The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-10-16
LIFE IN TIE FAR soUrH OF CHILE.

NALDlNIA, chile, Aug. ~, lSOl.-On
the second day of our detention in Liam
isto territory, the swollen, bridgeless
streams still keeping us close prisoners,
we were honored by an invitation to at
tend house-raising on the morrow
which in Araucania is made the occasion
of prolonged festivities and many cere-
monies. We were informed that grand
feast would be the especial feature of
each days dOings, and that every guest
was expected to contribute thereto some
thing edible or drinllable.
What do you suppose was our cOntri-
button? In this case necessity was the
mother of invention, and we sacrificed to
the emergency our last sack of self-rais-
ing flour, baked into large griddle-cakes.
These, when cold, were spread with a
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 by the ladies of the party;
but the imprOmptu dish was pro-
nounced success, and we afterwards
learned that the Indians looked upon it
as the white mans stable article of food.
Early the next morning the great chief
came to escort us in person to the dis
tant clearing where the new dwelling
was to be erected, and as a mark of es-
pecial condescension we ''squaws" were
permitted to follow in the rear. So gor-
geously was his greasy Highness gotten
up for the occasion that it may truly be
said even Solomon in all his glory was
never so arrayed. He wore the yellow
leggins and double crimson bed blanket
lately presented to him by our leader,
with my silver soap-case hung around
his neck by blue ribbon, where it rat
tied against triple necklace of teeth.
human and animal; while his bush hair,
IN which stripes of red flannel were
braided, was crowned by tiara of bril-
liant feathers and hung with long strings
of bird bones. Far in the respectful dis
lance trotted his several wives, bearing
his belo 5ed pipe, guanaco robes for him
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 assembled, and
every dusky face wore look of the most
perfect happiness | ever beheld on hui
man countenance. At one side, where
the squawS were mostly collected we
noticed several young sheep, yet living,
lying bound among scores of chica- pots,
and bags of green corn; and as new
guests arrived, additions were constantly
made to the store. Whenever a donation
was handed in, the following dialogue
invariably took place between the donor
and those appointed to superintend the
feast
81 beg you to accept mere trifle as
an Offering to this great occasion"
'How very generousl nothing of the
kind was expected and you ought not to
have brought so much"
''It is but poor hifle, not worthy so
grand feast, but pray that you will
not disdain it."
Presently some squaws began digging
holes in the ground close by; two young
women seized one of the bound sheep,
stretched it across log, and while one
held it, the other turned over its head
and ran knife into the large vein be-
hind its ear. 1t soon bled to death, and
all the blood was carefully saved for
pudding.
BY the way is itnot strange that among
cons dered an emblem of safety? When
ever they go to war lamb is killed and
its blood sprinkled upon the arms of the
warriors, as a sign that vengeance shall
not overtake them. When they make
treaty of peace the slain lamb is again
brought into requisition. Each of the
covenanting parties drink little of the
blood and eat 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 con-
sists entirely in eating, drinking and Civ
ing orders. When the squaws had dug
the holes and sprinkled in each few
drops of the sleeps blood, chicha-pots
were circulated and all drank freely. An
hour afterwards-chicha dd Hbitum in
the interval-some posts, tall enough to
form the four corners of the house, were
planted by the women in the holes. At
ter another hour or more of home
chewed chicha and cheerful converse
ton, cross pieces were firmly bound to
the posts with throngs of raw-hide; and
the raising for that day was completed.
The interpreter told us that it would re-
quire not less than week to finish the
house. The next day they would weave
in the smaller poles for the walls. On
another day put up the rafters; and so
SO; nursing the job as long as possible
because time, being made for slaves"
is no object to these Independent Arau-
canians. We witnessed only one day of
it, as on the following morning we start
ed 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 it i'll wide circle un-