March 1830. 



PINOLEO . 



•ARAOCANIAN DRESS. 



309 



skirts of the town, towards the river Bio-Bio. We found the 

 chiefs residence (little better than a rancho, or hut of the 

 country), surrounded by Indians, some of whom were armed ; 

 and at the door were his two daughters, young, and rather 

 good-looking, whose persons and dress we had leisure to 

 examine, whilst waiting the chiefs pleasure to receive us. They 

 were clothed with a mantle, or wrapper, of green baize, enve- 

 loping the body from the neck to the feet, and fastened at the 

 breast by atoup, or tupu* (a silver pin, or skewer, headed with 

 a round silver plate, three inches in diameter), over which hung 

 a string of beads. Their hair, which was remarkably fine and 

 clean, as well as neatly dressed, was divided into two plaited 

 tails (' trensas'), and their foreheads were ornamented with a 

 broad fillet, worked over with beads.^- They also wore neck- 

 laces, bracelets, ear-rings, and anklets of similar manufacture. 



Our names having been announced to Pinoieo, he came to 

 the door to receive us, and invited us to enter. Some of our 

 party he recognized, and seemed pleased at their visiting him. 

 We were early, and found him sober ; but from his bloated and 

 haggard appearance, it seemed that he had not been long so. 

 On entering the hut, we observed a number of Indians, scarcely 

 sober, seated round, near the walls. Some turbid wine was 

 presented to us, in a silver cup, which we sipped as it passed 

 round ; but the last of our party knowing that to return the 

 cup without emptying it, would be an offence, was obliged to 

 drink the contents, and a bitter potion they were. Pinoieo was 

 then stout and rather corpulent, five feet ten inches in height, 

 of a fairer complexion than the generality of his countrymen, 

 and had lost much of his hair. He had laid aside the Indian 



* In Febres 'Arte de laleng-uade Chile' they are thus described "Ahujas 

 grandes con una plancha redonda de plata como una hostia, 5 mayor, con 

 que prenden las mujeres sus mantas — Certain large bodkins, with around 

 silver plate, as larg-e as, or larger than, an oyster, with which the women 

 fasten their mantles." 



t The ornament on the forehead, which is worn only by unmarried 

 women, is called Trare-lonco, from the old Chilian words trarin, to 

 fasten, and lonco, the head. The bracelet is called Anello cure ; the 

 anklets, Anellco. 



