150 



discharge of their artillery to the tent of tlie p-eneral. 

 Millalauco, not in the least disconcerted by all this 

 military parade, complimented the governor in the 

 name of Caupolican, and in a few words declared to 

 him the pleasure that he and all his people would feel 

 in the establishment of an honourable and advanta 

 geous peace to both nations, adding, that he was in- 

 duced to this, not from any dread of his power, but 

 from motives of humanity. 



Don Garcia was by no means satisfied with these 

 vague offers, so little correspondent to his views ; 

 he replied, however, with the same general profes- 

 sions respecting peace, and after having regaled the 

 ambassador in a magnificent manner, he ordered his 

 oiHcers to conduct him over the whole encampment, 

 in order to intimidate him by the appearance of the 

 immense military preparations that he had brought 

 with him. Nothing could better suit the wishes of 

 ISIillalauco ; he observed every thing with attention, 

 though with apparent indifference, and taking leave 

 of the Spaniards, returned home. The Araucanians, 

 on receiving such particular information, placed sen- 

 tinels along the coast to observe the movements of 

 their enemies, and began to prepare for war, which 

 they believed to be near and inevitable. 



Don Garcia, however, continued almost the whole 

 winter in the island, waiting for the cavalrj' from 

 Peru, and the reinforcements he had required from 

 the cities of his jurisdiction. At length, on the 

 night of the 6th of August, he privately landed one 

 hundred and thirty men with several engineers upon 

 the plain of Conception, and immediately took pos- 



