74 



RIO NEGRO. 



Aug. 1833. 



the northern boundary of the great valley, in which the Rio 

 Negro flows. On the way we passed the ruins of some fine 

 " estancias/^ which a few years since were destroyed by the 

 Indians. They withstood several attacks. A man present 

 at one gave me a very lively description of what took place. 

 The inhabitants had sufficient notice to drive all the cattle 

 and horses into the "corraP^* which surrounded the houses 

 and likewise to mount some small cannon. The Indians were 

 Araucanians from the south of Chile; several hundreds in 

 number, and highly disciplined. They first appeared in two 

 bodies on a neighbouring hill ; having there dismounted, 

 and taken off their fur mantles, they advanced naked to the 

 charge. The only weapon of an Indian is a very long 

 bamboo or chuzo, ornamented with ostrich feathers, and 

 pointed by a sharp spear head. My informer seemed to 

 remember with the greatest horror the quivering of these 

 chuzos as they approached near. When close, the cacique 

 Pincheira hailed the besieged to give up their arms, or he 

 would cut all their throats. As this would probably have 

 been the result of their entrance under any circumstances, 

 the answer was given by a volley of musketry. The Indians, 

 with great steadiness, came to the very fence of the corral : 

 but to their surprise they found the posts fastened together 

 by iron nails instead of leather thongs, and, of course, in vain 

 attempted to cut them with their knives. This saved the 

 lives of the Christians : many of the wounded Indians were 

 carried away by their companions ; and at last one of the 

 under caciques being wounded, the bugle sounded a retreat. 

 They retired to their horses, and seemed to hold a council of 

 war. This was an awful pause for the Spaniards, as all their 

 ammunition, with the exception of a few cartridges, was ex- 

 pended. In an instant the Indians mounted their horses, 

 and galloped out of sight. Another attack was still more 

 quickly repulsed. A cool Frenchman managed the gun ; he 



* The corral is an enclosure made of tall and strong stakes. Every 

 estancia, or farming estate, has one attached to it. 



