125 



than in the invention of the different kinds of 

 games, the Araucaiiians may justly claim the 

 merit of not being in this respect inferior to 

 other nations. Their games are very numerous, 

 and for the most part very ingenious ; they are 

 divided into the sedentary and gymnastic. It is 

 a curious fact, and worthy of notice, that among 

 the first is the game of chess, which they call 

 comican, and which has been known to them 

 from time immemorial. The game of quechu, 

 which they esteem highly, has a great affinity to 

 that of backgammon, but instead of dice they 

 make use of triangular pieces of bone marked 

 with points, which they throw with a little hoop 

 or circle supported by two pegs, as was, pro- 

 bably, the fritillus of the ancient Romans. 



The youth exercise themselves frequently in 

 wrestling and running. They are also much 

 attached to playing with the ball ; it is called 

 by them pilma^ and is made from a species of 

 rush. But of all their gymnastic games that 

 require strength, the petico and the palican are 

 the best suited to their genius, as they serve as 

 an image of war. The 'first, which represents 

 the siege of a fortress, is conducted in the fol- 

 lowing manner : Twelve or more persons join 

 hands and form a circle, in the centre of which 

 stands a little boy ; their adversaries, who are 

 equal in number, and sometimes superior, en- 

 deavour by force or stratagem to break the 



