XIV ARAUCARIAN INDIANS 321 



but all are employed in weaving ponchos, etc., for his profit. 

 To be the wife of a cacique is an honour much sought after 

 by the Indian women. 



The men of all these tribes wear a coarse woollen poncho : 

 those south of Valdivia wear short trousers, and those north of 

 it a petticoat, like the chilipa of the Gauchos. All have their 

 long hair bound by a scarlet fillet, but with no other covering 

 on their heads. These Indians are good- sized men ; their 

 cheek-bones are prominent, and in general appearance they 

 resemble the great American family to which they belong ; but 

 their physiognomy seemed to me to be slightly different from 

 that of any other tribe which I had before seen. Their 

 expression is generally grave, and even austere, and possesses 

 much character: this may pass either for honest bluntness or fierce 

 determination. The long black hair, the grave and much-lined 

 features, and the dark complexion, called to my mind old 

 portraits of James I. On the road we met with none of that 

 humble politeness so universal in Chiloe. Some gave their 

 " mari-mari " (good-morning) with promptness, but the greater 

 number did not seem inclined to offer any salute. This inde- 

 pendence of manners is probably a consequence of their long 

 wars, and the repeated victories which they alone, of all the 

 tribes in America, have gained over the Spaniards. 



I spent the evening very pleasantly, talking with the padre. 

 He was exceedingly kind and hospitable ; and coming from 

 Santiago, had contrived to surround himself with some few 

 comforts. Being a man of some little education, he bitterly 

 complained of the total want of society. With no particular 

 zeal for religion, no business or pursuit, how completely must 

 this man's life be wasted 1 The next day, on our return, we 

 met seven very wild -looking Indians, of whom some were 

 caciques that had just received from the Chilian government 

 their yearly small stipend for having long remained faithful. 

 They were fine-looking men, and they rode one after the other, 

 with most gloomy faces. An old cacique, who headed them, 

 had been, I suppose, more excessively drunk than the rest, for 

 he seemed both extremely grave and very crabbed. Shortly 

 before this, two Indians joined us, who were travelling from a 

 distant mission to Valdivia concerning some lawsuit. One was 

 a good-humoured old man, but from his wrinkled beardless 



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