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pursued and taken by the victors, he was brought 

 before Caupolican, of whom, in a humble manner, he 

 implored his life, soliciting the good offices of Lau- 

 taro, and most solemnly promising to quit Chili with 

 all his people. 



The Araecanian general, naturally compassionate, 

 and desirous of obliging Lautaro, vdio joined in so- 

 liciting him, was disposed to grant the request. But 

 ^vhile he was deliberating, an old Ulmen of great 

 authority in the country, enraged to hear them talk 

 of sparing his life, dispatched the unfortunate pri- 

 soner with a blow of his club ; saying, that they must 

 be mad to trust to the promises of an ambitious ene- 

 my, who as soon as he had escaped from this dan- 

 ger, would make a mock of them and laugh at his 

 oaths. Caupolican was highly exasperated at this 

 conduct, and would have punished it with severity 

 had not the greater part of his officers opposed them- 

 selves to his just resentment. 



Such was the tragic fate of the conqueror, Pedro 

 de Valdivia, a man who unquestionably possessed a 

 superior mind, and great political and military talents, 

 but who, seduced by the romantic spirit of his age, 

 knew not how to employ them to the best advantage. 

 His undertakings would have proved fortunate, had 

 he properly estimated his own strength, and, with- 

 out being deceived by the example of the Peruvians, 

 despised the Chilians less. History does not impute 

 to him any of those cruelties with which his con- 

 temporaries, the other conquerors, are accused. It 

 is true, that in the records of the Franciscans, two of 

 those monks are mentioned with applause for having, 



