38 



tion until wholly enrccblcd, and having lost the 

 flower of their youth, they fled dispersed over the 

 plains. 



Yet, notwithstanding this defeat, and others of 

 not less importance that they afterwards experienced, 

 they never ceased, for the space of six years, until 

 their utter ruin, to keep the Spaniards closely be- 

 seiged, attacking them upon every occasion that of- 

 fered, and cutting oif their provisions in such a man- 

 ner, that they were compelled to subsist upon un- 

 wholesome and loathsome viands, and on the little 

 grain which they could raise beneath the cannon of 

 the place. The fertile plains in the neighbourhood 

 had become desert and uncultivated, as the inhabi- 

 tants had destroyed their crops and retired to the 

 mountains. 



A mode of life so different from what they ex- 

 pected wearied and disgusted the soldiers, and they 

 finally resolved to kill their general, whom they be- 

 lieved obstinately attached to his plans, and to return 

 to Peru, where they hoped to enjoy more ease and 

 tranquillity. This conspiracy having fortunately 

 been discovered by Valdivia, he began by concilia- 

 ting the least seditious, which he readily effected, 

 as he possessed great prudence and address. As 

 he had yet only the title of general, he assembled 

 the magistracy of the city, and persuaded them to 

 appoint him governor. Invested with this imposing, 

 though less legitimate character, he punished with 

 death the authors of the conspiracy ; but perceiving 

 that this exertion of a precarious authority could not 

 be productive of a durable effect, he ¡n-udcntly applied 



