The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-03-17

horses tethered at little distance. where a wooded hillock served as
 breakweather. A splendid grove of
 pimento (pepper) trees. whose dropping
 branches covered with feathery leaves
 of darkest green and long punches of
 rose-pink pepper corns, nearly touching
 the ground on every side. overshadowed
 all. A guard of armed peons and mule
 teers was posted night and day, and the
 gentlemen took turns in overseeing the
 watch. But our precautions proved to
 be entirely unnecessary. We were nev-
 CT safer in the heart of civilization than
 in Araucania, in the unsurveyed wilds
 of this desert country; and had any
 outside danger menaced. I believe that
 the Indians-who considered us their
 guests and therefore under their spe-
 cial protectlon-would have defended
 us, with their lives if need be.
 It happened that a storm came on-a
 three days chilly drizzle, common in this latitute at any time of year, where
 a wet season and a dry. which prevail
 nearer the equator. are not so distinct
 ly defined Horse back travelling in the
 rain. through an uninhabited district.
 would have been extremely uncomfort-
 able, so we were easily persuaded to re-
 main in camp until the skies cleared. I have camped in many climes. under
 diverse circumstances, and picnicked with all sorts of people; but have new
 CT enjoyed such real camping out" (the intended spirit of which is a return to aboriginal life) as here among one of the most war-like tribes on the face of the earth. The squaws insisted on talk ing entire care of the animals, and kept us plentifulIy supplied with cool water from a distant spring and brush-wood for cooking purposes; and every morn- ing young sheep, freshly killed and dressed, was brought as 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 civiliz- ation, we got even, to their unbound
 ed delight, by presents of such trinkets as hand-mirrors, buttons cut from our clothes. sewing materials, silk ties ana handkerchiefs, etc. The articles that
 appeared to give most pleasure were a mouth-organ, a jews harp and a wheezy old accordian which we purchased for the chief from the muleteers. My siI-
 yer soap-dish the chief immediately filled with tobacco and hung around his neck by string: and a rose-color-
 ed jersey under-vest. belonging to one
 of the ladies, thence-forth served his
 highness favorte daughter, child
 about twelve years old. as a costume complete, reaching from shoulders to knees, and being the only garment she
 wore.
 When the storm first began, heralded
 by skurrying clouds and muttering
 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 ances-
 tors and the spaniards who had killed them. Believing the thunder to be the
 latters cry of fear and distress they
 turned out ennlasse in the pouring rain
 to cheer the wraths of their warriors, Then we remembered that when one of
 our party asked the chief if he was not
 afraid that the Spaniards whose heads
 served him for drinking cups might re- turn something to claim them, his lord- ship 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 kill ed, over and over again, through all eternity. When the storm began to
 abate they watched the skies with the
 utmost anxiety, for they have one sign by which to know the side that has
 won in the ghostly battle If the clouds move toward the village, the In-
 dians have been victorious; but if they move from it, the Spaniards have won and everybody is sorrowful In this in-
 stance the clouds swept gloriously, full phalanx, toward the town, and all were happy. A feast was spread, to which we were bidden, and dancing and sing ing Cor, rather, howling) was kept up all night. may mention, en passant, that though we attended the feast--for to have remained away would have
 been construed as showing sympathy
 with the defeated Spaniards and might have been dangerous-our appeties were not voracious Chicka-home-
 chewed-of course flowed far more
 abundantly than water, and stewed poppy figured prominently among the delicacies. Thanks, however, to the
 horde of living canines thta prowled
 around the squalling circle. and to our | awkwardness-b real and stimulated We managed to dispose of objectionable viands, unnoticed amid the general hil- arity The worst time came with the ceremony of drinking from those awful skulls. Happily, "squaws" of any color are exempt from that duty, the sex be- l ing too insignificant to be allowed such l familiarity with the lords of Araucania. We saw the men of our party grow l pale and paler as those time-w worn eran- iums approached, being handed from mouth to mouth around the circle; but
 afterwards every one of them assured
 us that though they lifted the skull and
 pretended to swallow with gusto, their ! lips touched nothing.
 The Araucanians never have a feast l without putting some chicha sugar i and other good things on the graves of their dead, so that the departed may 1 have their share. They believe that when a common Indian dies, he imme- diately becomes a humble-bee, having nothing to do but to wander up and l down the earth, eating sweet things and stinging his enemies. Hence the sugar that is placed upon the grave 1 All the Araucanians are extremely su-