ti2 ovalle's historical relation of chile. 



they think moft convenient ; which, if it be a cafe of war, either defenfive or oiFenfive, 

 they chufe the general, not one of the moft noble of the Caciques, or the moft power- 

 ful, but he who has the fame of the moft valiant, and has beft behaved himfelf on the 

 like occafion againft their enemies ; and when he is juftly chofen, all the other Ca- 

 ciques obey him punctually. It is after this manner that they have preferved themfelves 

 fo many years againft all the ftrength that has been brought againft them. To make 

 thefe alTemblies, they chufe out fome very pleafant place, field, or meadow ; and thi- 

 ther they bring great ftore of provifion, and ftrong drink, called Chica, which is in- 

 ftead of wine. Being all aflembled, and well warmed with this liquor, and excited in their 

 martial temper, there rifes up one of the moft ancient, to whofe lot it falls, to propofe 

 the bufinefs of that meeting ; who with great eloquence (for in that they are very fa- 

 mous) opens the matter, and brings all the reafons and motives of perfuafion that he 

 can. All are obliged to yield to the majority of opinion ; and when the refult is made, 

 it is publiftied with the found of drums and trumpets, and a mighty noife ; but yet al- 

 lowing every one the term of three days to refled and confider on what has been re- 

 folved ; after which, if they find no inconveniency, the execution is infallible, and they 

 think of the means of bringing the bufinefs about by the moft proper methods. 



CHAP. III. — The fame Subje6l is piirfued, and the Nobility of the Indians of Chile 



examined, 



ANTONIO DE HERRERA, in the place already cited in the laft chapter, fays, 

 that there are fome of the Indians reputed above the reft as gentlemen ; and then he 

 adds thefe words, " Of this fort have been, and ftill are, the Indians of Chile." In 

 which he fays well ; for if valour and the glory of arms make gentlemen, as may be 

 feen in Andreas Tiraquello, in his book De Nobilitate et Jui-e Primogenitorum ; and if 

 many noble families do to this day derive themfelves from fome great captain or famous 

 foldier, the Chilean Indians having fo often fignalized their valour in fights, they may 

 very juftly be diftinguiflied from all the other Indians, and reputed more noble. In 

 ftiort, they are the untamed Cantabri of America, who, like thofe of Europe, defended 

 themfelves, when all the reft of it was enflaved ; and repulfed the conquering monarchs 

 of Peru to the extreme confines of their provinces. 



And there is one circumftance more particular than under the Cantabrians, becaufe 

 they had the advantage of their mountains, and the barrennefs of their country, not 

 fo inviting to a conqueror ; but in Chile it was otherwife : the richnefs of its mines, 

 and its foil full of delicious valleys, and a clear and rich territory, having been always 

 well known, the only valour and bravery of its inhabitants was then the defence of 

 the country : thefe were the fortreffes and walls of it ; for without a bit of fortifica- 

 tion of any fort, or fo much as one fire-arm, they obliged their powerful enemy to a 

 ftiameful retreat. Indeed, this is a thing worthy of great admiration ; yet riot fo much 

 to thofe who know how thefe Indians value themfelves upon being good foldiers, ufing 

 themfelves to arms, even from their childhood ; of which, it will not be amifs to fpeak 

 a little. 



When a child is ftrong enough, they make it run up the rocky fide of a hill, giv- 

 ing him that does it beft, fome prize or reward : this makes them very nimble and 

 light ; and I have feen them, in their feafts and entertainments, run two and two for 

 wages with wonderful fwiftnefs ; and thofe who ftiew little difpofition to this exercife, 

 are applied to follow day-labour, but the others they referve for war, not fuffering 



them 



