 

 -commerce is carried on with the Spaniards, with 

 wliom they exchange ponchos and animals for 

 wine, or the merchandize of Europe, and their 

 good faith in contracts of this kind has always 

 been highly applauded.* 



* The Spaniard who engages in this trade, applies directly 

 to the lieads of families. When he has obtained the necessary 

 j>erinission, he proceeds to all the houses, and distributes in- 

 discriminately his merchandize to all those who present them- 

 selves. When he has completed his sale, he gives notice of 

 his departure, and all the purchasers hasten to deliver to him, 

 in the first village that he arrives at, the articles agreed upon ; 

 and never has there been an instance of the least failure of 

 punctuality. jRaywor^ History. 



The following is extracted from the Compendium of the 

 Geographical, Natural, and Civil History of Chili, printed iu 

 Bologna, 1776". ** The Spaniards who live in the province of 

 Maule, and near the frontiers of Araucanla, carry on a com- 

 merce with those people, which consists in supplying them 

 with iron ware, bits for bridles, cutlery, grain, and wine. This 

 trade is conducted altogether by the way of barter, as it is not 

 possible to persuade the Araucanians to open the gold mines^ 

 nor to produce any of that metal. The returns therefore are 

 in ponchi, or Indian cloaks, of which they receive more than 

 forty thousand annually, in homed cattle, horses, ostrich fea- 

 thers, curiously wrought baskets, and other trifles of a similar 

 kind. This commerce, although generally prohibited, is 

 carried on in the Indian country, whither the traders go with 

 their merchandize by bye roads, and deposit it in the cabins 

 of the natives, to whom they readily trust whatever they wish 

 to sell, certain of being punctually paid at the time agreed 

 upon, which is always the case, these Indians observing the 

 greatest faith in their contracts. 



