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310 ARAÜ CAN IANS -D E PU TA T IO N . March 1830.
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dress, and wore the deshabille of a Spaniard, a shirt and pair
of trowsers, in a very slovenly manner. He spoke Spanish with
great facility, and appeared to be quite at his ease in conversation.
He has the rank of lieutenant-colonel in the Chilian
army, and receives pay, as a retainer for his friendship.
A very short visit was sufficient to satisfy us, and we took
the first opportunity of retiring, for fear of a second cup of
wine. While leaving the hut, we were beset by some of his
followers, asking for money. The Indian quarter is a scene of
drunkenness the whole day ; the women, however, are prevented
from thus injuring themselves; they are industrious
and cleanly, and are principally occupied in the manufacture
of ponchos. These Indians are frequently at war with other
tribes, who live on the south side of the Bio-Bio river, and who
have never yet heen conquered hy white men, of which they
are not a little proud, (iv)
These Araucanians are by no means to be despised. The
Cacique Mariloan,* who resides near San Carlos, on the Bio-Bio,
has three hundred fighting men under his own command ; and
from the influence he holds over neighbouring Caciques, could
bring upwards of one thousand men into the field. Upon the
occasion of a late revolution in Chile, a deputation of chiefs
was sent by the Araucanian Caciques to inquire into the cause
of those disturbances, of which they had received intelligence.
They first asked for an interpreter, whom they cautioned to
give a true and literal translation of their speech ; and then
they made a long harangue, in which they explained the cause
of their visit, and declared their willingness to assist their
friends, if their aid should be required, to expel a foreign foe ;
but if the troubles were caused only by the quarrels and dissensions
of parties, they would not take an active part. They
were then given to understand that an attempt had heen made
by one party to put down another, upon which they declined
assisting either. The conference being ended, some horses were
Cw) N o t since the first Spanish conquest, perhaps.—R. F.
• From ‘ Mari,’ diez, and ‘ loan,’ huapo : whence Mariloan means
‘ huapo como diez,’ or, ‘ equal to ten men.’
slaughtered and skinned. Large holes were dug, and the skins
put into them, to form substitutes for vessels, into which
barrels of wine were poured, and the Indians commenced their
feast of horses’ flesh and turbid wine, which threw them rapidly
into a state of excitement and intoxication, that lasted some
hours after the wine was all drunk.
In this neighbourhood, the Araucanian pine (Araucaria
imbricata) is found, but very few of the trees grow near the
sea. One beautiful specimen which I saw in a garden was, at
least, forty feet in height, with branches sweeping the ground.
The cones of these trees, called piñones, are brought to the
town from the mountains where they grow, and are roasted, to
be sold in the streets.
On the 31st of March, the land about Cape Lucia was seen,
and at noon it bore E. b. N., distant twelve miles, when the
wind ceased, and a heavy swell setting us towards the land,
made our situation an anxious one. A breeze, however, sprung
up, and by carrying a press of sail, we succeeded in gaining
an offing before dark. The night was very squally, but next
morning (1st April) the weather was better, so we stood in,
and made the Evangelists, which were seen from the masthead,
at a distance o f twenty-two miles. Between these islands
and Cape Pillar we found a most turbulent sea; yet no sooner
had we entered the Strait, than the water became perfectly
smooth. I intended anchoring in the Harbour of Mercy ; but
the night proved fine, and the wind was so favourable, that
we proceeded by the chart, using a patent log, and passing
within two miles of the headlands. Sail was reduced as
much as possible, to give us space sufficient to run on during
the night, steering E. f S. by compass. Towards midnight
the weather became cloudy, and occasionally the land was
concealed from our view.
Abreast of Cape Tamar, and as far as Cape Providence,
some sharp squalls raised a sea, rather heavy, considering we
were in the Strait; but afterwards the water became smooth
again. Off the latter cape, the patent log indicated a distance
run equal to that shown by the chart, which proved that we had
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