Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-09-28
GILLIAN INDIANS.
Camping Among the Aborigines
of Parkway Chill.
THE SAVAGE ARAUCANIANS.
How the Medicine Men Turn Patient Wrong
Side Out
In Their Search for the DeviI-The Career
of Youthful Brave-How storms
Affect the Indians-One
Sure Sign.
GILLIAN INDIANS.
THE SAVAGE ARAUCANIANS.
Special Correspondence of Gazette.

Special Correspondence OF Gazette.
VALDIvIA, CHILL, Aug. 22.-Our camp in
the Llanista village was arranged with the
ladies' sleeping tents in the center, the five
other tents set close around it, the mules
aud horses tethered at a little distan ce
where a wooded hillocb served as break
weather-all under the shelter of a splendid
grove or pimento (pepper) trees, whose
dropping branches, covered with feathery
leaves Of darkest green and long punches of
pink pepper corns nearly touched the
ground on either side. A guard of armed
servants and muleteers were posted night
and day, and the gentlemen took turns III
overseeing the watch. But our precau-
tons proved to be entirely unnecessary.
We were never safer in the midst of civili-
zation than here in the heart Of Araucania,
in the 'unsurveyed wilds OF this distant
country, and had any outside danger men,
aced US l believe that the lndians-who
considered US their guests and therefore
under their special protection-would have
defended US with their lives, if need be.
1t happened that storm came on-a
three days chilly drizzle, common in this
latitude at any time of the year, where a
wet season and dry, which prevail nearer
the equator, are not so distinctly defined.
Horseback travelling III the rain, through an
uninhabited district, would have been eX-
tremely uncomfortable, SO we were easily
persuaded to remain i'll camp until the skies
cleared. have camped in many climes,
under diverse circumstances, and picnicked
with all sorts of people, but have never en-
ioyed such real camping out'' (the intended
spirit of which is return to aboriginal
lIfe) as here among one of the most war
like tribes on the face of the earth, whose
ancestors for centuries successfully re
sisted civilized arms and Spanish crueltieS,
and maintained their independence intact,
while all the other nations of South and
Central America fell under the sway of the
conquerors.
The sqUaws insisted on taking entire care
Of the animal, and kept us plentifully sup
piled with cool water from distant spring
and brushwood for cooking purposes and
every morning the carcass of a young sheep,
freshly killed and dressed was brought as
4 gift from the chief Knowing that money
was one of the least desirable things we
could give these kind hearted barbarians, as
they had no use for the currency of civiliZa-
ton, we ''got even" to their unbounded de-
light. by presents of triuketS-such as toilet
articles, hand-mirrOrs, buttons cut from
our clothes, sewing materials, silk ties and
handkerchiefs, etc. The articles that ap-
peared TO give most heartfelt pleasure
were mouth-organ, jews-harp and an
accordion, which we purchased for
the purpose from the muleteers,
nv silver soap-case, (Which the chief i'm
around his neck by string), and rose
colored, be-ribboned jersey under-vest,
which thenceforth served his hi ghness'
favorite daughter, a child about twelve years
old, rs a costume complete, reaching from
shoulders TO knees and being the only gar
ment she wore.
We noticed that when the storm first be-
gan, heralded by skurrying clouds and NUT
Iering thunder, the Indians appeared to be
greatly excited for they knew there was
going to be another great battle in the sky,
between their dead ancestors and the Span
lards who had killed them. Believing the
thunder 10 be the latter's cry of fear and
distress, hey turned out en- masse in the
pouring rain to cheer the wraiths of their
warriors. When the storm began to abate
they watched the skies with utmost anX-
iety, for they have one sure sign by which
10 know which side has won the ghostly
battle; if the clouds move toward the vii
Iage the Indians have been victorious, but
II they move from 1t the conquiStadoreS
have won, and every body is sorrowful. In
this instance the clouds swept gloriously,
full phalanX, toward the town, and all were
happy A feast was spread, to which we
were hidden, and dancing and singing Tor
rather howling) was kept up all night
may mention en- PEASANT that, though we
attended the feast, for to have remained
away would have been construed
as showing sympathy with the defeated
Spaniards and given deadly ohense, our ap-
petiteS were not voracious. Chicha-home-
chewed--of course. flowed far more abund-
antly than water, and stewed puppy figured
prominently among the dehcacies. Thanks,
however, to the horde of living CANNES that
prowled around the squalling circle and to
our awkwardness--bothr real and simulated
we managed to dispose of all objectionable
viands unuoticed amid the general hilarity.
The worst time came with the ceremony of
drinking from those human skulls. Hap
PLY ''squawsn of any color are exempt
from the horrible duty, the sex being too
insignificant to be allowed such familiarity
with the lords of Araucania. We saw the
gentlemen OF our party grow pale and paler
as those time-worn craniums approached,
being handed from mouth to mouth around
the circle. but subsequently every one of
them assured US that, though they lifted
the skulls and pretended to swallow with
gusto their lips touched nothing.
All the Araucaniaus are extremely super
stltious, and attach signification TO every
dream, confidently looking for its fulfill
ment. The sin ring of certain bird is re-
garded as bad omen, and augurs death.
The twitching of the muscles of the left
arm also foretells death, and should it oc-
cur to an Araucanian when en- route to the
field of battle, the whole army would turn
back. Ii one of them happens to see fawn
on the left side of path or trail, it signifies
sickness or i'll luck; but if the animal
stands on the right side, it means long life,
numerous friends and plenty to eat. The
Castiroes believe in the literal resurrection
Of the body-that the dead pass at once TO
happy hunting grounds in the far West,
where the sun sleeps, and there each happy
Indian has large tract Of land and all the