t26 



They have^ nevertheless, for many years, ab- 

 stained from comniitting hostilities within the 

 Chilian boundaries in time of peace^ induced 

 either by the advantages which they derive from 

 the trade with the inhabitants, or from the fear 

 of being roughly handled by them. Their fa- 

 vourite weapon is the laque, already described, 

 which they always carry with them fastened to 

 their girdles. It is very probale that the tea 

 Americans conducted by the valiant Orellana, of 

 whose amazing courage mention is made in Lord 

 Anson's Voyage, were of this tribe. 



Notwithstanding their waiidering and restless 



state of alarm, and we came to some that were absolutely de-? 

 Sfited through fear. The year before about three hundred 

 iiidiaos, lying back ujion their horses, trailing their lances be- 

 hind iheni, in order to have it supposed that it was one of those 

 droves of mares so common in those Pampas, appeared all at 

 once before the post of Gutierrez ; but, supposing it strongly 

 guarded, were deterred from attacking it, although they saw 

 but one man, who j)atroIcd the wall witli his musket, and wa^ 

 lodeed the only person in it. This man knew well that the 

 horses were guided, by the order and coarse they pursued, al- 

 though he could see nothing of their riders till they had come 

 very near. lie had the prudence, however, not to fire at 

 them, which probably led them to believe there was a greater 

 force within the place, and induced them to abandon the en- 

 terprise and vent their furyupon the unfortunate inhabitants of 

 those plains. The commander of the post of Amatrain was 

 Bot so fortunate ; he was killed the same year with a negro 

 who attended him. These posts are fortified witli palisades, 

 i>r with a mud wall, ai\d have a 4itch and a draw-bridge. 



