53 



jtiuch skill, figures of fiowers and animals in various 

 colours, and the border is ornanlented with a hand- 

 some -fringe. Some of these ponchos are of so fine 

 and elegant a textui^e as to be sold for a hundred and 

 even a hundred and fifty dollars. 



The Araucanians make use of neither turbans nor 

 hats, but wear upon their heads a bandage of em- 

 broidered wool, in the form of the ancient diadem. 

 This, whenever they salute, they raise a little, as a 

 mark of courtesy, and on going to war ornament it 

 with a number of beautiful plumes. They also wear 

 around the body a long woolen girdle or sash hand- 

 somely wrought. Persons of rank w^ar woolieii 

 boots of various colours, and leather sandals, called 

 chelle^ but the common people always go bare- 

 footed. 



The women are clad with much modesty and 

 simplicity. Their dress is entirely of wool, and, 

 agreeable to the national taste, of a greenish blue 

 colour. It consists of a tunic, a girdle, and a short 

 cloak, called ichella^ which is fastened before widi a 

 silver buckle. The tunic, called chiamal^ is long, 

 and descends to the feet , it is without sleeves, and 

 is fastened upon the shoulder by silver broaches or 

 buckles. This dress, sanctioned by custom, is never 

 varied ; but, to gratify their love of finery, they 

 adorn themselves w4th all those trinkets which ca- 

 price or vanity suggests. They divide their hair 

 into several tresses, which lloat in graceful negli- 

 gence over their shoulders, and decorate their heads 

 with a species of false emerald, called glianca^ held 

 by them in high estimation. Their necklaces and 



