and comprised the provinces of Arauco, Tucapel, Illicura, Boroa and Nagtollen; the next, the plain country, comprised Encol, Puren, Repocura, Maquegua and Mariquina; the country at the foot of the mountains, included Marven, Colhue, Chacajco, Quecheregua and Guanagua; the country of the Andes — Piremapu — included all the valleys "of the mountains inhabited by the allied tribe, the Puelches. They had three orders of nobility, the toquis, who stood at the head of each uthul-mapu, the apo-ulmenes who governed provinces under the toquis, the ulmenes who were the chiefs and under the apo-ulmenes.
The military system was efficiently organized. A grand council determined upon war, and elected a general-in-chief, to whom all the toquis and ulmenes were subjected, and whom they implicitly obeyed during the continuance of hostilities. Envoys were then dispatched to the confederate tribes; each toqui directed what number of men his uthul-mapu should furnish, and in this way an army of five or six thousand men could be soon raised.
Before proceeding to hostilities, a three days conference, at which everyone was permitted to speak, was held, when the situation of enemies, condition of affairs, and necessity for war, were thoroughly canvassed. If war was decided upon, the vice-toqui, who had been previously selected, assumed command of the right wing of the army, assigned the left wing to an experienced officer and then each soldier put on his leathern cuirass, took up his heavy war club or long spear, and prepared to die with his face to the foe, rather than flee the battlefield. Impressed, like the Saracens, with the idea that to die in battle is the highest earthly honor and a sure passport to the happy country beyond, they advanced singly to combat, and,
