"The Indians were Araucanian from the south of Chile; several hundreds in number and highly disciplined. The first appeared in two bodies on a neighboring hill; having there dismounted, and taken off their fur mantles, they advanced naked to the charge. The only weapon of an Indian is a very long bamboo or chuzo, ornamented with ostrich feathers, and pointed by a sharp spear-head. My informer seemed to remember with the greatest horror the quivering of these chuzos as they approached near. When close, the cacique Pincheira hailed the besieged to give up their arms, or he would cut all their throats. As this would probably been the result of their entrance under any circumstances, the answer was given by a volley of musketry." Charles Darwin, Voyage of the Beagle
It appears that the native peoples just wanted the horses and sheep of the plantation owners and, when they found they could not tear up the posts holding the animals, the Araucanian gave up. This was fortunate for the plantation owners, which had exhausted their ammunition. Yikes.
"The Indians were Araucanian from the south of Chile; several hundreds in number and highly disciplined. The first appeared in two bodies on a neighboring hill; having there dismounted, and taken off their fur mantles, they advanced naked to the charge. The only weapon of an Indian is a very long bamboo or chuzo, ornamented with ostrich feathers, and pointed by a sharp spear-head. My informer seemed to remember with the greatest horror the quivering of these chuzos as they approached near. When close, the cacique Pincheira hailed the besieged to give up their arms, or he would cut all their throats. As this would probably been the result of their entrance under any circumstances, the answer was given by a volley of musketry." Charles Darwin, Voyage of the Beagle
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