the manner of the German settlements in the time of Charlemagne. Some of these villages exist even at present in several parts of Spanish Chili, of which the most considerable are Lampa, in the province of Saint Jago, and Lora, in that of Maúle.

But as no civil establishment can exist without some form of government, they had in each village or hamlet a chief called Ulmen, who in certain points was subject to the supreme ruler of the tribe, who was known by the same name. The succession of all these chiefs was established by hereditary right, a custom that proves the antiquity of these political assemblages. Among other savage nations, strength, skill in hunting, or martial prowess, were the first steps to authority, and afterwards procured the regal sway for those who were invested with command. But with the Chilians, on the contrary, it would seem as if wealth had been the means of exalting the ruling families to the rank which they occupy, since the word ulmen, unless taken in a metaphorical sense, signifies a rich man. The authority of these chiefs was probably very limited, that is, merely directive, and not coercive, as that of the rulers of all barbarous nations has been, when despotism, favoured by propitious circumstances, has not effaced the ideas of absolute independence, which are in a manner innate among savages, as has been the case with the

greater part of the nations of Asia and of Africa. From hence it will not be necessary to investigate the laws of these small societies, which were probably governed only by usages and customs that had been introduced through motives of necessity or convenience.

The right of private property was fully established among the Chilians. Each was absolute master of the field that he cultivated, and of the product of his industry, which he could transmit to his children by hereditary succession. This fundamental principle gave rise to the first arts, which the wants of nature and their political constitution required. They built their houses of a quadrangular form, and covered the roof with rushes, the walls were made of wood plaistered with clay, and sometimes of brick, called by them tica; the use of which they doubtless learned from the Peruvians, among whom it was known by the same name.

From the wool of the Chilihueque, they manufactured cloths for their garments for this they made use of the spindle and distaff, and two kinds of looms; the first, called guregue, is not very unlike that used in Europe; the other is vertical, from whence it derives its name uthalgue, from the verb uthalen, which signifies to stand upright. Their language contains words appropriate to every part of these looms, and

whatever relates to the manufacture of wool. They had likewise a kind of needle to sew their garments, as is obvious from the verb nuduven, to sew; but of what substance it was made I am unable to determine, Embroidery, to which they gave the name of dumican, was also known to them.

From these arts of the first necessity, they proceeded to those of a secondary kind, or such as were required by convenience. With the excellent clay of their country, they made pots, plates, cups, and even large jars to hold their fermented liquors. These vessels they baked in certain ovens or holes, made in the declivity of hills. They also made use of a mineral earth called colo, for varnishing their vessels. It is very certain that the art of pottery is of great antiquity in Chili, as on opening a large heap of stones in the mountains of Arauco, an urn of extraordinary size was discovered at the bottom. For their vessels they not only made use of earth, but of hard wood, and even of marble, and vases of the latter have been sometimes discovered that were polished with the greatest perfection.

From the earth they extracted gold, silver, copper, tin, and lead; and, after purifying, employed these metals in a variety of useful and curious works, particularly the bell-metal copper, which is very hard; of this they made axes,

hatchets, and other edged tools, but in small quantities, as they are rarely to be met with in their sepulchres; where, on the contrary, hatchets made of a species of basalt are very frequently found. It is remarkable, that iron, universally supposed to have been unknown to the American nations, has a particular name in the Chilian language. It is called panilgue, and the weapons made of it chiuquel, in distinction from those made of other materials, which are comprehended under the general name of nylin. The smith was called ruthavé, from the verb ruthan, which signifies to work in iron. These circumstances give rise to a suspicion that they not only were acquainted with this valuable metal, but that they also made use of it. But, considering the silence of the first writers upon America on this subject, notwithstanding the inferences that may be drawn from hence, this point must always remain undecided, unless pieces of iron should be found of incontestible antiquity.

They had also discovered the method of making salt upon the sea shore, and extracted fossil salt from several mountains that abounded in that production. These they distinguished by different names, 'calling the first chiadi, and the other lilcochiadi, that is, salt of the water of rocks. They procured dyes of all colours for their clothes, not only from the juice of plants,

but also from mineral earths, and had discovered the art of fixing them by means of the polcura, a luminous stone of an astringent quality. Instead of soap, the composition of which they had not discovered, although acquainted with lie, they employed the bark of the quillai, which is an excellent substitute. From the seeds of the madi, they obtained an oil which is very good to eat and to burn, though I am ignorant whether they ever applied it to the latter purpose.

Their language contains words discriminative of several kinds of baskets and mats, which they manufactured from various vegetables. The plant called gnocchia furnishes them with thread for their ropes and fishing nets, of which they have three or four kinds. They also make use of baskets and hooks for taking fish, but of what substance the latter are made I am not able to determine. The inhabitants of the sea-coast make use of pirogues of different sizes, and floats made of wood, or of seal skins sewed together and inflated with air.

Although hunting was not a principal occupation with these people, yet, for amusement, or with the view of increasing their stock of provision, they were accustomed to take such wild animals as are found in their country, particularly birds, of which there are great quantities. For this purpose they made use of the arrow, of the sling, and of the laque or noose, already