Even across the Argentine provinces--where this nomenclature appears thickest upon the map--the horse Indian of the Pampas extends his forays at will; his "range" meeting, and, in some cases, "dovetailing" into that of the tribes dwelling upon the northern side of these settlements.
The latter, in their turn, carry their plundering expeditions across to the Campos Parexis, on the headwaters of the Amazon, whence stretches the independent territory, far and wide to the Amazon itself; thence to the Orinoco, and across the _Llanos_ to the sh.o.r.es of the Maracaibo Gulf--the free range of the independent Goajiros.
This immense belt of territory, then, is in actual possession of the aborigines. Although occupied at a few points by the white race,-- Spanish and Portuguese,--the occupation scarce deserves the name. The settlements are spa.r.s.e and rather _retrograde_ than _progressive_. The Indian ranges through and around them, wherever and whenever his inclination leads him; and only when some humiliating treaty has secured him a temporary respite from hostilities does the colonist enjoy tranquillity. At other times he lives in continual dread, scarce daring to trust himself beyond the immediate vicinity of his house or village, both of which he has been under the necessity of fortifying.
It is true that at one period of South-American history things were not quite so bad. When the Spanish nation was at the zenith of its power a different condition existed; but even then, in the territory indicated, there were large tracts circ.u.mstanced just as at the present hour,-- tracts which the Spaniards, with all their boasted warlike strength, were unable even to _explore_, much less to subdue. One of these was that which forms the subject of our sketch, "El Gran Chaco."
Of all the tracts of wild territory existing in South America, and known by the different appellations of _Pampas, Paramos, Campos Parexis_, the _Puna_, the _Pajonal, Llanos_, and _Montanas_, there is none possessed of a greater interest than that of _El Gran Chaco_,--perhaps not one that equals it in this respect. It is interesting, not only from having a peculiar soil, climate, and productions, but quite as much from the character and history of its inhabitants, both of which present us with traits and episodes truly romantic.
The "Gran Chaco" is 200,000 square miles in extent, or twice the size of the British Isles. Its eastern boundary is well-defined, being the Paraguay river, and its continuation the Parana, down to the point where the latter receives one of its great western tributaries, the Salado; and this last is usually regarded as the southern and western boundary of the Chaco. Northward its limits are scarcely so definite; though the highlands of Bolivia and the old missionary province of Chiquitos, forming the water-shed between the rivers of the La Plata and the Amazonian basins--may be geographically regarded as the termination of the Chaco in that direction. North and south it extends through eleven degrees of lat.i.tude; east and west it is of unequal breadth,--sometimes expanding, sometimes contracting, according to the ability of the white settlers along it borders to maintain their frontier. On its eastern side, as already stated, the frontier is definite, and terminates on the banks of the Paraguay and Parana. East of this line--coinciding almost with a meridian of longitude--the Indian of the Gran Chaco does not roam, the well-settled province of Corrientes and the dictatorial government of Paraguay presenting a firmer front of resistance; but neither does the colonist of these countries think of crossing to the western bank of the boundary river to form any establishment there. He dares not even set his foot upon the territory of the Chaco. For a thousand miles, up and down, the two races, European and American, hold the opposite banks of this great stream. They gaze across at each other: the one from the portico of his well-built mansion, or perhaps from the street of his town; the other, standing by his humble "toldo,"
or mat-covered tent,--more probably, upon the back of his half-wild horse, reined up for a moment on some projecting promontory that commands the view of the river. And thus have these two races gazed at each other for three centuries, with little other intercourse pa.s.sing between them than that of a deadly hostility.
The surface of the Gran Chaco is throughout of a champaign character.
It may be described as a vast plain. It is not, however, a continuation of the Pampas, since the two are separated by a more broken tract of country, in which lie the sierras of Cordova and San Luis, with the Argentine settlements already mentioned. Besides, the two great plains differ essentially in their character, even to a greater extent than do the Pampas themselves from the desert steppes of Patagonia. Only a few of the animal and vegetable productions of the Gran Chaco are identical with those of the Pampas, and its Indian inhabitants are altogether unlike the sanguinary savages of the more southern plain. The Chaco, approaching many degrees nearer to the equator, is more tropical in its character; in fact, the northern portion of it is truly so, lying as it does within the torrid zone, and presenting the aspect of a tropical vegetation. Every inch of the Chaco is within the palm region; but in its northern half these beautiful trees abound in numberless species, yet unknown to the botanist, and forming the characteristic features of the landscape. Some grow in forests of many miles in extent, others only in "clumps," with open, gra.s.s-covered plains between, while still other species mingle their graceful fronds with the leaves and branches of dicotyledonous trees, or clasped in the embrace of luxuriant llianas and parasitical climbers form groves of the most variegated verdure and fantastic outlines. With such groves the whole surface of the Chaco country is enamelled; the intervals between being occupied by plains of rich waving gra.s.s, now and then tracts of mora.s.s covered with tall and elegant reeds, a few arid spots bristling with singular forms of _algarobia_ and _cactus_, and, in some places, isolated rocky mounds, of dome or conical shape, rising above the general level of the plains, as if intended to be used as watch-towers for their guardianship and safety.
Such are the landscapes which the Grand Chaco presents to the eye--far different from the bald and uniform monotony exhibited in the aspect of either Prairie or Pampa; far grander and lovelier than either--in point of scenic loveliness, perhaps, unequalled on earth. No wonder, then, that the Indian of South America esteems it as an earthly Elysium; no wonder that the Spaniard dreams of it as such,--though to the Spanish priest and the Spanish soldier it has ever proved more of a Purgatory than a Paradise. Both have entered upon its borders, but neither has been able to dwell within its domain; and the attempts at its conquest, by sword and cross, have been alike unsuccessful,--equally and fatally repulsed, throughout a period of more than three hundred years. At this hour, as at the time of the Peruvian conquest,--as on the day when the ships of Mendoza sailed up the waters of the Parana,--the Gran Chaco is an unconquered country, owned by its aboriginal inhabitants, and by them alone. It is true that it is _claimed_, both by Spaniard and Portuguese; and by no less than four separate claimants belonging to these two nationalities. Brazil and Bolivia, Paraguay and the Argentine Confederation, all a.s.sert their t.i.tle to a slice of this earthly paradise; and even quarrel as to how their boundary lines should intersect it!
There is something extremely ludicrous in these claims,--since neither one nor other of the four powers can show the slightest basis for them.
Not one of them can pretend to the claim of conquest; and far less can they rest their rights upon the basis of occupation or possession. So far from possessing the land, not one of them dare set foot over its borders; and they are only too well pleased if its present occupants are contented to remain within them. The claim, therefore, of both Spaniard and Portuguese, has no higher t.i.tle, than that some three hundred and fifty years ago it was given them by the Pope,--a t.i.tle not less ludicrous than their kissing the Pope"s toe to obtain it!
In the midst of these four conflicting claimants, there appears a fifth, and that is the real owner,--the "red Indian" himself. His claim has "three points of the law" in his favour,--possession,--and perhaps the fourth, too,--the power to keep possession. At all events, he has held it for three hundred years against all odds and all comers; and who knows that he may not hold it for three hundred years more?--only, it is to be hoped, for a different use, and under the influence of a more progressive civilisation.
The Indian, then, is the undoubted lord of the "Gran Chaco." Let us drop in upon him, and see what sort of an Indian he is, and how he manages this majestic domain.
After having feasted our eyes upon the rich scenery of the land,--upon the verdant plains, mottled with copses of "quebracho" and clumps of the _Caranday_ palm,--upon landscapes that resemble the most lordly parks, we look around for the mansions and the owners. The mansion is not there, but the owner stands before us.
We are at once struck by his appearance: his person tall, and straight as a reed, his frame muscular, his limbs round and well-proportioned, piercing coal-black eyes, well-formed features, and slightly aquiline nose,--and perhaps we are a little surprised at the light colour of his skin. In this we note a decided peculiarity which distinguishes him from most other tribes of his race. It is not a _red_ Indian we behold, nor yet a _copper-coloured_ savage; but a man whose complexion is scarce darker than that of the mulatto, and not at all deeper in hue than many a Spaniard of Andalusian descent, who boasts possession of the purest "sangre azul;" not one shade darker than thousands of Portuguese dwelling upon the other side of the Brazilian frontier.
And remember, that it is the _true_ skin of the Chaco Indian we have before our view,--and not a _painted_ one,--for here, almost for the first time, do we encounter the native complexion of the aboriginal, undisfigured by those horrid pigments which in these pages have so often glared before the eyes of our readers.
Of paint, the Chaco Indian scarce knows the use; or, at all events, employs it sparingly, and only at intervals, on very particular and ceremonial occasions. We are spared, therefore, the describing his _escutcheon_, and a positive relief it is.
It would be an interesting inquiry to trace out the cause of his thus abstaining from a custom almost universal among his race. Why does he abjure the paint?
Is it because he cannot afford it, or that it is not procurable in his country? No; neither of these can be offered as a reason. The "annotto" bush (_Bixa orellana_), and the wild-indigo, abound in his territory; and he knows how to extract the colours of both,--for his women do extract them, and use them in dying the yarn of their webs.
Other dyewoods--a mult.i.tude of others--he could easily obtain; and even the cochineal cactus, with its gaudy vermilion parasite, is indigenous to his land. It cannot be the scarcity of the material that prevents him from employing it,--what then?
The cause is unexplained; but may it not be that this romantic savage, otherwise more highly gifted than the rest of his race, is endowed also with a truer sense of the beautiful and becoming? _Quien sabe_?
Let it not be understood, however, that he is altogether free from the "taint,"--for he _does_ paint sometimes, as already admitted; and it must be remembered, moreover, that the Chaco Indians are not all of one tribe, nor of one community. There are many a.s.sociations of them scattered over the face of this vast plain, who are not all alike, either in their habits or customs, but, on the contrary, very unlike; who are not even at all times friendly with each other, but occupied with feuds and _vendettas_ of the most deadly description. Some of these tribes paint most frightfully, while others of them go still farther, and _scarify_ their faces with the indelible _tattoo_,--a custom that in America is almost confined to the Indians of the Chaco and a few tribes on the southern tributaries of the Amazon. Happily this custom is on the decline: the men practise it no longer; but, by a singular perversity of taste, it is still universal among the women, and no Chaco belle would be esteemed beautiful without a cross of bluish-black dots upon her forehead, a line of like points extending from the angle of each eye to the ears, with a variety of similar markings upon her cheeks, arms, and bosom. All this is done with the point of a thorn,--the spine of a _mimosa_, or of the _caraguatay_ aloe; and the dark purple colour is obtained by infusing charcoal into the fresh and bleeding punctures. It is an operation that requires days to complete, and the pain from it is of the most acute and prolonged character, enduring until the poisoned wounds become cicatrised. And yet it is borne without a murmur,--just as people in civilised life bear the painful application of hair-dyes and tweezers.
I need not say that the hair of the Chaco Indian does not need to be dyed,--that is, unless he were to fancy having it of a white, or a red, or yellow colour,--not an uncommon fancy among savages.
His taste, however, does not run that way any more than among civilised dandies, and he is contented with its natural hue, which is that of the raven"s wing. But he is not contented to leave it to its natural growth. Only a portion of it,--that which covers the upper part of his head,--is permitted to retain its full length and flowing glories. For the remainder, he has a peculiar _tonsure_ of his own; and the hair immediately over the forehead--and sometimes a stripe running all around above the ears, to the back of the head--is either close shaven with a sharp sh.e.l.l, or plucked entirely out by a pair of horn tweezers of native manufacture. Were it not that the long and luxuriant tresses that still remain,--covering his crown, as with a crest,--the shorn circle would a.s.similate him to some orders of friars; but, notwithstanding the similarity of tonsure, there is not much resemblance between a Chaco Indian and a brother of the crucifix and cowl.
This mode of "dressing the hair" is not altogether peculiar to the Indian of the Gran Chaco. It is also practised by certain prairie tribes,--the Osage, p.a.w.nee, and two or three others; but all these carry the "razor" a little higher up, leaving a mere patch, or "scalp-lock,"
upon the crown.
The Chaco tribes are beardless by nature; and if a few hairs chance to show themselves upon cheek or chin, they are carefully "wed" out. In a like fashion both men and women serve their eyebrows and lashes,-- sacrificing these undoubted ornaments, as they say, to a principle of utility, since they allege that they can _see better without them_!
They laugh at white men, who preserve these appendages, calling them "ostrich-eyed,"--from a resemblance which they perceive between hairy brows and the stiff, hair-like feathers that bristle round the eyes of the rhea, or American ostrich,--a well-known denizen of the Gran Chaco.
The costume of the Chaco Indian is one of exceeding simplicity; and in this again we observe a peculiar trait of his mind. Instead of the tawdry and tinsel ornaments, in which most savages delight to array themselves, he is contented with a single strip of cloth, folded tightly around his loins. It is usually either a piece of white cotton, or of wool woven in a tri-colour of red, white, and blue, and of hues so brilliant, as to produce altogether a pretty effect. The wear of the women scarce differs from that of the men, and the covering of both, scant as it is, is neither inelegant nor immodest. It is well adapted to their mode of life, and to their climate, which is that of an eternal spring. When cold winds sweep over their gra.s.sy plains, they seek protection under the folds of a more ample covering, with which they are provided,--a cloak usually made of the soft fur of the "nutria," or South-American otter, or a robe of the beautiful spotted skin of the jaguar. They wear neither head-dress nor _chaussure_,--neither pendants from the nose, not the hideous lip ornaments seen among other tribes of South America; but many of them pierce the ears; and more especially the women, who split the delicate lobes, and insert into them spiral appendages of rolled palm-leaf, that hang dangling to their very shoulders. It will be observed, therefore, that among the Chaco tribes the women disfigure themselves more than the men, and all, no doubt, in the interest of _fashion_.
It will be seen that the simple dress we have described leaves the limbs and most part of the body bare. To the superficial observer it might be deemed an inelegant costume, and perhaps so it would be among Europeans, or so-called "whites." The deformed figures of European people-- deformed by ages of toil and monarchical serfdom--would ill bear exposure to the light, neither would the tripe-coloured skin, of which they are so commonly conceited. A very different impression is produced by the rich brunette hue,--bronze, if you will,--especially when, as in the case of the Chaco Indian, it covers a body of proper shape, with arms and limbs in symmetrical proportion. Then, and then only, does costly clothing appear superfluous, and the eye at once admits that there is no fashion on earth equal to that of the human form itself.
Above all does it appear graceful on horseback, and almost universally in this att.i.tude does the Chaco Indian exhibit it. Scarce ever may we meet him afoot, but always on the back of his beautiful horse,--the two together presenting the aspect of the Centaur. And probably in the resemblance he approaches nearer to the true ideal of the Grecian myth, than any other horseman in the world; for the Chaco Indians differ not only from other "horse Indians" in their mode of equitation, but also from every other equestrian people. The absurd high-peaked saddles of Tartar and Arab, with their gaudy trappings, are unknown to him,-- unknown, too, the ridiculous paraphernalia, half-hiding the horse, in use among Mexicans, South-American Spaniards, and even the Indians of other tribes,--despised by him the plated bits, the embroidered bridles, and the tinkling spurs, so tickling to the vanity of other New-World equestrians. The Chaco horseman needs no such accessories to his elegance. Saddle he has none, or only the slightest patch of jaguar-skin,--spurs and stirrups are alike absent. Naked he sits upon his naked horse, the beautiful curvature of whose form is interrupted by no extraneous trappings,--even the thong that guides him scarce observable from its slightness. Who then can deny his resemblance to the centaur?
Thus mounted, with no other saddle than that described, no bridle but a thin strip of raw hide looped around the lower jaw of his horse, he will gallop wildly over the plain, wheel in graceful curves to avoid the burrows of the _viscacha_, pa.s.s at full speed through the close-standing and often th.o.r.n.y trunks of the palms, or, if need be, stand erect upon the withers of his horse, like a "star rider" of the Hippodrome. In this att.i.tude he looks abroad for his enemies, or the game of which he may be in search; and, thus elevated above surrounding objects, he discovers the ostrich far off upon the plain, the large deer (_cervus campestris_), and the beautiful spotted roebucks that browse in countless herds upon the gra.s.s-covered savannas.
The dwelling of the Chaco Indian is a tent, not covered with skins, but usually with mats woven from the epidermis of young leaves of a palm-tree. It is set up by two long uprights and a ridge-pole, over which the mat is suspended--very much after the fashion of the _tente d"abri_ used by Zouave soldiers. His bed is a hammock, swung between the upright poles, or oftener, between two palm-trees growing near. He only seeks shelter in his tent when it rains, and he prevents its floor getting wet by digging a trench around the outside. He cares little for exposure to the sun; but his wife is more delicate, and usually carries over her head a large bunch of _rhea_ feathers, _a la parasol_, which protects her face from the hot scorching beams.
The tent does not stand long in one situation. Ample as is the supply which Nature affords in the wilds of the Chaco, it is not all poured out in any one place. This would be too much convenience, and would result in an evil consequence. The receiver of such a benefit would soon become indolent, from the absence of all necessity for exertion; and not only his health, but his moral nature, would suffer from such abundance.
Fortunately no such fate is likely to befall the Indian of the Chaco.
The food upon which he subsists is derived from many varied sources, a few of which only are to be found in any one particular place, and each only at its own season of the year. For instance, upon the dry plains he pursues the _rhea_ and _viscacha_, the jaguar, puma, _and partridges_; in woods and marshy places the different species of wild hogs (peccaries). On the banks of rivers he encounters the tapir and capivara, and in their waters, fish, _utrias_, geese, and ducks. In the denser forest-covered tracts he must look for the various kinds of monkeys, which also const.i.tute a portion of his food. When he would gather the legumes, of the _algarobias_--of several species--or collects the sugary sap of the _caraguatay_, he must visit the tracts where the _mimosae_ and _bromelias_ alone flourish; and then he employs much of his time in searching for the nests of wild bees, from the honey of which and the seeds of the _algarobia_ he distils a pleasant but highly intoxicating drink. To his credit, however, he uses this but sparingly, and only upon grand occasions of ceremony; how different from the b.e.s.t.i.a.l chicha-drinking revellers of the Pampas!
These numerous journeys, and the avocations connecting with them, hinder the Chaco Indian from falling into habits of idleness, and preserve his health to a longevity that is remarkable: so much so, that "to live as long as a Chaco Indian," has become a proverbial expression in the settlements of South America.
The old Styrian monk Dobrizhoffer has chronicled the astounding facts, that among these people a man of eighty is reckoned to be in the prime of manhood; that a hundred years is accounted a common age; and that many of them are still hale and hearty at the age of one hundred and twenty! Allowing for a little exaggeration in the statements of the monk, it is nevertheless certain that the Indians of the Gran Chaco, partly owing to their fine climate, and partly to their mode of life and subsistence, enjoy health and strength to a very old age, and to a degree unknown in less-favoured regions of the world. Of this there is ample and trustworthy testimony.
The food of the Chaco Indian is of a simple character, and he makes no use either of salt or spices. He is usually the owner of a small herd of cattle and a few sheep, which he has obtained by plundering the neighbouring settlements of the Spaniards. It is towards those of the south and west that he generally directs his hostile forays; for he is at peace with the riverine provinces,--Brazilian, Paraguayan, and Correntine.
In these excursions he travels long distances, crossing many a fordless stream and river, and taking along with him wife, children, tents, and utensils, in short, everything which he possesses. He fords the streams by swimming, using one hand to guide his horse. With this hand he can also propel himself, while in the other, he carries his long lance, on the top of which he poises any object he does not wish should be wetted.
A "balza," called "pelota," made of bull"s hide, and more like a square box than a boat, carries over the house utensils and the puppies, of which there are always a large number. The "precious baby" is also a pa.s.senger by the balza. The _pelota_ is propelled, or rather, pulled over, by means of a tiller-rope, held in the teeth of a strong swimmer, or tied to the tail of a horse; and thus the crossing is effected.
Returning with his plunder--with herds of homed cattle or flocks of sheep--not unfrequently with human captives, women and children, the crossing becomes more difficult; but he is certain to effect it without loss, and almost without danger of being overtaken in the pursuit.
His freebooting habits should not be censured too gravely. Many extenuating circ.u.mstances must be taken into consideration,--his wrongs and sanguinary persecutions. It must be remembered that the hostilities commenced on the opposite side; and with the Indian the habit is not altogether indigenous, but rather the result of the principle of retaliation. He is near kindred to the _Incas_,--in fact, some of the Chaco tribes are remnants of the scattered Peruvian race, and he still remembers the sanguinary slaughter of his ancestors by the Pizarros and Almagros. Therefore, using the phraseology of the French tribunals, we may say there are "extenuating circ.u.mstances in his favour." One circ.u.mstance undoubtedly speaks trumpet-tongued for the Chaco Indian; and that is, he does not _torture_ his captives, even when _white_ men have fallen into his hands! As to the captive women and children, their treatment is rather gentle than otherwise; in fact, they are adopted into the tribe, and share, alike with the rest, the pleasures as well as the hardships of a savage life.
When the Chaco Indian possesses horned cattle and sheep, he eats mutton and beef; but if these are wanting, he must resort to the chase. He captures deer and ostriches by running them down with his swift steed, and piercing them with his long spear; and occasionally he uses the _bolas_. For smaller game he employs the bow and arrow, and fish are also caught by shooting them with arrows.
The Chaco Indian is the owner of a breed of dogs, and large packs of these animals may be seen around his camping-ground, or following the cavalcade in its removal from place to place. They are small creatures,--supposed to be derived from a European stock, but they are wonderfully prolific, the female often bringing forth twelve puppies at a birth. They burrow in the ground, and subsist on the offal of the camp. They are used in running down the spotted roebuck, in hunting the capivara, the great ant-bear, _viscachas_, and other small animals. The tapir is taken in traps, and also speared, when the opportunity offers.
His flesh is relished by the Chaco Indian, but his hide is of more consequence, as from it bags, whips, and various other articles can be manufactured. The peccary of two species (_dicotyles torquatus_ and _collaris_) is also pursued by the dogs, and speared by the hunter while pausing to bay the yelping pack; and the great American tiger (jaguar) is killed in a like manner. The slaying of this fierce and powerful quadruped is one of the feats of the Chaco hunter, and both its skin and flesh are articles of eager demand. The latter is particularly sought for; as by eating the flesh of so strong and courageous a creature the Indian fancies his own strength and courage will be increased. When a jaguar is killed, its carca.s.s becomes the common property of all; and each individual of the tribe must have his slice, or "griskin,"--however small the piece may be after such multiplied subdivision! For the same reason, the flesh of the wild boar is relished; also that of the ant-bear--one of the most courageous of animals,--and of the tapir, on account of its great strength.
The bread of the Chaco Indian is derived, as before mentioned, from several species of mimosae, called indefinitely _algarobias_, and by the missionary monks known as "Saint John"s bread." Palms of various kinds furnish edible nuts; and there are many trees in the Chaco forests that produce luscious fruits. With these the Indian varies his diet, and also with wild honey,--a most important article, for reasons already a.s.signed. In the Chaco there are stingless bees, of numerous distinct species,--a proof of the many blossoms which bloom as it were "unseen"
in that flowery Elysium. The honey of these bees--of some of the species in particular--is known to be of the finest and purest quality.
In the Spanish settlements it commands the highest price, and is very difficult to be obtained,--for the Chaco Indian is but little given to commerce, and only occasionally brings it to market. He has but few wants to satisfy, and cares not for the tinsel of the trader: hence it is that most of the honey he gathers is reserved for his own use. He searches for the bees" nest by observing the flight of the insect, as it pa.s.ses back and forward over the wild parterre; and his keenness of sight--far surpa.s.sing that of a European--enables him to trace its movements in the air, and follow it to its h.o.a.rd. He alleges that he could not accomplish this so well, were he enc.u.mbered with eyebrows and lashes, and offers this as one of his reasons for extracting these hirsute appendages. There may be something in what he says,--strange as it sounds to the ear of one who is _not_ a bee-hunter. He finds the nest at length,--sometimes in a hollow tree, sometimes upon a branch,-- the latter kind of nest being a large ma.s.s, of a substance like blotting-paper, and hanging suspended from the twigs. Sometimes he traces the insect to a subterranean dwelling; but it must be remarked that all these are different species of bees, that build their nests and construct the cells of their honeycombs each in its own favourite place, and according to its own fashion. The bee-hunter cares not how--so long as he can find the nest; though he would prefer being guided to one built upon a species of thick octagonal cactus, known as the habitat of the bee "tosimi." This preference is caused by the simple fact--that of all the honey in the Chaco, that of the bee "tosimi" is the _sweetest_.
It is to be regretted that, with his many virtues, and his fine opportunity of exercising them, the Chaco Indian will not consent to remain in peace and good-will with all men. It seems a necessity of his nature to have an occasional shy at some enemy, whether white or of his own complexion. But, indeed, it would be ridiculous to censure him for this, since it appears also to be a vice universal among mankind; for where is the tribe or nation, savage or civilised, who does not practise it, whenever it feels bold enough or strong enough to do so? The Chaco Indian is not alone in his disregard of of the sixth commandment,--not the only being on earth who too frequently goes forth to battle.
He has two distinct kinds of enemies,--one of European, the other of his own race,--almost of his own kindred, you would say. But it must be remembered that there are several distinct tribes dwelling in the Chaco; who, although presenting a certain similitude, are in many respects widely dissimilar; and, so far from forming one nation, or living in harmonious alliance with each other, are more frequently engaged in the most deadly hostilities. Their wars are all conducted on horseback,-- all cavalry skirmishes,--the Chaco Indian disdaining to touch the ground with his foot. Dismounted he would feel himself vanquished,--as much out of his element as a fish, out of water!
His war weapons are of a primitive kind; they are the bow and lance, and a species of club, known in Spanish phraseology as the "macana." This last weapon is also found in the hands of several of the Amazonian tribes, though differing slightly in its construction. The "macana" of the Chaco Indian is a short, stout piece of heavy iron-wood,--usually a species known as the _quebracha_, or "axe-breaker," which grows plentifully throughout the Paraguayan countries. Numerous species are termed "quebracha" in Spanish-American countries, as there are numerous "iron-woods." That of Paraguay, like most others that have obtained this name, is a species of ebony-wood, or lignum-vitae,--in short, a true _guaiac.u.m_. The wood is hard, solid, and heavy almost as metal; and therefore just the very stuff for a war-club.
The macana of the Chaco Indian is short,--not much over two feet in length, and is used both for striking in the hand and throwing to a distance. It is thicker, and of course heavier, at both extremities; and the mode of grasping it is round the narrow part in the middle. The Indian youths, while training for war, practise throwing the macana, as other people play at skittles or quoits.
The _lazo_ and _bolas_ are both in the hands of the Chaco tribes, but these contrivances are used sparingly, and more for hunting than war.
They rarely trouble themselves with them on a real war expedition.
Their chief weapons against an enemy are their long lances,--for these are far the most effective arms for a man mounted on horseback. Those of the Chaco Indian are of enormous length, their shafts being often fifteen feet from b.u.t.t to barb. They use them also when mounting on horseback, in a fashion peculiar to themselves. They mount by the right side, contrary to our European mode; nor is there the slightest resemblance in any other respect between the two fashions of getting into the saddle. With the Chaco Indian there is no putting toes into stirrups,--no tugging at the poor steed"s withers,--no clinging or climbing into the seat. He places the b.u.t.t of his lance upon the ground, grasps it a little above his head with the right hand, and then raising his lithe body with an elastic spring, he drops like a cat upon the spine of his well-trained steed. A word,--a touch of his knee, or other well-understood signal,--and the animal is off like an arrow.