Frezier Says, That He Has Been Credibly Informed
By Eye-Witnesses, That Some Of These Were About Nine Or Ten Feet High.
I
had sight of two of these Indians, who came from the southward of St
Domingo river, one of whom was a cacique, who did not seem to me to
differ in their persons from the ordinary natives of Chiloe.
They were
decently clothed in ponchos, monteras, and poulains. The poncho is
a sort of square carpet, having a slit or hole cut in the middle, wide
enough to slip over the head, so that it hangs down over the shoulders,
half before and half behind, under which they generally wear a short
doublet. On their heads they have a montera, or cap nearly like those
of our postillions, and their legs are covered by the poulains, a kind
of knit buskins, or hose without feet. In short, their appearance has
little or none of the savage. Their habitations are firmly built of
planks, but have no chimneys, so that they are very black and sooty
within.
[Footnote 261: See an account of the native tribes, inhabiting the
southern extremity of South America, vol. V. p. 401.]
They inclose some of their land for cultivation, by means of rails or
paling; and although they have plenty of every thing necessary to a
comfortable subsistence, they have no bread, from wanting mills in which
to grind and prepare their wheat They use a miserable substitute, making
a kind of cakes of sea-weeds, which from use is much esteemed by them,
and was not even disliked by some of our men. Besides this, they prepare
their maize in several manners to answer the purpose of bread, and they
use potatoes and other roots with the same intention. They prepare a
liquor called chicha from their Indian corn, in imitation of their
neighbours on the continent of Chili; but the Spaniards endeavor to curb
their propensity to the use of this liquor, as their drinking bouts have
often occasioned seditions and revolts. Such of the natives as have no
European weapons, use pikes, darts, and other arms of the country. Among
these is a running noose on a long leathern thong, called a lays,
which they use with surprising dexterity for catching cattle, horses, or
other animals, even when at full career. From all that I could see of
the natives of Chiloe, or hear respecting the Chilese, they seem to
resemble each other in all things, which is not wonderful, considering
the near neighbourhood of this island to the continent of Chili. They
use small drums, the heads of which are made of goats skins with the
hair on, and give a very dull sound.
The natives of Chiloe carry on a small woollen manufacture, consisting
of ponchoes and other articles of clothing, formerly mentioned. They
also export considerable quantities of cedar, both in plank, and wrought
up into boxes, chests, desks, and the like, with which they supply all
Chili and Peru.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 376 of 431
Words from 195787 to 196290
of 224764
