ARAUCANIANS, a'row-lca'ne-ans, a South American native race in the southern part of Chile, formerly occupying Chile, Ar gentina, Chiloe and the Chonos Archipelago, etc. When first encountered by the Spaniards in 1535 they were a confederacy of the loosest kind, with many tribes and sub-tribes in entire indepEndence, and in about the same political stage as the North American Indians, electin a toqui or war-chief and deposing him at will, with no authoritative head in peace, practising polygamy. and for worship conciliating an evil spirit, Quecubu,— probably the same as the Fuegian spirit immortalized by Shakespeare as aSetebos,° the shape given it by Magellan's sailors. They were divided into Picun-che or North-men, living north of the river Manic; Pehuen-che or Pine-men, occupying through central Chile and the pine forests on the west ern slopes of the Andes (the chief division of the tribe, and from whom most of the modern Araucanians are descended) ; Huilli-che or South-men, occupying the rest of the Chilean mainland; Puel-che or East-men; South-men or Patagonians; Chono; Lubu-che or Water men; Cuncho; Payo, etc. But their instant and indomitable cohesion in face of the Spanish attack shows that they were of much higher political stamp than the North Americans. No other native race in the western hemisphere re tained its independence anything like as long. For over two centuries they waged warfare with the Spaniards, broken only by truces sought by the latter, though their numbers were small compared with Aztecs or Quichuas, who went down at a blow. Ercilla's famous epic (q.v.) commemorates their early heroism and that of their powerful chief, Cau polican. In 1641 Spain conceded their inde pendence, confirming it in 1655, imposing only the condition that no enemies of Spain should be allowed to enter their country; an easy con dition, as it amounted only to keeping out all foreigners, which they were glad to do. The
territory left them was about 30,000 square miles, from the Andes to the sea, and from Araueo Bay to the river Calle-Calle. The war was renewed nevertheless, and went on a cen tury and a third longer; till in 1773 the natives, weakened by war and social practices, were compelled to submit. They had not lost the memory of their past, however, and in 1861 a French adventurer named Antoine Tounens, originally a provincial lawyer, had himself elected king of Araucania as Orelie Antoine I; but the Chilean government conquered and deposed him and sent him back to France. In 1870 the Araucanians recognized the sov ereignty of Chile. Araucania occupies a great part of the province of Arauco in south Chile, and is divided into four parallel north-and south districts, each formerly governed by a toqui whose rule had become hereditary before its extinction. The inhabitants are now a mixed race with much Spanish blood. They number perhaps about 50,000, but are said to be decreas ing, owing to smallpox, dysentery, liquors and polygamy. They are of a pale yellow color, and in character and life resemble the higher North American plains Indians, such as the Navajos. They are uncivilizable and unchris tianized ; nomad herdsmen of horses, cattle and sheep; despising agriculture, eating little but meat, and living in skin tents; but skillful wool weavers, skin-dressers and weapon-makers. Their language is so harmonious and flexible that an enthusiastic missionary student once attempted to introduce it into Europe to super sede Latin. Their stock in Chiloe are called Chilotes.