CHILI. 



183 



History. 



Distress f 

 the Spa- 

 niards; and 

 conspiracy 

 agaiim 

 Yldivia. 



Increasing 

 hltllity of 

 the natives. 



the most degrading servitude. The Mapochinians, there- 

 fore, in whose territory they had now settled, and who 

 seem at first to have given but little disturbance to their 

 operations, quickly began to feel the weight of oppres- 

 sion, and, at the same time, to exhibit rather unequivocal 

 symptoms of uneasiness. Upon the first appearance of 

 disaffection, Valdivia seized and imprisoned their chiefs ; 

 but the spirit of freedom was not thus to be suppressed, 

 and such insulting severity had the effect only of exciting 

 a more implacable hostility. Seizing an occasion of Val- 

 divia's absence, they effected a general insurrection, as- 

 saulted the town, repulsed its defenders, and demolished 

 the half-raised buildings. The Spaniards were now shut 

 up in their fortress ; but the enemy fell in thousands 

 around it, and the trenches were soon crowded with 

 their dead. At length the Mapochinians, after a day of 

 gallant exertion, found themselves compelled to retire, 

 both for the purpose of refreshment, and of recruiting 

 their exhausted numbers. In the mean time, Valdivia, 

 secretly apprised of these proceedings, returned in haste 

 to his friends, joined them with sixty horse, engaged 

 the enemy, at th<: moment they were preparing for a 

 fresh assault, and, after a furious conflict, defeated and 

 pursued them with overwhelming slaughter. The loss 

 of a battle was a misfortune less severe to the Mapochi- 

 nians, than the murder of their chiefs. This had been 

 effected, during the assault, by the cruel intrepidity of 

 Inez Sanrez, a Spanish female, who fearing lest, in the 

 general confusion, they might regain their liberty, and 

 animate their countrymen, dashed out their brains with a 

 hatchet. The spirit, however, of this enduring people, 

 seemed to rise with their misfortunes. Henceforth they 

 renounced every thought of accommodation with their 

 oppressors. They continued for the space of six years 

 with resolute but unavailing perseverance, constantly ha- 

 rassing, but unable to expel the enemy ; till at length a 

 feeble remnant, wasted by the unequal contest, nnd no- 

 bly preferring freedom to their country, they destroyed 

 their crops, and took refuge in the mountains. 



The Spaniards, during these transactions, were not 

 without their share of distress. They had been kept al- 

 most in a state of perpetual blockade. Their provisions 

 were long since exhausted or destroyed, the supplies con- 

 stantly intercepted, and the pittance of grain they were 

 able to raise within range of the batteries, proving insuf- 

 ficient for their support, they were reduced often to an 

 extremity of want. Murmuring and di:>content were the 

 consequence, and these grew, at length, into a formidable 

 conspiracy, which at once threatened the success of the 

 expedition and the lift- of its conductor. The plot, how- 

 ever, was fortunately detected, its authors punished with 

 death, and tranquillity r-stored ; while their toils and their 

 dangers were alike quickly forgotten, in the pleasure of 

 an unexpected gratification. An extremely rich mine of 

 gold was discovered and opened in the province of Quil- 

 lota. This revived their hopes, and dissipated all di sire 

 to abandon an enterprise, now of so much promise. 



From the tedious opposition, already experienced, 

 Valdivia was sensible that, without additional forces, 

 it would be impossible for him to pursue those yast 

 cherries of conquest, which he had formerly project- 

 ed, ai.d still fondly indulged. The more readily to ob- 

 tain the necessary supplies, he dispatched messengers to 

 Peru, whose spurs, b'ts, and stirrups were of solid 

 gold. Thi he hoped might excite expectation, and pro- 

 cure adventurers. Of these messengers, only two, co- 

 vered with wounds and stripped of their trappings, es- 

 caped with difficulty to Cusco : the rest, with an escort 

 f 30 horsemen, were intercepted and slain by an hnn- 



dred archers of Copiapo, Large reinforcements, how- History, 

 ever, both by sea and land, were, by the exertions of X *"""'Y'""' 

 Monroy and Miranda, the two survivors, sent off to Chi- 

 li ^ and these were followed soon afterwards by 300 more, 

 under the command of Francis Villagran, and Christo- 

 pher Escobar. 



Since the affair of Copiapo, the natives had every day 

 become more daring and troublesome : among other in- 

 stances of this spirit, the Quillotans, by a successful 

 stratagem, had surprised and massacred all the Spanish 

 miners in their district. These proofs of inveterate hos- 

 tility determined Valdivia, before extending his con- 

 quests, to secure what he had already gained ; and at the 

 same time to take means of protecting his future commu- 

 nications with Peru. For these purposes, he erected a 

 fort in the province of Quillota, and shortly afterwards 

 proceeding northwards to the mouth of the river Co- 

 quimbo, founded, in 1544, the town of La Serena or 

 Coqutmbo. 



Having completed those requisite measures of security, The Pro- 

 he now turned his thoughts to the long projected inva- mauciam 

 sion of the southern provinces ; and next year led his ^ rm a " '- 

 army against the Promaucians. History does not acquaint ''* n " with 

 us with the progress of this interesting contest ; we are mar d5, " 

 informed only of its final result ; a result which at once 

 tarnished the glory, and annihilated the independence of 

 that brave and once invincible people, which struck out 

 their names from among the patriots of Chili, and drew 

 upon them, ever afterwards, the execrations and the ven- 

 geance of their countrymen. They were ultimately se- 

 duced into a n:ost inglorious compact with the Spa- 

 niards ; and Promaucian auxiliaries have, since that pe- 

 riod, supported the Spanish interests in Chili. 



In the year 1546, Valdivia had pushed his conqueste 

 as far as the river Itata. Here, however, a circum- 

 stance took place, which, from a want of vigilance on 

 his part, had nearly proved fatal to the whole army, and 



fave a check to his victorious career. During the night, 

 is camp was attacked and forced by the natives, and 

 the loss was so considerable as to compel a precipitate 

 retreat. 



Notwithstanding his late accession of force, Valdivia - 

 Still found it unequal to his vast designs ; and to com- 

 plete his embarrasment, Pastene, who had sailed for ad- 

 ditional reinforcements to Peru, now returned without 

 having accomplished the object of his mission. He 

 brought accounts of the civil war, between Gasca the 

 royal delegate and Gonzalo Pizarro, vjho resisted his 

 authority. Valdivia hoping to benefit by these commo- 

 tions, instantly embarked for Peru, with a resolution to 

 join Gasca, and support the royal standard. 



In the mean time his rival in Chili, the unfortunate de 

 Hoz, fel] a sacrifice to his jealousy. On pretence of aim- 

 ing at that government, which, as we have before noticed, 

 was legally his own, he was seized and publicly beheaded 

 by Francis Villagran, who was no doubt sufficiently in- 

 structed for this infamous proceeding. About the same 

 time a detachment of Spaniards, to the number of 40, was 

 cut in pieces, in their march from Peru, by the inhabi- 

 tant of Copiapo ; and the Coquimbanes, imitating their 

 vigorous example, extirpated the colony of La Serena. . 

 This city, h wever, was quickly afterwards rebuilt by 

 Francis Aguirre. 



After the defeat and death of Pizarro, Valdivia re- 

 turned to Chili, followed by a crowd of adventurers, 

 men of whose seditious turbulence Gasca was happy to 

 be relieved. Before, however, resuming offensive opera- 

 tions, he distributed the conquered provinces among his 

 adherents ; and in this manner effectually secured their 



