78 



If the Araucanians discover little regard for their 

 deities, they are, however, very superstitious in 

 many points of less importance. They firmly be- 

 lieve in divination, and pay the greatest attention to 

 such favourable or unfavourable omens as the ca- 

 priciousness of their imagination may suggest to 

 them. These idle observations arc particularly di- 

 rected to dreams, to the singing and flight of birds, 

 which are esteemed by the whole of them the truest 

 interpreters of the will of the gods. The fearless 

 Araucanian, who with incredible valour confronts 

 death in battle, trembles at the sight of an owl. 

 Their puerile weakness in this respect would appear 

 incompatible with the strength of their intellect, if 

 the history of the human mind did not furnish us 

 with continual examples of similar contradictions. 



They consult upon all occasions their diviners, 

 or pretenders to a knowledge of futurity, who are 

 sometimes called Gligua^ and at others Dugol, 

 among whom are some that pass for Guengiiemi^ 

 Genpugmi, Genpirti, &c. which signify masters of 

 the heavens, of epidemic diseases, and of worms or 

 insects, and like the Llamas of Tibet boast of being 

 able to produce rain, of having the power to 

 cure all disorders, and to prevent the ravages of the 

 worms that destroy the corn. They are in great 

 dread of the Ccilcus^ or pretended sorcerers, who 

 they imagine keep concealed by day in caverns with 

 their disciples, Z2^zàlvunch€s^ man-animals, and who 

 at night transform themselves into nocturnal birds, 

 make incursions in the air, and shoot invisible arrows 

 at their enemies. Their superstitious credulity is 



