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ketry, continued constantly to supply with fresh 

 troops the places of those that were slain. Three 

 times they retired in good order beyond the reach of 

 the musketry, and as often, resuming new vigour, re- 

 turned to the attack. At length, after the loss of a 

 great number of their men, they were throv.'n into 

 disorder and began to give way. Caupolican, Tuca- 

 pel,andthe old intrepid Colocólo who was present in 

 the action, in vain attempted to prevent their flight 

 and reanimate their courage. The Spaniards shouted 

 victory, and furiously pressed upon the fugitives. 



At this momentous crisis, a young Araucanian of 

 but sixteen years of age, called Lautaro, whom Val- 

 divia in one of his incursions had taken prisoner, 

 baptized and made his page, quitted the victo- 

 rious party, began loudly to reproach his country- 

 men with their cowardice, and exhorted them to con- 

 tinue the contest, as the Spaniards, wounded and 

 spent with fatigue, were no longer able to resist 

 them. At the same time grasping a lance, he turned 

 against his late master, crying out, " Follow me, 

 my countrymen, victory courts us with open arms." 

 The Araucanians ashamed at being surpassed by a 

 boy, turned with such fury upon their enemies, that 

 at the first shock they put them to rout, cutting in 

 pieces the Spaniards and their allies, so that of the 

 whole of this army, only two Promaucians had the 

 fortune to escape, by fleeing to a neighbouring 

 wood. 



The Spanish general having lost all hope, had re- 

 tired in the beginning of the massacre with his 



chaplain, to prepare himself for death ; but being 

 Vol. II. R 



