preservation of their conquests. Before his death. he appointed as his successor, by a special commission from the court, his eldest son Pedro, whose mental endowments were no way inferior to his father's.

The death of the governor appeared to Antiguenu to present a favourable opportunity to undertake some important enterprise. Having formed his army, which consisted of 4,000 men, into two divi, sions, he ordered one, under the command of his Vice Toqui Antunecul, to lay siege to Conception, in order to attract thither the attention of the Spaniards, while with the other he marched against the fort of Arauco, which was defended by a strong garrison, under the command of Lorenzo Bernal. Antunecul passed the Bio-bio, and encamped in a place called Leokethal, where he was twice attacked by the governor, but he not only made a vigorous defence, but repulsed him with loss, and followed him to the city, which he closely invested by disposing his troops in six divisions around it. The siege was continued for two months, every day of which was distinguished by some gallant assault. But finding all his attempts fruitless, as he could not prevent the frequent succours that were sent by sea to the besieged, he finally withdrew, resolving to return and prosecute the enterprise at a more favour, able time.

In the mean time the defence of Arauco was main, tained with the greatest vigour. As Antiguenu had observed that whenever he attacked the place, his bravest officers were pointed out to the Spaniards

by their Indian auxiliaries, and made the mark of the artillery, he resolved to take a severe vengeance upon them. For this purpose he contrived by his emissaries to inform the Spanish commander that the auxiliaries were intriguing to deliver up the fort to the Araucanians. Bernal gave such credit to this false report, that in a transport of fury he immedi ately ordered those unfortunate men to quit the place, notwithstanding their intreaties and remonstrances. This was the sole object of the Araucanian chieftain, who immediately had them seized and put to a cruel death in sight of the Spaniards, who were extremely exasperated in finding themselves so grossly imposed on by a barbarian.

As the siege was protracted to a considerable length, Antiguenu became impatient, and wished to bring it to a conclusion, if possible, by the death of the governor; with this view he challenged him to single combat. Notwithstanding the remonstrances of his soldiers, Bernal, who deemed himself securę of the victory, accepted the challenge. The battle between these two champions was continued for two hours without either obtaining any advantage or injuring the other, till they were at length separated by their men. But what force had not been able to effect, was performed by famine. Several boats loaded with provisions had repeatedly attempted in vain to relieve the besieged; the vigilance of the besiegers opposed so insuperable an obstacle, that Bernal saw himself at length compelled to abandon the place. The Araucanians permitted the garrison to retire without molestation, and contented

themselves with burning the houses and demolishing the walls.

The capture of Angol, after that of Canete and Arauco, appeared so easy to Antiguenu, that he gave it in charge to one of his subalterns. That officer meeting on the road with a body of Spaniards com. manded by Zurita, defeated them, but was afterwards routed in his turn near Mulchen by Diego Carranza, whom the magistracy of that city had sent against him. Antiguenu, solicitous of maintaining the reputation of his arms, repaired thither in person with about two thousand men, in order to finish the enterprize, but before assaulting the place he encamped at the confluence of the Bio-bio and Vergosa, where he was attacked by the whole Spanish army, under the command of Bernal. The Araucanians made use with much skill of the muskets which they had taken at the defeat of Mariguenu, and sustained the assault for three hours in succession. Four hundred of the auxiliaries and a number of Spaniards had fallen, when their infantry began to give way and betake themselves to flight. Bernal, perceiving no other means of restraining them, commanded the horse to slay the fugitives. This severe order was carried into execution, and checked the confusion. The infantry being thus compelled to fight, attacked the enemy's intrenchments with such vigour, that they finally forced them and penetrated into the camp. Antiguenu valiantly opposed the assailants in person, but, forced along with a crowd of his soldiers who fled, he fell from a high bank into the river and was drowned. His death decided the battle. Great was

the slaughter of the Araucanians. Many also perish. ed in the river, into which they had thrown themselves to escape. In this battle, which was fought in 1564, the conquerors themselves were almost all wounded, and lost many of their men, but recovered forty-one muskets, twenty-one cuirasses and fifteen helmets, with a great number of lances and other

weapons.

While these events passed on the shore of the Bio-bio, Lillemu, who had been sent by Antiguenu to lay waste the provinces of Chillan and Itata defeated a detachment of eighty Spaniards, commanded by Pedro Balsa. In the mean time the governor, leaving Conception with one hundred and fifty soldiers, cut off a party of the Araucanians that were ravaging Chillan. Lillemu hastened to their relief, but on his arrival, finding them dispersed, he only saved the remainder of his troops by making a gallant stand in a narrow pass with several determined youth. This noble effort of patriotic courage gave time to his army to effect their escape, but it cost the lives of Lillemu and his valiant companions,

CHAPTER II.

Paillataru elected Toqui; Government of Rodrigo de Quiroga; Conquest of the Archipelago of Chiloé ; Description of its inhabitants.

ANTIGUENU had for successor in the Toquíate Paillataru, the brother or cousin of the celebrated Lautaro, but his character was of a very different stamp. Slow and extremely circumspect in his operations, he contented himself during the first years of his command in maintaining undiminished the love of liberty in the bosoms of his countrymen, and in leading them from time to time to ravage the enemy's country. During the same time a change was made of the Spanish governor : Rodrigo de Quiroga, who had been appointed to that office by the Royal Audience of Lima, began his administration by arresting his predecessor, and sending him prisoner to Peru.

Having received a reinforcement of three hundred soldiers in 1665, he entered the Araucanian territory, rebuilt the fort of Arauco and the city of Canete, constructed a new fortress at the celebrated post of Quipeo, and ravaged the neighbouring provinces. Towards the end of the following year he sent the Marshal Ruiz Gamboa with sixty men to subject the inhabitants of the Archipelago of Chiloé; that officer encountered no resistance, and