Ch. VíIT. south AMERICA. 263 



IX. Copiapo, & Guateo. X. Mendoza. 



XL La Conception. 

 I. -To the major-gfneraKhip of r!ie kingdom of 

 Chili, belongs the milirary government of the fron- 

 tier towns and fortreíTes. 1 hele are Arauco, the 

 ftated reiidencc of the general, Sant-ajuana, Puren, 

 Los Angeles, Tucapcl, and Yumbel. ' Ic will be 

 here nercffary to onferve, that not above five leagues 

 fouth of Conception bay, the fea receives a liver, 

 called Biobio, both the fouth banks and head ®f 

 which are inhabitt;d by wild Indians : and to pre- 

 vent their incurfions, iirong forts have been ereóled 

 along the banks, and are always well garriioned 

 and furniihed with all kinds of military ftores. A" 

 mong thefe on the fcuth banks of the river is the 

 fort of Arauco, and the others at a proper diftance 

 eaftvvard to the mountain of Tucapel. Thus ail 

 attempts from thele Indians is precluded, and tne 

 Spaniih fettlement., protccled from their depredations. 

 The general is obliged to vifit thele forts from time to 

 time, carefully infpeding into their condition, and, in 

 cale of necefiity, to haften to their relief. During his 

 abfence, the commanding officer of each is the captain 

 of the garrifon, which ulually confifting both of horfe 

 and foot with their officers, the perlón on whom the 

 command devolves is previoufly nominated. This 

 important poll is in the difpofal of the preiident, ^ 

 fuppofed to be beft acquainted w'th the merits of the 

 feveral competitors when a vacancy happen^; and that 

 the fafety of his government will induce him to preter 

 the moil deferving. Accordingly ■ hoever inccn Js to 

 ofier himfclf a candidate for tnis poif, fhould foli- 

 cit to be employed in the frontier fervice, procure 

 a competent knowlecige of the ftratagems of the In- 

 dians, and be very attentive to diitinguiili himfelf 

 on any alarm, or encounter, it is indeed expreíTed 

 in the royal commiflion, that the corregidor of Con- 

 S 4 ception. 



