miles, and nine from north to south, is defended from the sea by a pleasant island called Quiriquina; the entrance upon the north side, which is half a league broad, is the only one of sufficient depth to admit ships of the line, the other being narrow, and only navigable for small vessels. The soil, under the influence of a favourable climate, produces an abundance of timber, minerals, excellent wine, and all the other necessaries of life, and the sea and rivers great quantities of delicate fish.

The adjacent tribes, perceiving the intention of the Spaniards to occupy this important post, gave information of it to their neighbours and friends, the Araucanians, who, forseeing that it would not be long before the storm would burst upon their own country, resolved to succour their distressed allies, in order to secure themselves. But before I proceed to relate the events of this war, I have thought proper to give some account of the character and manners of that warlike people, who have hitherto, with incredible valour, opposed the overwhelming torrent of Spanish conquest, and from henceforward will furnish all the materials of our history.

THE

CIVIL HISTORY

OF

CHILI.

BOOK II.

CHAPTER I.

Local Situation, Character, Dress, and Dwellings of the Araucanians.

THE Araucanians inhabit that delightful country situated between the rivers Bio-bio and Valdivia, and between the Andes and the sea, extending from 36. 44. to 39. 50. degrees of south latitude. They derive their appellation of Araucanians from the province of Arauco, which, though the smallest in their territory, has, like Holland, given its name to the whole nation, either from its having been the first to unite with the neighbouring provinces, or from having at some remote period reduced them under its dominion. This people, ever enthusiastically attached to their independence, pride

themselves in being called Auca,* which signifies frank or free, and those Spaniards, who had left the army in the Netherlands to serve in Chili, gave to this country the name of Araucanian Flanders, or the Invincible State, and some of them have even had the magnanimity to celebrate in epic poetry the exploits of a people who, to preserve their independence, have shed such torrents of Spanish blood.

The Araucanians, although they do not exceed the ordinary height of the human species, are in general muscular, robust, well proportioned, and of a martial appearance. It is very unusual to find among them any person who is crooked or deformed, not from their pursuing, as some have supposed, the cruel custom of the ancient Spartans, in suffocating such unfortunate children, but because they leave to nature the care of forming them, without obstructing her operations by the improper application of bandages and stays. Their complexion, with the exception of the Boroanes, who, as I have already observed, are fair and ruddy, is of a reddish brown, but clearer than that of the other Americans. They have round faces, small animated eyes full of expression, a nose rather flat, a hand

* According to Falkner the missionary, Aucaes is a name of reproach, given them by the Spaniards, and signifying rebels or wild-men-aucani is to rebel, to make a riot-auca-cahual (cevallo) is a wild horse.-E. E.

some mouth, even and white teeth, muscular and well shaped legs, and small flat feet.

Like the

Tartars, they have scarce any beard, and the smallest hair is never to be discerned on their faces, from the care they take to pluck out the little that appears; they esteem it very impolite to have a beard, calling the Europeans, by way of reproach, the long beards. The same attention is paid to removing it from their bodies, where its growth is more abundant; that of their heads is thick and black, but rather coarse; they permit it to grow to a great length, and wind it in tresses around their heads; of this they are as proud and careful as they are averse to beards, nor could a greater affront be offered them than to cut it off. Their women are delicately formed, and many of them, especially among the Boroanes, are very handsome.

Possessed of great strength of constitution, and unincumbered with the cares that disturb civilized society, they are not subject, except at a very advanced period of life, to the infirmities attendant upon old age. They rarely begin to be grey before they are sixty or seventy, and are not bald or wrinkled until eighty. They are generally longer lived than the Spaniards, and many are to be met with whose age exceeds a hundred; and, to the latest period of their lives, they retain their sight, teeth, and memory, unimpaired.

Their moral qualities are proportionate to their physical endowments; they are intrepid, animated, ardent, patient in enduring fatigue, ever ready to sacrifice their lives in the service of their country, enthusiastic lovers of liberty, which they consider as an essential constituent of their existence, jealous of their honour, courteous, hospitable, faithful to their engagements, grateful for services rendered them, and generous and humane towards the vanquished. But these noble qualities are obscured by the vices inseparable from the half-savage state of life which they lead, unrefined by literature or cultivation; these are drunkenness, debauchery, presumption, and a haughty contempt for all other nations. Were the civil manners and innocent improvements of Europe introduced among them, they would soon become a people deserving of universal esteem; but, under the present system, this happy change appears impossible to be effected.

All those nations whom either the nature of the climate or a sense of decency has induced to clothe themselves, have made use at first of loose garments, as being the most easily made. But the Araucanians, from their great attachment to war, which they consider as the only true source of glory, have adopted the short garment, as the best suited to martial conflicts. This dress is made of wool, as was that of the Greeks and