Ch.IX. 



SOUTH AMERICA. 



281 



the re-eftablifliment of the peace, they again folicited 

 the miflionaries to come among them ; and fome com- 

 munities have been fince formed ; but they are far fhort 

 of their former promifing ftate, it being very difficult 

 to bring even this fmail number to embrace a focial 

 life. 



Amidst all the fanguinary rage of thefe Indians in 

 their hoflilities againft the Spaniards, they generally 

 fpare the white women, carrying them to their huts, and 

 ufing them as their own. And hence it is, that many- 

 Indians of thofe nations have the complexions of the 

 Spaniards born in that country. In time of peace ma- 

 ny of them come into the Spanifli territories, hiring 

 themfelves for a certain time to work at the farm houfes, 

 and at the expiration of the term return home, after 

 laying out their wages in the purchafe of fuch goods as 

 are valued in their country. AH of them, both men and 

 women, wear the poncho and manta, which they weave 

 from wool, and tho' it cannot be properly called a drefs, 

 it is abundantly fufficient for decency ^ whereas the In- 

 dians at a greater diftance from the Spanifli frontiers, 

 as thofe who inhabit the countries fout.i of Valdivia, 

 and the Chonos who live on the continent near Chiloe, 

 ufe no fort of apparel J. The Indians of Arauco, 

 Tucapel, and other tribes near the river Biobio, take 

 great delight in riding, and their armies have fome 

 bodies of horfe. Their weapons are large fpears, 

 javehns, &c. in the ufe of which they are very dex^ 

 uous. 



t Thefe Indians now drefs like the former. A. 



C H A P. 



