\ 



THE ' 



CIVIL HISTORY 



OF 



CHILL 



BOOK IL 



CHAPTER L 



Local Situation^ Character y Dress and Dwellings of 

 the Araucanians. ^ 



THE Araucanians inhabit that delightful country 

 situated between the rivers Bio-bio and Valdivia, 

 and between the Andes and the sea, extending fronx 

 36. 44. to 39. 50. degrees of south latitude. They 

 derive their appellation of Araucanians from the pro- 

 ^ vince of Arauco, which, though the smallest in their 

 territory, has, like Hollands given its name to the 

 whole nation, either from its having been the first to 

 imite with the neighbouring provinces, or from hav- 

 ing at some remote period reduced them under its 

 dominion. This people, ever enthusiastically at- 

 tached to their independence, pride themselves in 

 being called Auca^ which signifies frank or free, and 

 those Spaniards, who had left the army in theNether-^ 

 lands to serve in Chili, gave to this country the name 



Vol. II. G 



