The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1904-03-10

our garments, exhibiting especial in
terest in our shoes, hats and gloves,
and holding up our watches for the
admiration of the other women.
Presently a huge earthen pot con-
tanning chicha was set on the floor in
the midst of the company, and several
cows horns were brought for drinking
cups. The latter are curious enough
to merit description. They are the
natural horns, scraped, polished and
carved, having both ends tipped with
native silver. These are for the use of
chiefs and we'll to-do-persons; poorer
people being content to drink out of
little gourds which have been scooped
clean and the shells carved and painted.
We devoutly hoped that sQuaws might
be exempt from the duty of drinking,
but there was no such good luck. In
an imperative 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 cere-
mony began, the chief required his ia
vorite wife to take sip from every
horn-a custom among the Araucan-
ians to prove to stranger guests that
the food and drink has not been poison
ed. Most of us turned pale with the
effort, but every one of US womanfully
swallowed horn full at one fell gulp,
or pretended to after splitting much of
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 brew every dirty female in
sight had had hand, or rather tooth.
The Indian way of making it is truth
fully described by gentleman who re-
Gently saw it done in this part of Arau-
cania. He says "While the women
were engaged at their usual avocation,
one of them brought out a dish of
pounded corn, slightly moistened. and !
a small jug, both of which she placed |
upon the ground. One of the girls ap-
preached, took handful of the crush !
ed corn and made it into a ball which |
she stuffed into her mouth, and with
both cheeks distended, returned to her
work. Another followed, and another, |
until all-from children to blear-eyed !
old crones, were busy munching and |
chewing, with their faces puffed out !
like balls, but still managing to keep
pu ceaseless jabbering. In a few
the first returned and lifting
the Jug spewed into it the whole con-
tents of her mouth She took another !
mouthful of corn and went off, chew
ing and jabbering as before. The rest
followed in due time, and so it went on
until the grain was exhausted and the
jug was full. | approached one of the
women, being puzzled to comprehend /
these proceedings, and pointing to the
jug inquired, chen tua'-What is that? .
'Nuvia,' she replied, 'cune, cune,-good, |
good. Just then the guide came along
and | asked him what on earth the
women were doing: Making mudia, !
or Indian chicha,' he explained com
posedly.
Great Scott. The liquor that have
been drinking for month past? The
very same, he replied; and without OBJ
serving the sudden pallor Of my counte-
nance, went on to describe the process
A quantity of wheat or
corn is boiled for several hours over
slow fire, after which the decoction is
and set aside to cool. To this |
a jugful of masticated corn is added, in
order to produce more rapid fermenta
ton; and as soon as fermentation be-
gins the liquor is fit for use'
Warmed into confidence by this Glow
ing cup" the chief informed us that he
was a very rich man, having twenty
wives, fifty ponies and many sheep;
that his subjects were loyal and con-
tented, as were all the tribe to which
he belonged. They were at peace with
the world, had good homes and enough
to eat. What more could be desired? |
True, the smallpox visited them pretty |
often and carried off a good many |
people, but Notwithstanding that de-
the Llanstos were the most |
powerful nation on earth. Through |
the interpreter our party replied that |
we were not Spaniards, nor descendants
from Spaniards, and that we had read
with pleasure how his ancestors had
withstood the conquerors; that we
sympathized with his warriors and
knew from these facts that they were
very brave. This diplomatic speech
made us 'solid,' so to say, with the
Indians. The delighted chief beamed |
from top to toe, in smile SO broad
that nothing stopped it but the posi-
ton of his ears; and whispered some
thing 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 perfectly