ULLOa's voyage to south AMERICA. 687 



Upon this fummons, not one fails of bringing him to the chief's hut what had been 

 agreed on. Here they take their leave of him, with all the appearance of a fmcere 

 friendfliip, and the chief even orders fome Indians to efcort him to the frontiers, and 

 affift him in driving the cattle he has received in exchange for his goods. 



Formerly, and even till the year 1724, thefe traders carried large quantities of wine, 

 of which, as well as of all other inebriating liquors, the Indians are immoderately fond ; 

 but on account of the -tumults and wars that arofe from the intemperate ufe of fpiritu- 

 ous liquors, this branch of trade has been fuppreffed, and no more wine allowed to be 

 carried into the Indian territories than what fhall be judged neceflary to give the mafters 

 of families a cup by way of compliment, and a very fmall quantity for trading. The 

 happy eftefts of this prohibition are felt on both fides ; the Spaniards live in fafety, and 

 the Indians in peace and tranquillity. They are very fair dealers, never receding from 

 what has been agreed on, and punftual in their payments. It is indeed furprifmg, 

 that a whole people, who are almofl ftrang^ers to government, and favage in their man- 

 ners, fhould, amidfl the uncontrouled gratification of the mod enormous vices, have 

 fo delicate a fenfe of juftice, as to obferve it in the mofl irreproachable manner in their 

 dealings. 



All the Indians of Arauco, Tucapel, and others inhabiting the more fouthern parts 

 of the banks of the river Biobio, and alfo thofe who live near the Cordillera, have 

 hitherto fruftrated all attempts made for reducing them under the Spanilh government. 

 For in this boundlefs country, as it may be called, when flrongly pulhed, they abandon 

 their huts, and retire into the more dillaht parts of the kingdom, where, being joined 

 by other nations, they return in fuch numbers, that all refiftance would be temerity, 

 and again take pofleffion of their former habitations. Thus Chili has always been ex- 

 pofed to their infults ; and, if a very few only call for war againfl the Spaniards, the 

 flame immediately fpreads, and their meafures are taken with fuch fecrecy, that the firft 

 declaration of it is, the murder of thofe who happen to be among them, and the ra- 

 vages of the neighbouring villages. Their firft ftep, \Ahen a war is agreed on, is, to 

 give notice to the nations for afl'embling ; and this they call Correa la Fletcha, to fhoot 

 the dart, the fummons being fent from village to village with the utmoft filence and 

 rapidity. In thefe notices they fpecify the night when the irruption is to be made, and, 

 though advice of it is fent to the Indians who refide in the Spanifh territories, nothing 

 tranfpires : nor is there a fmgle inftance, among all the Indians that have been taken 

 up on fufpicion, that one ever made any difcovery. And as no great armaments are 

 neceffary in this kind of war, their defigns continue impenetrable till the terrible exe- 

 cutions withdraw the veil. 



The Indians of the feveral nations being affembled, a general is chofen, with the 

 title of Toqui ; and when the night fixed on for executing their defigns arrives, the 

 Indians who live among the Spaniards rife and maffacre them. After which, they di- 

 vide themfelves into fmall parties, and deftrdy the feats, farm-houfes, and villages, 

 murdering all without the leaft regard to youth or age. Thefe parties afterwards unite, 

 and, in a body, attack the larger fettlements of the Spaniards, befiege the forts, and 

 commit every kind of hoftility ; and their vaft numbers, rather than any difcipHne, 

 have enabled them, on feveral occafions, to carry on their enterprizes with fuccefs, 

 notwithftanding all the meafures taken by the Spanifh government to prevent them. 

 For though multitudes of them fall on thefe occafions, their army continually receives 

 larger reinforcements. If at any time the Spaniards gain the fuperiority, the Indians 

 retire to the diftance of feveral leagues, where, after concealing themfelves a few days, 

 they fuddenly fall on a different part from that where they were encamped, endeavour- 

 ing 



