Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-09-20

| DIDN'T CARE FOR THE LADIES'
Having been told by the interpreter why
we were passing through his country, he
shook hands with each of the men, but of
course his dignity forbade such an act Of
condescension toward ''squaws," though
they were comparatively white ones-a cir
eumstance we did not regret. An army of
boys had congregatsd in open-mouthed
wonder, and bidding them hold the horses,
ms Dlanketed highness invited us to enter
the casa, where his numerous wives were
already spreading guanaco skins on the dirt
floor for us to sit upon. He even unbent so
far toward us insignificant "women folk"
as to introduce his favorite squaw by a
jerk of his thumb in her direction and ours;
Whereupon that lady Immediately began
minute examination of our garments, eI-
h1bltlng especial interest in our boots, hats
and gloves, and holding up our watches for
the admiration of the women
Presently huge esrthen pot, containing
chicha, was set on the floor in the midst of
the company, and several cows horns
brought for drinking vessels The latter are
natural horns, scraped, polished and carved,
having both ends tipped with native silver.
These are for the use of chiefs and well-to-
do persons, poorer people being content
with drinking out of little gourds which
have been scooped out and the shells carved
or painted.
THEY DRANK LIKE HERoINES.
We devoutly hoped that the squaws might
be exempt from the duty of drinking, but
there was no such good luck. In an imper-
ative aside our interpreter told us that we
must not only drink, but drink with gusto,
pretend to like it and call for more, if we
would not give mortal offense and endanger
the lives of the whole party. Before the
ceremony began, the chief required his
favorite wife to take sip from every horn
"a custom among the Araucanians to prove
to stranger-guests that the food or drink has
not been poisoned. Most of US turned pale
with the effort but every one swallowed
horn full at one fell gulp-or pretended to,
after spilling it in the long, thick fur upon
which we sat.
Chicha is not unpleasant to the taste,
whether made of corn, wheat, apples or wild
grapes, but we knew that in this every dirty
female in sight had had hand, or rather a
tooth. The Indian way of making this is
truthfully described by gentleman who re-
Gently saw it done in this part of Araucania
He says:
THE MANUFACTURE OF CHICHA.
While the women are engaged at their
dish of meal, slightly moistened, and
small earthen jug, both of which she sat
upon the ground. One OF the girls ap-
preached, took a handful of the meal and
made it into a ball, which she stuffed in her
mouth, and with both cheeks distended, re-
turned to her work. Another followed, and
another. until all, from children to blear-
eyed old crones, were busy munchin2 and
chewing, with their faces puffed out like
balls, but still managing to keep up a cease
less jabbering. In q few minutes lhe first
returned, and, lifting up the jug, emptied
into it the whole contents Of her mouth.
She took another mOuthful of meal and
went of, chewing and jabbering ms before.
The rest followed in due time; and so it went
on until the meal was exhausted and the jug
was full approached one of the women,
being puzzled to comprehend these proceed
ings, and pointing to the jug inquired
Chem tua?'-(whatis that7)
"Mudai." she replied, "cume, cume" (good.
good). just then the guide came along and
l asked him what on earth the women uere
doing. Making mudai, or Indian chicha, he
explained composedly.
"Great Scott, the liquor that have been
drink king for a month past7"
1.-THE very same" he replied, and without
observing the nervous twitching of my
mouth, he went on to describe the process
minutely. A quantity of wheat is boiled
over a slow fire for several hours, after
which the decoction is strained and set aside
to cool. To this jugful of masticated grain
is added, in order to produce rapid fern en-
tation; and as soon as fermenC nCation begins
the liquor is fit for use. A bumper of the
fresh brewed was offered me that evening,
which respectfully declined This process
Of beer making is not peculiar to the Arau-
canians, for Mr.. Herndon, in his "Valley of
the Amazon" speaks of O native drink pre-
pared in the same way.
AN ARMFUL OF SKULLS.
Warmed into confidence by this glowing
cup" the Chief informed us that he was a
very rich man, having 10 wives, so ponies
opd chaon Throu0h ba int
we replied that we were not Spaniards, nor
descendants of Spaniards, and that we had
read with pleasure how his ancestors had
withstood the conquerors; that we SYM
pathized with his warriors, and knew from
those facts that they were very brave. The
delighted Chief beamed from top to toe with
pleasure, and whispered something to
squaw, who left the room and presently
returned with an armful of human skulls.
From most of them the face part had been
partially cut away, and all were worn per-
fectly smooth. The grinning Chief assured
US that every skull was once the Uranium
of Spaniard of high rank, who had been
slain while fighting the Araucanians Some
of them had been handed down from gener-
alton to generation through several CEN
turies, and were used only by chiefs and
wise men to drink cut of on great occa-
siona The others had been taken from
enemies during his own time, and were used
for drinking cups at ordinary feasts.
EXTRAORDINARY RELIGIOUS BELIEFS
One of the party. anxious to learn some
thing about the religious belief of these
strange people, asked the Chief if he were
not afraid those dead Spaniards might re-
turn sometime and claim their heads. His |
lordship replied, with perfect sincerity, !
that he did not think it possible because |
they were fully occupied, up in the clouds, |
fighting with the Indians they had killed, |
and being themselves killed, over and over |
again, through all eternity. In reply to
the question whether all Indians go to the
clouds at death, he said that only warriors
that had distinguished themselves in battle
were permitted to go there. When q COM
mon Indian dies he Immediately becomes a
having nothing to do but to
wander up and down the earth, eating
sweet thing and singing his enemies. The
Araucanians never have q feast without
putting some chicha, sugar and other good
things on the graves Of their dead, SO that
the bumblebees into which the departed
have entered, may have their share.
After an hour or two of this edifying oon-
versation we begged permission to retire
and pitch our tents for the night. To this
not unreasonable request the chiefwas loath
TO consent, saying that we must remain In
bis house, where his wives would serve US
we'll Being placated, however, by the gift
Of red blanket, q pair of yellow leggins
and q small mirror, he reluctantly let US go.
FANNIE B. WARD.