153 



parties falling in with those of Ciiupolican were re- 

 pulsed with loss, notwithstanding the assistance sent 

 them by Ramon the quarter- master- general. Alon- 

 zo Reynoso, who was likewise dispatched to their 

 aid with fifty horse, experienced a similar fate, 

 leaving several of his men dead xipon the field. 

 The two armies at length met. The Araucanians, 

 encouraged by the advantage they had gained, en- 

 deavoured to come to close combat with their ene- 

 mies, notwithstanding the heavy fire they had to 

 sustain from eight pieces of artillery in front of the 

 Spanish army. But when they came within reach 

 of the musketry, they were not able to advance 

 further, or resist the fire vv'hich was well kept up 

 by the veteran troops of Peru. After many inef- 

 fectual attempts, they began to give way and fall 

 into confusion from the vacancies caused in their 

 ranks, by the loss of their most determined soldiers. 

 The cavalry at length completely routed them, 

 making a great slaughter of them in their flight to 

 the woods. 



Don Garcia, either from disposition or policy, 

 was strongly inclined to pursue rigorous measures. 

 He was the first in this war who introduced, con- 

 trary to the opinion of a majority of his officers, the 

 barbarous practice of mutilating or of putting to 

 death the prisoners ; a system that may serve to awe 

 and restrain a base people, or one accustomed to 

 servitude, but a generous nation detests cruelty, and 

 it only serves to exasperate and render them irre- 

 eoncilable. Among the prisoners taken upon this 

 occasion was one more daring than any of the others, 



