frv*- 



126 '^ovalle's historical relation of chile. 



make themfelves holes in the fand, into which they go like wild beafts. Thirdly, they 

 are not fo laborious to cultivate their land, and fo have not fuch variety of produd as 

 thofe of Chile. Fourthly, they are not fo brave nor warlike as the Indians of Chile : 

 their language is likewife different, and fo different, that I do not know one word of 

 the one that is in the other ; but yet the language of Chile being fo univerfal, that it 

 is the fame all over kingdom, to the foot of the Cordillera ; thofe of Cuyo learned it 

 too, and that very perfedly ; but I never obferved that a Chile Indian fpoke the lan- 

 guage of Cuyo, which fliews the advantage that the language of Chile has over the 

 other. 



In return of thefe advantages which the Chilenians have, thofe at Cuyo have fome 

 over them. And the firft is in the ftature, which is taller, but not fo ftrong and well 

 fet as the Chilenians, but rather raw-boned, without flefh. I do not remember I ever 

 faw a fat Cuyian among fo many as I have feen. They are likewife better workmen 

 in fome things which require patience and length of time, fuch as bafket-work of fe- 

 veral figures, all of ftraw ; and yet fo clofe worked, that they will hold water ; for 

 which reafon they make their drinking veffels of them ; and as they cannot break by 

 a fall upon the ground, they are very lafling, and the curiofities of this kind, which 

 they make, very much valued for their work and colours. 



Likewife they prepare feveral furs of animals, which they hunt ; and they are very 

 foft and warm for winter : they hunt and catch oflriches likewife, and make many 

 works of their feathers, with which they adorn themfelves on their feflivals, mingled 

 with the feathers of other birds. They likewife hunt the wild goats and deer, and are 

 the mafters of all the Bezoar-flones, which they fell to the Spaniards fo dear, that any 

 one who fhould buy them to get by them, would make but a fmall profit in Europe. 



Thefe Cuyians are alfo more hairy, and have more beard than the Chilenians, though 

 they pull their hair as the others do, but with more trouble ; and they never look 

 fo fmooth as thofe of Chile. They are all well-fhaped, and nimble, and have a good 

 air : they have alfo good underflandings. The women are tall and flender, and I 

 do not know that I ever faw taller : they paint their faces green, which is fo well 

 fettled in their fkin, that there is no getting it out : mofl commonly they paint only 

 their noftrils, fome their whole faces, and the men their beards and lips. Their habit 

 is decent in both fexes ; the women let their hair grow as long as they can, but the 

 men only below their ears. In all other things are like the Chilenians. 



They are very nimble, and good travellers, without tiring. I have feen them run 

 up the ftiffeft and ftraighteft hills of the great Cordillera, like fo many goats ; and 

 this the women will do as well as the men ; nay, the little children too. The women 

 will run with their children in a cradle faftened to their backs by a flrap that comes 

 over their forehead ; and with all this weight they follow their huibands with fo 

 much eafe and agility, that it is wonderful. 



For a proof of the admirable difpofition of thefe people, in walking and running, 

 a corrigidor and captain-general of that province told me a ftory about their hunting 

 their venifon, which is very fmgular ; he told me, that as foon as they find their 

 game out, they draw near them, and follow them upon an half trot, keeping them 

 (till in fight, without leaving them fo much as to eat ; and in a day or two they begin 

 to tire them fo as they can come up with them, and kill them, and return home 

 loaded with them, where they feafl upon them, with their families, till they have 

 made an end : for thefe Indians are fuch gluttons naturally, that a few of them will 

 eat up a calf, or a young heifer in a meeting : but they are as good at falling, when 

 they have nothing to eat ; for they will pafs feveral days with a little maize and fome 

 10 roots 



