that has been employed by all political conquerors, who have ever availed themselves of the aid of barbarians to conquer barbarians, in order, finally, to subjugate the whole. In fact, the Spanish armies have ever since that period been strengthened by Promaucian auxiliaries, from whence has sprung that rooted antipathy, which the Araucanians preserve against the residue of that nation.

In the course of the year 1546, Valdivia, having passed the Maúle, proceeded in his career of victory to the river Itata. While encamped there in a place called Quilacura, he was attacked at night by a body of the natives, who destroyed many of his horses, and put him in imminent hazard of experiencing a total rout. His loss upon this occasion must have been very considerable, since he afterwards relinquished his plan of proceeding farther, and returned to St. Jago. Perceiving that his expected succours from Peru did not arrive, he resolved to go thither in person, hoping, by means of his activity and address, to recruit a body of troops sufficient for the subjugation of the southern provinces, which had shown themselves the most warlike.

As he was on the eve of his departure, in the year 1547, Pastenes arrived, but without any men, and brought news of the civil war that had broken out between the conquerors of the empire of the Incas. Nevertheless, persuaded that he might reap an advantage from these revolutions, he set sail with Pastene for Peru, taking with him a great quantity of gold. On his arrival, he served in quality of quarter-mastergeneral in the famous battle that decided the fate

of Gonzalo Pizarro. Gasca the president, who under the royal standard, had gained the victory, pleased with the service rendered him upon this occasion by Valdivia, confirmed him in his office of governor, and furnishing him with an abundance of military stores, sent him back to Chili, with two ships filled with those seditious adventurers, of whom he was glad of an opportunity to be disembarrassed.

In the mean time, Pedro de Hoz, who, as we have already observed, had been deprived of that share in the conquest that had been granted him by the court, and who had imprudently placed himself in the power of his rival, was accused of wishing to usurp the government. Whether this accusation was well founded, or whether it was merely a pretext to get rid of him, he was, in 1546, publicly beheaded by order of Francis Villagran, who acted as governor in the absence of Valdivia, whom he probably thought to please by thus freeing him from a dangerous competitor, if he had not even received private instructions relative to the business.

The Copiapins, eager to revenge the murder of their prince, killed about the same time forty Spaniards, who had been detached from several squadrons, and were proceeding from Peru to Chili; and the Coquimbanes, instigated by their persuasion, massacred all the inhabitants of the colony lately founded in their territory, razing the city to its foundation. Francis Aguirre was immediately ordered there, and had several encounters with them with various success.

In 1549 he rebuilt the city in a more

advantageous situation; its inhabitants claim him as their founder, and the most distinguished of them boast themselves as his descendants.

After a contest of nine years, and almost incredible fatigues, Valdivia, believing himself well estabdished in that part of Chili which was under the dominion of the Peruvians, distributed the land among his soldiers, assigning to cach, under the title of commandery, a considerable portion, with the inhabitants living thereon, according to the baneful feudal system of Europe. By this means, having quieted the restless ambition of his companions, he set out anew on his march for the southern provinces, with a respectable army of Spanish and Promaucian troops.

After a journey of 240 miles, he arrived, without encountering many obstacles, at the bay of Penco, which had been already explored by Pastene, where, on the 5th of October, 1550, he founded a third city called Conception.*

The situation of this place was very advantageous for commerce from the excellence of its harbour, but, from the lowness of the ground, exposed in earthquakes to inundations of the sea. The bay,

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* This city was destroyed by the earthquakes and inundations of the sea, that occurred on the 8th of July, 1730, and the 24th of May, 1751. For this reason the inhabitants established themselves, on the 24th of November, 1764, in the valley of Mocha, three leagues south of Benco, between the rivers Andalien and Bio-bio, where they founded New Conception. The harbour is situated in the middle of the bay called Talgacuano, a little more than two leagues west of Mocha; a fort is all the building that is now left at Renco.

which is in extent from east to west six miles, and nine from north to south, is defended from the sea by a pleasant island called Quiriquina; the entrance upon the north side, which is half a league broad, is the only one of sufficient depth to admit ships of the line, the other being narrow, and only navigable for small vessels. The soil, under the influence of a favourable climate, produces an abundance of timber, minerals, excellent wine, and all the other ne cessaries of life, and the sea and rivers great quantities of delicate fish.

The adjacent tribes, perceiving the intention of the Spaniards to occupy this important post, gave information of it to their neighbours and friends, the Araucanians, who, forseeing that it would not be long before the storm would burst upon their own country, resolved to succour their distressed allies, in order to secure themselves. But before I proceed to relate the events of this war, I have thought proper to give some account of the character and manners of that warlike people, who have hitherto, with incredible valour, opposed the overwhelming torrent of Spanish conquest, and from henceforward will furnish all the materials of our history.