Narrative of the surveying voyages of his majesty's ships Adventure and Beagle (vol.1): between the years 1826 and 1836 : describing their examination of the southern shores of South America, and the Beagles's circumnavigation of the globe

310 ARAUCANIANS — DEPUTATION. March 1830. 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 conversa- tion. 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 Avomen, however, are pre- vented 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 been conquered by white men, of which they are not a little proud, (w) 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 dissen- sions of parties, they would not take an active part. They were then given to understand that an attempt had been made by one party to put down another, upon which they declined assisting either. The conference being ended, some horses were rwj Not 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.'