CHILI. 



HhMry. hi* father, who found himself in a condition to retume 

 """ it. Vtllagran had now been taught rtapect for Ins ad- 

 versary ; and dreading the consequence of a pitched en- 

 gagement, rrtolvcd if puuible to uke Inm by surprise. 

 Conducted by a aecrct path, he i-eaclied at day -break the 

 Araucanian camp. At the first alarm, Lautaro, \vho 

 had just retired from the fatigue* of a night's watch, 

 was in a moment at the head of hit troops ; and, at the 

 ame instant, was seen to drop, pierced (o the heart by 

 one of the enemy's dart*. The exulting Spaniards press- 

 ed furiously upon his dispirited soldier*, the meanest of 

 whom would have willingly exchanged fates with his be- 

 loved commander, and cared not to survive him. But 

 the triumph was dearly purchased. Not a man of that 

 chosen band would submit to yield himself a prisoner. 

 They ipurned at the offered mercy ; and after a long 

 and bloody resistance, the few that still remained, de- 

 spairing to find death, while they continued to deal it so 

 profusely around them, threw themselves on the spears 

 of the admiring and reluctant enemy. 



The extravagant rejoicings which the Spaniards ma- 

 nifested on this occasion, and which were continued for 

 three days in succession, throughout all the settlements 

 in Chili, sufficiently testified the importance attached to 

 the victory. Nothing could better celebrate the merits 

 of the young hero, in whose destruction they so exult- 

 iogly triumphed, and which they regarded as itself a lull 

 equivalent for all their disasters. Like Marcellus of 

 Rome, he wag the sword of Araucania. His powerful 

 genius supplied the want of experience ; and during his 

 short and brilliant career, success never forsook him. 

 The beauty of his person was equal to the energy of his 

 mind. His memory is still fondly cherished, and he is 

 (till the boast of his country, as he was formerly its glo- 

 ry and protection. 



Don Car- Vilbgran was superseded in command by Don Gar- 

 cia de Men- cia de Metido/a, who arriving from Peru with a large 

 k ^ ^ recnilts landed near Conception, (1557), in 

 l ^ c sma " island of Quinquina. Some of its inhabitants, 

 *' no pretended to dispute the debarkation, being made 

 prisoners, Garcia commissioned them with offers of peace 

 to the Araucanians. Though Caupohcan and the other 

 chiefs were well convinced of the insincerity of this over- 

 ture, they determined, after some debate, to meet it 

 with a like appear .nice of candour. From this mode of 

 acting, they proposed to themselves at least one advan- 

 tage : they hoped to procure information of the designs 

 and power of the enemy. Milialauco was appointed a.r.- 

 bassador, and the Spaniards received him with the most 

 splendid military parade. After the conference, which 

 ended, to the disappointment of neither party, in vague 

 otters and general professions, they conducted him, with 

 equal ceremony, through every part of the camp ; and, 

 in order to dazzle and intimidate him, their whole strength 

 (what he secretly desired) was laid open to his minutest 

 bservation. Upon the return of Milialauco, his coun- 

 trymen instantly prepared for war. 



The first operation of Garcia was the erection of a 

 (.rung fortress, on the top uf Mount Pinto, which com- 

 the harbour of Conception. This the Arauca- 

 in vain attempted to storm ; * and boon after the 



rran in 

 the com- 



Spanish commander, having collected all hi* forces, croct- 

 id the Btohio, and deteateil them with consul 

 laughter. On this occasion, the cruelly of Gat 

 the prisoners was a portentous pea.de to his future 

 barbarities. Those of them n i , were 



disfigured and mutilated in a shoeki:.,; manner. Such 

 proceedings, in place of intimidating a war!.' 

 and hastening their submission, f excited uiy their ab- 

 horrence and contempt, and rou.-ed iven their iiiili. 

 females to assume the trade f destruction, and, by the 

 side of their husbands, to share, with masculine valour, 

 in the toils and perils of battle. J; And though the Spa- 

 niards, during the whole uf Garcia'sadminit-tratJ :., 

 tamed a decided supcrii rity, tlm should rather 1. 

 puted to the strength of the Spanish army, the g : 

 that had yet appeared in Chili, than to the effect of 

 those infamous inflictions. At the battle of Milipuru, 

 which took place soon after the last, the Araucaiiians 

 by feats y( the most adventurous gallantry, were on the 

 point of obtaining a complete triumph, when their own 

 furious impetuosity saved the Spaniard ^panisli 



body of reserve, profiting by their contusion, restored 

 the battle, and secured their defeat. Among the pri- 

 soners were six Ulmens all of whom were sacrificed lo 

 the cruel policy of Garcia, and displayed at their exe- 

 cution a magnanimity which should have drawn !. 

 teem and admiration : but the sordid hearts of these ty- 

 rants, engrossed only with the schemes ot r.^.r :>v. 

 fish ambition, were shut against every n:aniy *;.d gene- 

 rous sentiment ; and such, at that period, was the gross- 

 ness ot their depravity, that, to manifest, but iur once, 

 a single feeling of human sympathy, a du>poilion only 

 to alleviate the horrors of oppression, was sufficient lo 

 gain for its author the exalted title of humanity. 



Garcia having thus given a farther display ol his san- 

 guinary temper, marched into the heart ot Araucauia, 

 and on the memorable scene of Valdivia's overthrow, 

 built and fortified the town of Canete, provided it with 

 a numerous garrison under Alonzo Reyuoso, and re- 

 turned in triumph to Imperial. 



Canete was quickly assaulted by the Araucanians, but 

 with more valour than success. At length, the irrita- 

 tion of defeat and disappointment, drew Caupolican from 

 his usual caution, and made him for once relax from the 

 stern dignity of the national character. In hiscagcrncM 

 troy the enemy, he entered into a plot, in which, 

 from a sense of honour, the other chiefs disdained to 

 participate, and which, in its execution, was turned 

 against himself, and proved the destruction of his brave 

 army. A < ->e of the Spanish auxiliaries, was 



engaged to deliver up Canete to the Araucanians. The 

 traitor, however, playtd a double part. He discovered 

 the whole Iran -action to Reynoso, who having taken the 

 necessary measures, admitted a part only of the Arau- 

 canian forces, overpowered and cut them to pieces ; 

 while the cannon of the place, and a charge from the 

 Spanish cavalry, completed the destruction of those 

 without. Caupolican was among the small number that 

 escaped, and with a few domestics took refuge in th^ 

 mountains. Three I ' .ken alive, were blown to 



pieces from the mouths of cannon. 



" During the attack, Turapcl, an Araucaniun chieftain, hurried on by hi* unparalleled rashness, threw Imn-i-li'. like another 

 Turnu., into the Ton, and killing four cut-mica with hi* formidable- mace, escaped, by Icuping over a precipice, amidst u shower of 



Wilt." Molina, 



f " Among the prisoner* WM one more darirg than the other*, calkd < > ordered to he cut off. 



lie returned t<> hu countrymen, and showing hi bloody mutilated htuiiHW, inlUin.i'd them with such fury against lii ' 

 ttiat they all twori- never to nuke peace with them, and to put to death any one who should have tin " propose such a 



Mtture. " Molina. 



probably derived the fable of the Chilian Amazon*, 



Caiipolicaa 

 fails in his 

 attempt 

 upon 

 Canete. 



strong 

 M 





