Narrative of the surveying voyages of his majesty's ships Adventure and Beagle (vol.2): between the years 1826 and 1836 : describing their examination of the southern shores of South America, and the Beagles's circumnavigation of the globe

388 HCiLLi-CHE — SUPERSTITIONS. Jan. Feb. August 18^ the day tides .were higher than the night, I am quite certain ; and an old Biscayan, resident near point A rena, told me that they were always so in winter : hence we may conclude they are regularly higher at that time of year. I refrain from entering here into many very interesting customs of the Huilli-che, because they are almost the same as those of the Araucanian Indians, about whom so much has been sung or said by Ercilla, Molina, and others, because my pages are limited, there being still information of a newer character to be written ; but I would ask the reader, who may feel interested about the migrations of our race, to compare such customs with those of the Polynesian islanders, especially that of the ' Minga,' and making ' Cava.' * The superstitious ideas, arising out of a debased Romish doctrine, have not deprived the Huilli-che of their belief in witchcraft, a belief held in common with all ignorant nations. Mr. Douglas, in his MS. Journal, says : — " No Chilote doubts the existence of wizards (bruxos) . When I was a magistrate, a complaint was made to me of a young woman who, they asserted, had tried to bewitch a young man. The witnesses stated that she had bought from a professed witch (bruxa) a charm (llapui), which was produced in evidence. It consisted of a piece of loadstone, with iron filings adhering to it ; some fish-scales ; some hair and soap suds, proved to have been on the young man's face, and sold by the barber ; some parings of his nails ; a small dead lizard ; some slips of a peculiar tree ; and many other ingredients. With this charm, with two pre- pai-ed apples, and a bottle half full of a liquid mixed by the witch, she proposed to win the young man's affections to such a degree that he would give her all his property. The liquid appeared to be a decoction of the deadly nightshade, and some poisonous ferns. The witnesses stated also, that this witch had a lantern made of the skin of a still-born child, which she lighted with a candle that burned with a blue flame ; and gave * The Minga is described in Molina, and Spanish authors. For an excellent discussion respecting the Cava, see Burney — Brouwer's Voyage, 1643, vol iii. p. 137, 8, 9.