The first wife is always respected as the real and legitimate one; the others are called iardimo, or secondary wives. The first wife has also the authority of the mistress of the house; but the other wives are not always obedient, and the husband who has a number of these help-meets, has a deal of trouble to maintain harmony among them, though they generally treat him with great respect.
Celibacy is considered as ignominious. Old bachelors and old maids are called by names that signify old, idle, good for nothing.
Besides the usual female occupations of taking care of the house and children, spinning, weaving, and so on—that females in all countries perform—the women are not obliged to do much of the labor of living. But they pay the greatest attention to the cleanliness of their houses, sweeping them and the courts several times in the course of the day. Whenever they make use of any utensil, they immediately wash it.
The same attention to cleanliness is paid to their persons; they comb their hair twice a day, and once a week wash it with the soap made from the bark of the quillai; which keeps the hair very clean. There is seldom to be seen on their clothes the least spot of dirt.
The men are likewise equally fond of being neat and clean. In warm weather they bathe themselves several times a day, and it is rare, even in winter, that they do not bathe at least once a day.
Children are very kindly treated, and rarely, if ever, punished—the Araucanians holding it as an established truth, that chastisement only renders men base and cowardly.
The usual diet of this people is very simple. They are fond of Indian corn, and potatoes: of the last they have cultivated more than thirty different kinds, from time immemorial. Although they have both large and small animals, and birds in plenty, yet they eat but little flesh, and that is simply boiled or roasted. They rarely eat pork, though they know how to prepare black puddings and sausages; nor do they make much use of fish. They prefer bread and vegetables, especially potatoes, roasted, with a little salt.
Their usual drinks consist of various kinds of beer, and of cider, made from Indian corn, apples, and other fruits. They are extremely fond of wine, which they purchase from the Spaniards; but they have never taken any pains to cultivate the vine, which might be easily raised in the country.
The master of the house eats at the same table with his wives and children. The plates are earthen; the spoons and cups are made of horn and wood. The ulmenes, or nobles, have, in general, wrought plate for the service of their tables; but they only make use of it when they entertain some stranger of rank—then they make all the show possible, as they like to be considered rich. In summer, they are fond of dining in the shade of trees, which for this purpose are always planted round the house. Besides dinner, supper, and breakfast, they have, every day, their luncheon, which consists of a little flour of parched corn, steeped in hot water in the morning, and in cold in the evening.
Such is their common mode of living; but, on the occasions of funerals, marriages, or any other important event, they make great entertainments. Sometimes, three hundred persons are present, and the feasting continues two or three days. These are called cahuin, or circles, because the company seat themselves in a circle around a large branch of cinnamon wood.