Ch. IX. 



SOUTH AMERICA. 



particulars, I fliall next proceed to mention that car- 

 ried on with the wild Indians, and this confifts in 

 felling them hard ware, as bits, fpurs, and edge 

 tools alfo toys, and fome wine. All this is done by- 

 barter for though the countries they inhabit are not 

 deilitute of gold, the Indians cannot be prevailed upon 

 to open the mines ; fo that the returns confift in 

 Ponchos, horned cattle, horfes of their own breeding, 

 and Indian children of both fexes, which are fold even 

 by cheir ov/n parents for fuch trifies ; and this parti- 

 cular kind of traffick, they call refcatar, ranfoming. 

 But no Spaniard of any cfiarader will be concerned 

 in fuch barbarous exchanges, being carried on only 

 by the Guafos, and the meaneft clafs of Spaniards 

 fettled in Chili. Thefe boldly venture into the parts 

 inhabited by the Indians, and addrefs themfelves to 

 the heads of the feveral families. 



The Indians of Arauco, and thofe parts, are not 

 governed by Caciques, or Curacas, like thole of 

 Peru, the only fubordination known among them 

 being with regard to age, fo that the oldefl perfon of 

 the family is refpedred as its governor. The Spaniard 

 begins his negociation with offering the chief of the 

 family a cup of his wine. After this he difplays his 

 wares, that the Indian may make choice of what beft 

 pleafes him j mentioning at the fame time the return 

 he expedls. If they agree, the Spaniard makes him a 

 prefent of a little wine ; and the Indian chief informs 

 the community that they are at liberty to trade with 

 that Spaniard as his friend. Relying on this protec- 

 tion, the Spaniard goes from hut to hut, recommend- 

 ing himfelf at firft by giving the head of every fami- 

 ly a tafte of his wine. After this they enter upon 

 bufmefs, and the Indian having taken what he want- 

 ed, the trader goes away without receiving any equi- 

 valent at that time, and vifits the other huts, as they 

 lie difperfed all over the country, till he has dif- 

 pofed of his flock. He then returns to the cottage of 



T 2 the 



