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[killed a great number of the inhabitants, and attacked the vessels at anchor in the harbour, on board of which many had taken refuge, who only effected their escape by immediately settingsail. After this he returned in triumph to join Millacalquin, one of liis officers, to whom he had entrusted tJie guard of the Biobio, with a booty of 2,000,000 of dollars, all the cannon, and upwards of 400 prisoners.
43. Expedition of the Dutch. — Ten days after the destruction of Valdivia, Colonel Francisco Campo arrived there from Peru with a reinforcement of 300 men ; but finding it in ashes, he endeavoured, though ineffectually, to introduce those succours into the cities of Osorno, Villarica, and Imperial. Amidst so many misfortunes, an expedition of five ships of war from Holland arrived in 1600 upon the coast of Chile, which plundered the island of Chiloe, and put the Spanish garrison to the sword. Nevertheless, the crew of the commodore having landed in the litjLle island of 'i'aica or Santa Maria, was repulsed with the loss of 23 of their men, by the Araucanians wlio dwelt there, and who probably supposed them to lie Spaniards. After a siege of two years and 11 months, Villarica, a very populous and opulent city, fell at length, in 1602, into the hands of the Araucanians. A similar late, after a short interval, was experienced by Imperial, the metropolis of the s. colonies ; indeed, this city would have fallen some months before, liad not its fate been protracted by the courage of a Spanish heroine, called Ines ^iguiIcra. This lady perceiving the garrison to be discouraged, and on the point of capitulating, dissuaded them from surrendering, and directed all the operations in person, until a favourable opportunity })resenting itself, she escaped by sea Avith the bishop and a great part of the inhabitants. She had lost eluringthe siege her husband and brother, and her valour was rewarded by the king with an annual pension of 2000 dollars.
44. All the Spanish settlements destroyed. — Osorno, a city not less rich and populous than the preceding, Avas not able much longer to resist the fate that aAvaited it. It tell under the violent efforts of the besiegers, Avho, freed from their attention to the others, Avere able to bring their Avhole force against it. Thus, in a period of tittle more than three years, Averc destroyed all the settlements which V^aldivia and his successors had established and preserved at the expence of so much blood, in the extensive country betAveen the Biobio and the Archipelago of Chiloe, none of Avhich have been since rebuilt, as Avhat is at present called Valdivia is no more than a fort or garrison. The sufferings
of the besieged were great, and can scarcely be exceeded by those endured in the most celebrated sieges recorded in history. They Avere compelled to subsist on the most loathsome food, and a piece of boiled leather was considered a sumptuous repast by the voluptuous inhabitants of Villarica and Osorno. The cities that Avere taken Avere destroyed in such a manner, that at present few vestiges of them remain, and those ruins are regarded by the natives as objects of detestation. Although great numbers of the citizens perished in the defence of their walls, the prisoners of all ranks and sexes Avere so numerous, that there was scarcely an Araucanian family who had not one to its share. The women were taken into the seraglios of their conquerors. Husbands were, however, permitted for the most part to retain their Avives, and the unmarried to espouse the women of the country ; and it is not a little remarkable that ihe Mustees, or offspring of these singular marriages, became in the subsequent wars the most terrible enemies of the Spanish name. The ransom and exchange of prisoners was also permitted. By this means many escaped from captivity. Some, however, induced by the love of their children, preferred to remain with their captors during their lives ; others, who acquired the affection of the people, by their pleasing manners or their skill in the arts, established themselves advantageously in the country. Among the latter were Don Basilio Roxas and Don Antonio Bascugnan, both of noble birth, who acquired high reputation among the natives, and have left interesting memoirs of the transactions of their own times. But those who fell into brutal hands had much to suffer. Paillamachu did not long enjoy the applause of his countrymen : lie died at the end of the year 1603, and Avas succeeded by Hunecura. In consequence of the disasters the Spaniards encountered during the reign of the last mentioned toqui, and under the second government of Garcia Ramon, in 1608, the court of Spain issued orders, that hereafter there should constantly be maintained on the Araucanian frontier a body of 2000 regular troops, for Avhosc support an appropriation of 292,279 dollars annually Avas made in the treasury' of Peru.
45. Court of audience re-estahlished. — On the 8th of September in the folloAving year, the royal court of audience, Avhich had been suppressed for 34 years, Avas again established, though not in its ancient situation, but in the city of St. Jago, to the great satisfaction of the inhabitants ; since which period it has continued to exist Avith a high reputation for justice and integrity. According to the royal decree establishing the court of audience,"!
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|]th€ government now devolved upon the eldest son of die auditor, Don Louis Merlo de la Fuente.
46, Ineffectual efforts of Philip III. to establish a lasting^ peace. — Among the missionaries about iliis time charged with the conversion of the Chiliaiis, there was a Jesuit called Luis Valdivia, who perceiving that it was impossible to preach to the Araucanians during the tumult of arms, went to Spain, and represented in'! the strongest terms to Philip 111. who was then on the throne, the great injury done to tlie cause of religion by the continuance of the war. That devout prince, who bad more at lieart the advancement of religion than the augmentation of his territories, sent orders immediately to the government of Chile, to discontinue the war and settle a permanent peace with the Araucanians, by establishing the river Eiobio as the line of division between tlie two nations. The articles of peace had been discussed, and were about to be mutually agreed upon, w hen an unexpected event rendered abortive all the measures that had been taken. Among the wives of Ancanamon, the existing toqui, was a Spanish lady, who, taking advantage of his absence, fled for refuge to the governor, with two small children, and four women, whom she had persuaded to become Christians, two of whom were the wives, and the others the daughters of her husband. The indignation of the toqui on this occasion w as carried to such an extreme, that, upon some missionaries being sent under the superintendence of Valdivia to preach the gospel among the Araucanians, he hastened to meet them at Illicura, where, without deigning to listen to their arguments, he put them all to the swwrd. Thus were all the plans of pacification rendered abortive ; Ancanamon incessantly harassed the Spajiish provinces, and the war w'as recommenced in 1617, with greater fury than before. From the above-mentioned period to the year 1637, nothing material occurred in our history, saving the enterprises of the Toquis Lcintur and Pntapichion ; these, however, did not serve materially to change the state of affairs.
47. Second expedition of the Dutch. — In the following year the Dutch attempted a second time to form an alliance with the Araucanians, in order to obtain ] ossession of Chile ; but this expedition was not more fortunate than the first. Tlie squadron, which consisted of four ships, was dispersed by a storm on i(s arrival on the coast, in 1638. A boat well manned and armed, being afterwards dispatched to the island of Mocha, belonging to the Araucanians, the inhabitants supposing that they came to attack them, fell upon the crew, put the whole to death, and took possession of the boat.
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A iioliicrcrew' experienced a similar misfortune in the little island of Ta'ca or Santa Miwia. 'he Araucanians, as has been already observed, were equally jealous, and not (as inay be readily imagined) without reason, of every European nation.
48. Second expeddion of the English. — Notwithstanding the ill success of the Dutch, Sir John Narborough, an English naval commander, undertook some years alter a similar enterprise, by order of his sovereign Charles II. ; but in passing the straits of Magellan, he lost his whole fleet, which was much better equipped than that of the Dutch. The war continued to rage with undiminished fury until the year 1640, the time when the reins of government were assumed by Don Francisco Zuniga, Marquis de Baydes. It was under his milder auspices, that, in January of the following year, the articles of peace were agreed upon, the day of its ratification being fixed for the sixth of that month, and the place of meeting, the village of Quillin, in the province of Puren.
49. Peace at length concluded. — At the time prefixed, the marquis appeared at the appointed place, with a retinue of about 10,000 persons, from all parts of the kingdom. Lincopichion, the existing toqui, at the head of the four hereditary toquis, and a great number of ulraenes and other natives, opened the conference with a very eloquent speech. He then, according to the Chilian custom, killed a llama., and sprinkling some of the blood on a branch of cinnamon, presented it in token of peace to the governor. The articles of the treaty were next proposed and ratified, and in one of these the marquis stipulated that the Araucanians should not permit the landing of any strangers upon the coast, or furnish supplies to any foreign nation whatever; which being conformable to the political maxims of the nation, was readily complied with. Thus Avas a period put to a w^ar of 90 years duration, and this grand negociation Avas terminated by a sacrifice of 28 camels^ and an eloquent harangue from Antiguenu, cliief of the district, upon the mutual advantages Avhich botli nations Avould derive from the peace.
50. Last expedition of the Dutch. — In 1643, two years after tlie peace, the importance of the article inserted by the governor in tlie treaty was rendered very apparent to the Spaniards, by a last attempt made by the Dutcli to possess themselves of Chile. Their measures were so Avell taken, that had they been in tlie least seconded by the Araucanians, tliey must liave infallibly succeeded. Having left Brazil, Avhich they had conquered, Avith a numerous fleet, Avell provided Avitli men and cannon, they took possession of the harbour of Valdivia, which]
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[had been deserted for more than 40 years, where they intended to form an establishment in order to conquer the rest of the kingdom. With this view they immediately began building three strong forts at the entrance of the river, in order to secure its possession. The Araucanians were invited, with the most flattering promises, to join them ; this they not only declined, but strictly adhering to the stipulations of the treaty, refused to furnish them with provisions, of which tliey were greatly in want. The Cunchese, to whom the territory which they had occupied belonged, following the counsel of their allies, refused also to treat with them or supply them. In consequence of this refusal, the Dutch, pressed with hunger, and hearing tliat a combined army of Spaniards and Araucanians were on their march against them, were compelled to abandon the ])lace in three months aftertheir landing. The Marquis de Mancura, son to the viceroy of Pern, having soon after arrived there in search of them, with 10 ships of war, fortified the harbour, and particulary the island, which has since borne the titular name of his family. On the termination of the sixth year of his government, Baydes was recalled by the court, and Don Martin IVluxica appointed in his place.
51. Dreadful earthquake.— lAa succeeded in preserviiijr the kingdom in that state of tranquillity in which he found it, no other commotion occurring during his government, but that produced by a violent earthquake, which, on the 8th of May 1617, destroyed part of the city of St. Jago. The fortune of his successor, Don vVntonio Acugna, was very dift'erent. During his government the war was excited anew between the Spaniards and Araucanians ; but contemporary writers have left us no accounts of the causes that produced it, Clentaru, the hereditaiy toqui of Lauquemapu, being, in 1655, unanimously elected general, signalized his first campaign bj’ the total defeat of the Spanish army. He, moreover, continued to persecute the Spaniards with great violence for a period of 10 years, under the governments of Don Pedro Portel Casanate, and Don Francisco Meneses. The last, who was a Portuguese l)y birth, had the glory of terminating it, in 1665, by a peace more permanent than that made by Baydes. All the succeeding governors appear to have kept up a good understanding witli the Araucanians until the year 1686, when Garro was nearly breaking it, on occasion of removing tlie inhabitants of the island of Mocho to the ?z. shore of the Biobib, iti order to cut off all communication with foreign enemies.
^ 52. Commerce zeilh the French.~T\\Q com-
mencement of the present aera was marked in Chile by the deposition of the Governor Doi^ Francisco Ibanez, the rebellion of the inhabitants of Chiloe, and the trade with the French. The islanders of Chiloe were soon restored to obedience, through the prudent conduct of the quarter-master-general of the kingdom, Don Pedro Molina, who succeeded in reducing them rather by mild measures than by useless victories. The French, in consequence of the war of the succession, possessed themselves for a time of all tlie external commerce of Chile. From 1707 to 1717, its ports were filled with their ships, and they carried from thence incredible sums in gold and silver. It w as at this period that the learned F'ather Feuille, whoremained there three years, made his botanical researches and meteorological observations upon the coast. His amiable qualities obtained him the esteem of the inhai)itants, who still cherish his memory with much affection. It w'as in 1722 that the Araucanians, impatient at the insolence of those who were designated by the title of captains of the friends ; and who having"' been introduced under pretence of guarding the missionaries, arrogated to themselves a species of authority over the natives, resolved to create a toqui, and have recourse to arms. A war in consequence ensued, but it soon became reduced to little skirmishes, which were finally terminated by tlie celebrated peace of Negrete, a place situated at the confluence of the rivers Biobio and Lara, where the treaty of Quillan was reconfirmed, and the odious title of captain of friends wholly abolished.
53. How the Pehuenches became inimical to the Spaniards. Governor Gonzaga was the next Avho excited the flames of war by endeavouring to effect more than his predecessors. He undertookto compel the Araucanians to live in cities. This chimerical scheme was ridiculed by those who knew the prejudices of tiiis people, and it was finally abandoned, not, however, till it had procured another powerful, and for ever after implacable enemy to the Spaniards. Tiiis was no other than the Peliuenches, avIio being in the above war in alliance with (he Spaniards, and who sufiered a considerable defeat whilst fighting against the Araucanians, resolved all at once to'change sides, and have ever since been the firm allies of the latter. They have a practice of attacking the Spanish caravans from Buenos Ayres to Chile, and every year furnishes some melancholy inforination of that kind. We shall not proceed particularly to notice several actions, and among others a bloody battle wdiich was fougiit in tlie beginning of the year 1773 ; mention of which was made in t1iel
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[European gazettes of that period, at which time the war had cost the royal treasury and individuals 1,700,000 dollars.
54. Peace restored . — The same year an accommodation' was agre(?d on; and by this it was allowed that the Araucaiiians should afterwards have a minister resident in the city of St. Jago. With respect to the other articles of the peace, it is sufficient fo state, that the treaties of Quillan and Negrete were by mutual consent revived. On the death of Gonzaga, the court of Spain sent Don Augustin Jaiiregui to govern Chile, who has since filled with universal approbation the important office of viceroy of Peru. His successor, Don Ambrosio Benavides, has rendered the country happy by his wise and beneficent administration.
Chap. V.
Present slate of Chile.
From the brief relation that we have given of the occurrences in Chile since its discovery, it will be seen that its possession has cost Spain more blood and treasure than all the rest of her settlements in America. The Araucanians, occupying but a small extent of territory, have with far inferior arms not only been able to counterbalance her power, till then reputed irresistible, but to endanger the loss of her best established possessions. Though the greater part of her officers had been bred in that school of war, the Low Countries, and her soldiers, armed with those destructive weapons before which the most extensives empires of that continent had fallen, were considered the best in the world, yet have these people succeeded in resisting them. The Spaniards, since losing their settlements in Araucania, have prudently confined their views to establishing themselves firmly in that part of Chile Avhich lies between the s. confines of Peru and the river Biobio, and extends from lat. 24° to 36|° 5. : this they have divided into 13 provinces. They also possess the fortress of Valdivia, in the country of tiie Cuuchese, the Archipelago of Chiloe, and the island of Juan Fernandez.
1. Civil government . — These provinces are governed by an officer, who has usually the rank of lieutenant-general, and combines the title of president, governor, and captain-general of the kingdom of Chile, lie resides in the city of St. Jago, and is solely dependent upon the king, e.xcept in case of war, when, in certain points, he receives his directions from the viceroy of Peru. In quality of captain-general he commands the army, and has under him not only the three principal officers of the kingdom, the quarter-master, the serjeant-
major, and the commissary, but also the four go- . vernors of Chiloe, Valdivia, Valparaiso, and Juan Fernandez. As president and governor, he has the supreme administration of justice, and presides over the superior tribunals of that capital, whose jurisdiction extends all over the Spanish provinces in those parts. The principal of these is the tribunal of audience, or royal senate, whose decision is final in all causes of importance, both civil and criminal ; and is divided into two courts, the one for the trial of civil, and the other for the trial of criminal causes. Both are composed of several respectable judges, called auditors, of a regent, a fiscal or royal procurator, and a protector of the Indians. All these officers receive large salaries from the court. Their judgment is final, except in causes Avhere the sum in litigation exceeds 10,000 dollars, when an appeal may be had to the supreme council of the Indies. The other supreme courts are those of finance, of the cruzada, of vacant lands, and the consulate or tribunal of commerce, which is wholly independent of any other of that kind. The provinces are governed by prefects, formerly called corregidors, but at present known by the name of sub-delegates ; these, according to the forms of their institution, should be of royal nomination, but owing to the distance of the court they are usually appointed by the captain-general, of whom they style themselves the lieutenants, d hey have jurisdiction both of civil and military affairs, and their emoluruents of office depend entirely upon their fees, which are by no means regular. In each capital of a province there is, or at least should be, a municipal magistracy, called the cabildo, which is composed, as in other parts of the Spanish dominions, of several members, called regidores, who are appointed for life, of a standard-bearer, a procurator, a forensic judge, denominated the provincial alcalde, an alguazil or high sllerift, and of two consuls or burgo-masters, called alcaldes. The latter are chosen annually from among the principal nobility by the cabildo itself, and have jurisdiction both in civil and criminal causes in the first instance.
2. Military force.— The inhabitants are divided into regiments, which are obliged to march to the frontiers or the sea-coast in case of war. In 1792 there were 15,856 militia troops enrolled in the two bishoprics of Santiago and Concepcion; 10,218 in the first, and 5638 in the latter. Besides this regular militia, there are a great many city militias, that are commanded by commissaries, who act as colonels. A sufficient force also of regular troops for the defence of the country is maintained by]
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[{he king. All the veteran troops in Cliile do not exceed 2000, and these consist of artillery, dragoons, and infantry. The infantry as well as the artillery is under the command of two lieutenantcolonels.
3. Ecdesiasikal government .— respects the ecclesiastical government, Chile is divided into the two large dioceses of St. Jago and Concepcion, which cities are tlie residencies ot the bishops, who are suffragans to the archbishop of Lima. The first diocese extends from the confines of Peru to the river Maule, comprehending the province of Cnjo upon the other side of the Andes. The second comprises all the rest of Chile, with the islands, although the greater part of this extent is inhabited by pagans. The cathedrals are supplied with a proper mmiber of canons, whose revenues depend upon the tithes, as do those of the bishops. The court of inquisition at Lima has at St. Jago a commissioner with several subaltern officers. Pedro Valdivia, on his first entering Chile, brought with him the monks of the order of Mercy ; and about the year 1553, introduced the Dominicans and strict Franciscans. The Augustins established themselves there in 1595; and the Hospitallers of St. John of God, about the the year 1615. These religious orders have all a number of convents, and the three first form distinct jurisdictions. The brothers of St. John of God have the charge of the hospitals, under a commissary, who is dependent upon the provincial of Peru. These are the only religious fraternities now in Chile. The Jesuits, who came into Chile in 1593, with the nephew of their founder, Don Martin de Loyola, formed likewise a separate province. Others have several times attempted, but without success, to form establishments, the Chilians having always opposed the admission of new orders among them. In St. Jago and Concepcion are several convents of nuns ; but they are the only cities that contai?i them.
4. The cities and dwellings . — The cities are built in the best situations in the country. Many of them, however, w ould have been better placed, for the purposes of commerce, upon the shores of the large rivers. This is particularly the case with those of more recent construction. The streets are straight, intersecting each other at right angles, and are 36 French feet in breadth. On account of earthquakes the houses are generally of one story ; they are, however, very commodious, whitewashed without, and generally painted within. Each is accommodated with a pleasant garden, irrigated by an aqueduct which furnishes water for the use of the family. Those belonging to the
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wealthier classes, particularly the nobility, are furnished with much splendour and taste. The inhabitants perceiving that old buildings of two stories have resisted the most violent shocks, ha\ e of late years ventured to reside in the upper rooms, and now begin to construct their houses in the European naanner. In consequence of this the cities have a better appearance than formerly ; and the more so, as instead of forming their houses of clay hardened in the sun, which was supposed less liable to injury, they now employ brick and stone. Cellars, sewers, and wells, were formerly much more common than at present; a circumstance which may have contributed to render the buildings more secure from earthquakes. The churches are generally more remarkable for their wealth than their style of architecture. The cathedral and the church of the Dominicans in the capital, which are built of stone, are however exceptions. The first was constructed at the royal expcnce, under the direction of the Bishop Don Manuel Alday, an excellent and learned prelate; it is built in a masterly style, and is 384 French feet in front. The plan was drawn by two English architects, who superintended the work : but when it was half finished they refused to go on, unless their wages were increased. In consequence of this tlie building was suspended, when two of the Indians who had worked under the Englishmen, and had secretly found means of instructing themselves in every branch of the art, offered to complete it : which they did with as much skill and perfection as their masters themselves could have displayed. In the capital the follow ing edifices are also worthy of remark : the barracks for the dragoons, the mint, which has been lately built by a Homan architect, and the hospital for orphans.
5. Population . — Spanish Chile, in consequence of the freedom granted to its maritime trade, is peopling with a rapidity proportioned to the salubrity of its climate and the fertility of its soil. Its population in general is composed of Europeans, Creoles, Indians, Negroes, and Musters. The Europeans, except a few French, English, and Italians, are Spaniards, who for the most part are from the s. provinces of Spain. D. Cosrne Bueno, whose manuscript account of Peru is stated by Robertson, as having been drawn up in 1764, (though the copies w hich v/e have seen of this work contain facts of a later date by at least 20 years), ffives to Chile a population of 240,000 souls. Malespina, who visited that country in 1790, is of opinion that this estimate, is greatly under the truth ; and we hove been lately informed, on good authority, that the present population of Chile]