WHOLE VOL. THE WEST INDIES VAZQUEZ DE ESPINOSA 75I 



quoise mine, from their abundance there. The valley was fertile 

 and prolific in everything necessary for human life ; but without 

 doing a thing there or colonizing it, although it is a bit of Paradise 

 and at that time contained many Indians, he went ahead to the valleys 

 of Titon, and Huasco, which is 35 leagues S. and has similar fertility 

 and climate, with plenty of partridges and other game birds and 

 animals. He deliberately left it behind for his project of conquest 

 and colonization, great soldier and captain that he was, and well 

 aware of the incredible hardships to be undergone in the subjugation 

 of new territories, apt to intimidate some men and make them turn 

 back from their enterprise. 



Gov. Pedro de Valdivia, wishing to keep his men from cherishing 

 any hope of opportunity of return, was unwilling to leave open that 

 gate and passageway by which they might go back, but resolved that 

 they should all act like good and courageous soldiers, realizing that 

 they were surrounded by enemies on every side. 



1988. After crossing these valleys, he found territories thickly 

 settled by those heathen, and kept on subduing them until he reached 

 the Rio de Mapocho. There in a level and attractive valley along 

 the banks of that river, he came upon a region which was well popu- 

 lated and suitable through its fertile meadows, and founded the city 

 of Santiago on January 24, 1541 ; today that is the court city of that 

 Kingdom and the seat of the Circuit Court. At the same time with 

 his founding of the city he built a fort for the safeguard and pro- 

 tection of his men, for he knew the warlike spirit and the courage 

 of the savages. 



He kept subduing them with energy and courage ; and when he 

 had them subjected, they plotted to murder him and all his men. 

 When the Governor came to know the design of the savages, he took 

 the caciques and put them in the fort, leaving them under guard of 

 his lieutenant, Capt. Alonso de Monroy, while he himself set out 

 with his few Spaniards in a cross-country campaign for their pro- 

 tection. While they were fighting, Dofia Ines Suarez, afraid that 

 these caciques imprisoned for their plot, might rebel, killed them 

 with an ax for splitting wood. The Spaniards rushed out on the 

 plain and fought valiantly till they won, having killed many of the 

 savages. 



1989. In view of the great trials and deprivations they were endur- 

 ing while Gov. Pedro de Valdivia was in Peru and his Militia Captain 

 Francisco de Villagra acting as his lieutenant, some of the Spaniards 

 discussed returning to Peru, and for this purpose they tried to' kill 

 Francisco de Villagra, under the pretext that Pedro de Valdivia had 



