this day.

It may be succinctly said that, while the status of the Araucanian woman
was far from being equal to that of her Peruvian or Aztec sister, she
was yet held in higher esteem than was usual among most Indian tribes.
One of the manifestations of the racial instincts of the Araucanians is
to be found in their delight in that which is generally and
contemptuously denoted "finery." The women as well as the men painted
their faces: not after the manner of civilization, but after that of
savagery, the colors used being red and black, and with pigments of
these hues the Araucanian belle decorated her face, using the black
chiefly for emphasis of the eyebrows, eyelashes, and eyelids, much in
the manner in which henna is used by Oriental women. A curious use of
the black paint was the occasional depiction of sable tears rolling down
the cheeks. Silver and beads were much worn,--for silver was almost as
common as stone among the aborigines of Chili,--and bright colors were
profusely used in the dress of the Araucanian lady of social standing.
The most distinctive part of the costume of the Araucanian belle was her
headdress and the manner of wearing the hair, the former being composed
entirely of beads, and coming low upon the forehead, while it passed
over the head and descended quite low on the back; the hair was worn in
two queues, which were wound with bright colored beads, the ends falling
over the face or sticking out in front like horns.

As among most Indian races, polygamy prevailed among the Araucanians. To
the women fell the greater part of the work; indeed, it would not be
overstating the case to assert that the wife did all the labor in the
Araucanian household, even to those offices which the Indian of the
northern continent generally performed for himself. Yet the women of the
Araucanians were not ill treated as a rule. Marriage by capture
prevailed, though there was about it also the elements of marriage by
purchase. The friends of the wooer sought the father of the girl and
requested his consent to the match; but this was rather a matter of form
to even more than the usual extent, since while the father was thus
being flattered the lover was searching for his bride. Invading the
sanctity of her chamber and plucking her forth, by the hair or heels, as
was most convenient,--for the Araucanian was somewhat strenuous in his
wooing,--he threw her upon his horse and galloped off with her _a la_
Lochinvar, lea