ovalle's historical relation of chile. 



119 



The women of Chile are fo bold and manly in their courage, that when it is ne- 

 ceflary, and that there is want of men, they take arms, and behave themfelves as if 

 they were men. They play likewife at a very aftive game called La Chueca, wherein 

 the men fhew their greateft agility and nimblenefs, each fide ftriving to get a ball ^/fg city 

 from the other, and carry it to the mark with crooked bandy flicks. They are about . / 

 forty or fifty on a fide, who place themfelves in different pofts, fo as to be ufeful one 

 to another, and drive away the ball from the other party ; and when it happens that 

 two of different fides are at it together, it is a pleafure to fee them run, the one to 

 forward it with another ftroke, and the other to get before him and hinder him from 

 ftriking it, that he may drive it back to his own fide. This is a fport much to be feen, 

 and generally it has many fpedators to fee the end of the play, which often lafls a 

 whole evening, and fometimes is forced to be put off to another day j fuch contention 

 there is to win thefe prizes they play for. 



The ftrength and boldnefs of the women comes from the little tendernefs they are 

 bred with, for they avoid neither heat nor cold ; and in the coldeft winters, when 

 birds are killed with cold, they wafh their heads in cold water, and never dry their 

 hair, but let it remain wet, and dry itfelf in the air ; and as for their children, they 

 wafh them in the rivers, when they are yet very young ; and when they are brought to 

 bed, in a very Httle time they are about the houfe, as if it were not they, but fome 

 other woman that had lain in. 



If the women behave therftfelyes thus, what may be expected from the men ? It is 

 a wonderful thing how little they fear weather, though in the midfl of winter ; and to 

 fee an Indian, with that fimple habit we have defcribed, his head bare, without 

 hat, or any other covering. I have feen them in this condition endure mighty fhowers, 

 which wet them all over, and came out at their breeches, and yet laugh and not value 

 that which to others would have been infupportable. 



I remember, upon this occafion, what was faid by a Spaniih gentleman of a merry 

 humour, to one newly come from Europe, who, with great charity, was pitying thefe 

 poor Indians for their fufferings in winter, which in that country is very fevere. The 

 gentleman afked the good father what he had to keep his face from the cold ? To 

 which he anfwered, nothing, becaufe every body's face was ufed to the weather. To ^, ^ 

 which the gentleman replied, thefe Indians are all face ; for from their infancy they 

 have no defence againfl the cold. Who is it that pities a trout, or other fifh, for 

 being in the water, becaufe they are bred in that element ? the fame may be faid of 

 thefe Indians, who are like filhes, and are bred to all that hardfhip ; and fo we need 

 not wonder at it. By thefe means they are fo hardened, that a wound which the 

 braveft Spaniard would take his bed for, does give them fo little trouble, that I have 

 feen them go about without minding it. I have known them have a broken head by 

 accident at play, and all they do is to wafh it in cold water, never leaving their employ- 

 ment or bufinefs ; and with this, and the application of their own herbs, which, 

 indeed, are of great virtue, they are foon well ; but the excellency of their own con- 

 flitution helps not a little to their cure in wounds, as well as all other diflempers, out 

 of which they get well with ^ great deal lefs time and care than the Spaniards. 



