The Riverside Natural History Volume 6 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1888 Excerpt: ...from men. Still human sacrifice sometimes appears, for which prisoners of war are used. The soul is immortal and goes after death into the land beyond the Andes. Fig. 119.--Araucanian Chief. The Araucanians, east of the Andes, offer some variations from the above description. The Picunches, who stand lowest of all, have a darker tint, live in the passes of the Cordillera, plunder all travelers, and are governed by petty chiefs. Very noteworthy is the obedience, especially of the Chenna, otherwise known as Manzaneros, to their cacicas. His word is law, his power is absolute; at his slightest motion the most distant of his subjects leaves his home, wife, and child, arms and mounts himself, and places himself at his chiefs command. These half-civilized Araucanians are also superior in every respect, save bodily strength, to their southern neighbors; and their fixed abodes in the midst of a fruitful territory gives them great advantages over the nomadic Patagonians. They cultivate nut trees; and, besides making cider of unusual strength, brew an intoxicating drink called 'pulco.' Their language is softer and more melodious and has a richer vocabulary than the neighboring Tehueltic on the south; a good observer, Mr. Musters, thinks it closely related to the Pampas tongue. Their clothing is generally neat and clean, and the morning bath is never forgotten. Musters could discover nothing of their religious usages; still he is convinced that they worship the sun, but no trace of idols is to be found. Their ceremonies on festive occasions, as births and the like, are nearly the same as those of the Tehuelts. They never begin a meal without first casting a piece of bread or meat on the ground and murmuring a few magic words, to propitiate Gaulichu, for, upon the whol...