The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-10-04
FAR SOUTH OF Chilli
A Llanist0 House Warnings
Women in Festive Array.
NOVEL WAY OF GAINING A BRIDE
A Feast in Which Nachi Figured-A Dish
That VIII Never Be Popular in
the United states.

TALDrv1A, Chill. Sept 20, 1S91-TSpeoial
correspondence Of The SUNDAY HERALD.
On the second day of our detention in the
Llanisto territory, the swollen, bridgeless
streams still keeping US close prisoners, we
we're honored by an invitation to attend
house raising on the morrow-which in
Araucania is made the occasion of pro-
longed festivities and many ceremonies
We were informed that a grand feast
would be the especial feature of each days
doings, and that every guest was expected
10 contribute thereto something edible or
drirkable. What do you suppose was our
contribution? In this case necessity was
the mother of invention. and we sacrificed
to the emergency our last sack of self
raising -four, baked into large griddle
cakes. These, when cold, were spread with
thin coating of canned peach Jam, and
piled one above another in huge heaps. 1t
kept the cook busy all the rest Of the day,
assisted oy the ladies of the party; but the
lmpromptu dish was pronounced success,
and we afterwards learned that the Indians
looked upon it as the white mans staple
article of food.
Early the next morning the great chief
came TO escort US in person to the distant
clearing where the new dwelling was to ue
erected, and as mark of especial conde-
scension
TWO ''sQUAws"
were permitted to follow in the rear. So
gorgeously was his greasy highness gotten
up for the occasion that it NAV truely be
said even Solomon in all his glory was
never so arrayed. He wore the yellow leg
gings and double crimson bed blanket
lately presented to him by our leader, with
my silver soap case hung around his reck
by blue ribbon, where it ratified against a
triple necklace Of teeth, human and animal
while his bushy hair, in which strips of red
flannel were braided, was crowned by a
tiara of brilliant feathers and hung with
long strings of birds bones Far in the
respectful distance trotted his several
wives, bearing his beloved pipe, guanaco
robes for MIN to sit upon, and his choicest
heritage, the time-worn skulls that serve
for drinking vessels, without which no
feast would be complete.
Arrived at the spot we found most of the
villagers already assem- bled, ana every
duSky face wore a look of the most perfect
happiness l ever beheld on human counte-
nances. At one side, where the squaws
were mostly collected, we noticed several
young sheep, yet living, lying bound among
scores OF chlna-pots and bags of green corn,
and as new guests arrived additions were
constantly made to the store. Whenever
donation was handed in the following
dialogue invariably took place between the
donor and those appointed to superintend
the feast: Il beg you to accept mere
trifle as an offering for this great occasion. :"
How very generous; nothing of the kind
was expected, and you ought not to have
brought so much" 1T is but poor trifle
not worthy so great a feast, but pray
that you will not disdain it.n
Presently some squaws began digging
holes in The ground close by; two young
women seized one of the bound sheep,
stretched 1t across log, and while one
held 1t the other turned over its head and
ran knife into the large vein behind its
ear. 1t soon bled to death, and all
THE BLOOD WAS CAREFULLY SAVED
for pudding. BY the way, is it not strange
that among these Indians the blood of a
lamb Is considered an emblem of safety!
Whenever they go to war a lamb is killed
and its blood sprinkled upon the arms of
the warriors as sign that vengeance
shall not overtake them. When they max g
treaty Of peace the slain lamp is again
brought into requisition. Each of the Gov
enanting parties drinks a little of the
blood and eats a bit of the raw flesh TO
prove that what has been sealed by the
blood Of innocence cannot be broken. The
mems part Of the days labor consisted en-
tirely in eating, drinking and giving
orders. When the squaws had dug the
holes and sprinkled in each q few drops of
the sleeps blood, chicha pots were circu-
lated and all drank freely. An hour after
wards-chicha &C Gbitum in the interval
some posts, tall enough to form the four
corners of the house, were planted by the
women in the holes. After another
hour or more of ome-brewed chicha
and cheerful conversation, cross
pieces were firmly bound to the posts
with thongs of rawhide; and the raising
for that day was completed. The inter
pretor told US that it would require not
less than a week to finish the house. The
next day they would weave in the small
poles for the walls. On another day put
up the rafters; and so on; nursing the job
as long as possible. because time. being
made Tor slaves, " is no object to those in
dependent Araucaniens. We witnessed
only one day of it, as on the following
morning we started anew for Valdivia,
but that brief glimpse was sufficient.
Promptly at high noon the squaws an
nounced that the banquet was ready. The
green sward served for festive board -
and the men seated themselves contentedly
upon il in wide circle under the shadow
OF The trees, while the women who were
not engaged in waiting upon them re-
NAMED fasting, dutifully willing to mar
take, hours later, of whatever
CRUMBS AND BITES THAT THEIR LORDS
MIGHT LEAVE
for the dogs and them. First some raw
clans were brought in huge wooden
troughs, and on the top of each trough was
placed one big red pepper. Every Indian
in turn, took two or three clans, and the
the pepper was passed from lip to lip, each