ARAUCANIANS

From Agepedia

ARAUCANIANS. This is a South American nation, of 400,000 inhabitants, in the southern part of Chile. They occupy a temtory containing 64,000 square miles, and stretching from 33° 44' to 39° 5(X of S. lat. They have maintained their independence against the Spaniards to the present time. Bounded on the N. by the river BioBio, on the S. by the river Gallacallay, on the E. by the Andes, and W. by the Pacific ocean, they live under a free, though aristocratical form of government, agreeably to common laws and customs. They dwell in villages, and employ themselves in agriculture and raising cattle. The woollen dress of the men is a shirt and a darkblue mantle ; the women wear a mantle and a long petticoat. The freemen live in huts. Vegetables form their principal food. Polygamy prevails among them, yet the domestic affairs are managed by the women. Their language is allied to the Patagonian. One of the 4 toquis (high hereditary nobility) conducts the public affairs. If he does not, however, enjoy universal respect, the ulmenes, or hereditary nobility of an inferior class, displace him, and substitute one of their own number. Distinguished knowledge and boldness must be shown by the nobility, to excite respect. The general appoints his own lieutenant, who, in his turn, appoints another for himself. Thus eveiy inferior rank is dependent upon the one above it, yet not on the supreme power. In establishing laws and determining in military operations, eveiy A. has a voice. The executive power, however, is not bound by expression of the popular opinion. Till 1551, the A. fought only on foot, and then, for the first time, they learned the value of cavalry. Now they have many horses, and, on their marches, each rider carries a footsoldier behind him, so as to advance with more speed. In battles, the cavalry are posted on both wings. The lieutenantgeneral, vicetoqui, commands one of the wings. In the middle stand the infantry, armed with clubs or spears. They are. likewise, weL skilled in the use of firearms. In their battles, a portion of the warriors usually remain behind as a corpsdereserve. The A. advance to an attack with a hideous noise. In the revolutionary struggle of the South American states, the toqui of the A. resolved upon neutrality, which he honorably maintained.Jjraucana; an epic poem of Ercilla. (See Er cilia.)