15 



kind of plough, called chetagiie, made of the limb 

 of a tree curved at one end, in which is inserted 

 a share formed of the same material, with a handle 

 to guide it. Whether this rude instrument of agri- 

 culture, which appears to be a model of the first 

 plough ever used, is one of their own invention, or 

 was taught them by the Spaniards, is uncertain ; 

 from its extreme simplicity I should, however, be 

 strongly induced to doubt the latter. Admiral Spils- 

 berg observes, that the inhabitants of Mocha, an 

 island in the Araucanian Sea, where the Spaniards 

 have never had a settlement, make use of this plough, 

 drawn by two chilihueques, to cultivate their lands ; 

 and Fathers Bry, who refer to this fact, add, that the 

 Chilians, with the assistance of these animals, tilled 

 their grounds before they received cattle from Eu- 

 rope. However this may be, it is certain that this 

 species of camel was employed antecedent to that 

 period as beasts of burden, and the transition from 

 carriage to the draught is not difficult. 



Man merely requires to become acquainted with 

 the utility of any object, to induce him to apply it 

 by degrees to other advantageous purposes. 



It is a generally received opinion that grain was 

 eaten raw by the first men w^ho employed it as an ar- 

 ticle of food. But this aliment being of an insipid 

 taste, and difficult of mastication, they began to parch 

 or roast it ; the grain thus cooked easily pulverizing 

 in the hands, gave them the first idea of meal, which 

 they gradually learned to prepare in the form of 

 gruel, cakes, and finally of bread. At the period of 

 which we treat, the Chilians eat their grain cooked ; 



