423

CHILE.

42S

[thinking he had freed himself from a rival, he be-
lieved he had lost his chief co-operator in the glo-
rious work of restoring his country. As soon as
he received the mournful news, he quitted the
siege of Imperial, which was reduced to the last
extremity, and returned with his army to the
frontiers to protect them from the incursions of the
enemy.

21. The Governor Don Garcia Hurtado de
Mendoza .—The next person this general had to
encounter, proved more formidable than any of
the former Spanish chiefs; it was Don Garcia
Hurtado de Mendoza, wlio was appointed to the
governraetit by his father, the Marquis of Canete,
viceroy of Peru.

22. Cuupolican taken prisoner and impaled.— -
He took possession of the island of Quriquina, and
during his stay there, wiiich was almost the whole
winter, he did not fail to send embassies to the
Araucanians, expressing the w ish of coming to an
amicable accommodation ; but they were not in-
clined to listen to any proposals, and on the 6th
of August military operations again commenced,
and the result of several battles wliic h were fought
on this occasion was, that the Araucanians were ge-
nerally defeated, and that they eventually lost their
leader Caupolican, who being taken prisoner by
the Spaniards was, by the command of Don
Garcia, and with the entire disapprobation of the
Spanish army, put to an ignotninious death.

23. Canete founded . — But it should be remark-
ed, that the Spanish general having proceeded in
his marches to the province ofTucapel, and hav-
ing come to the place where Valdivia had been
defeated, built there, in contempt of his con-
querors, a city which he called Canete, from the
titular appellation of his family ; and that, con-
sidering the Araiicanian Avar as already terminated,
he gave orders for the rebuilding of the city of
Concepcion,

24. The Ctinches, their curious embassy and

stratagem.— -\i Avas in 1558 that the above com-
mander first marched with a numerous body of
troops against the Clinches, a people who had not
yet been opposed to the Spanish arms. These,
when they first heard of the arrival of the strangers,
met to deliberate whether they should submit, or
resist their victorious forces ; and an Araucanian
exile, called Tunconobuf who Avas present at the
assembly, and who was desired to give his opinion
upon the measures proposed, replied in the fol-
lovt ing terms : Be cautious how you adopt

either of these measures ; as vassals you Avill be
despised, and compelled to labour ; as enemies, you
will be exterminated. If you wish to free your-

selves of these dangerous visitors, make them be-
lieve you are miserably poor ; hide your pro-
perty, particularly your gold ; tliey Avill not re-
main where they have no expectation of finding
that sole object of their Avishes ; send them such
a present as will impress them Avith an idea of your
poverty, and in the mean time retire to the
woods,” The Clinches approved the wise counsel
of the Araucanian, and commissioned him, AVith
nine natives of the country, to carry the present
Avhich he had recommended to the Spanish gene-
ral. Accordingly, clothing himself and compa-
nions in Avretched rags, he appeared Avith ei'ery
mark of fear before that officer, and after compli-
menting him, in rude terms, presented him a bas-
ket containing some roasted lizards and Avild fruits.
The Spaniards, who could not refrain from laugli-
ter at the appearance of the ambassadors and their
presents, began to dissuade the governor from pur-
suing an expedition Avhich, from all appearances,
would prove unproductive. But although lie was
persuaded that these people Avere poor and Avretch-
ed, yet, lest he sliould discover too great facility
in relinquishing his plan, he exhorted his troops
to prosecute the expedition he had undertaken,
assuring them, that further on, according to the
information he liad received, they avouIcI find a
country that abounded in all the metals. Having
therefore inquired of the Cunches the best road to
the s. Tnncoaobal directed him toAvards the w.
which was the most rough and mountainous; and
the same, being applied to for a guide, gave him
one of his companions, whom he charged to con-
duct the army by the most desolate and difficultii
roads of the coast. The guide pursued so strictly
the instruction of the Araucanian, that the Spa-
niards, who in their pursuit of conquest Avere ac-
customed to surmount Avith ease the severest
fatigues, acknowledged that they had never before,
in any of their marches, encountered difficulties
comparable with these.

25. Archipelago pf Chiloe d/sforerer/.— Having
at length overcome all obstacles, they came to the
top of a high mountain, from Avhence they dis-
covered the great Archipelago of Anced, more
commonly called Chiloe, wliose channels Avere
covered with a great number of boats navigated
with sails and oars. From these islanders the Spa-
niards experienced every mark of politeness and
humanity, and constantly regaled by them, they
coasted the Archipelago to the bay of Reloncavi,
when some Avent over to the neighbouring islands,
where they found land well cultivated, and women
employed in spinning wool mixed with feathers of
sea birds, with Avhich they made their clothes.]