Page:A history of Chile.djvu/50

 they at last have succumbed to superior arms and numbers and will soon be known only in history. Still this almost unconquerable race leaves behind a hardy progeny and infuses its valor into the very air of Chile, until to-day the little republic stands at the head of Spanish-America, the most war-like, the most pugnacious and uncompromising of all the minor nations of the earth. These Southern Chilean tribes apparently withstood the conquering arms of the ancient Incarial dynasties, which for ages rose and fell in Peru like the Pharoahs of Egypt; for three centuries and a half they have fought for their liberties against the dominant race, raising up hero after hero like the Highlands of Scotland, until Chile, like Scotland, has heroism quickening the flow of her blood by all the memories of her historic past. Therefore, Chile is aggressive, heroic and progressive.

We have already given a brief epitome of the appearance, habits and customs of the natives Almagro found occupying Chile when he first descended into its verdant valleys. Some insight into the military system, social organization and disposition of the Araucanians and their allies, should be here given, that we may better know the character of the enemies with whom Valdivia had to cope.

These Indians have from time immemorial inhabited the country lying south of the river Biobio, their territory extending to the vicinity of the city of Valdivia, and covering all the region between the Andes and the Pacific. The province of Arauco gives the leading tribe its appellation, or rather, perhaps, the province is named after the tribe. They divided their country into four political divisions running from north to south, calling each divison a uthul-mapu. The first was named in their language the Maritime country