quite level parts have been destitute of trees. On account of the
tired horse, I determined to stop at the Mission of Cudico, to the
friar of which I had a letter of introduction. Cudico is an
intermediate district between the forest and the Llanos. There are a
good many cottages, with patches of corn and potatoes, nearly all
belonging to Indians. The tribes dependent on Valdivia are "reducidos y
cristianos." The Indians farther northward, about Arauco and Imperial,
are still very wild, and not converted; but they have all much
intercourse with the Spaniards. The padre said that the Christian
Indians did not much like coming to mass, but that otherwise they
showed respect for religion. The greatest difficulty is in making them
observe the ceremonies of marriage. The wild Indians take as many
wives as they can support, and a cacique will sometimes have more than
ten: on entering his house, the number may be told by that of the
separate fires. Each wife lives a week in turn with the cacique; but
all are employed in weaving ponchos, etc., for his profit. To be the
wife of a cacique, is an honour much sought after by the Indian women.
The men of all these tribes wear a coarse woolen poncho: those south of
Valdivia wear short trousers, and those north of it a petticoat, like
the chilipa of the Gauchos. All have their long hair bound by a
scarlet fillet, but with no other covering on their heads. These
Indians are good-sized men; their cheek-bones are prominent, and in
general appearance they resemble the great American family to which
they belong; but their physiognomy seemed to me to be slightly
different from that of any other tribe which I had before seen. Their
expression is generally grave, and even austere, and possesses much
character: this may pass either for honest bluntness or fierce
determination. The long black hair, the grave and much-lined features,
and the dark complexion, called to my mind old portraits of James I. On
the road we met with none of that humble politeness so universal in
Chiloe. Some gave their "mari-mari" (good morning) with promptness,
but the greater number did not seem inclined to offer any salute. This
independence of manners is probably a consequence of their long wars,
and the repeated victories which they alone, of all the tribes in
America, have gained over the Spaniards.
I spent the evening very pleasantly, talking with the padre. He was
exceedingly kind and hospitable; and coming from Santiago, had
contrived to surround himself with some few comforts. Being a man of
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