235 



infantry and four hundred horse, whom he sent out 

 in several divisions to ravage the country in the vi 

 cinity, leaving only two hundred to guard the nar- 

 row pass of the Congrejeras. Rebolledo, the com- 

 mander of the place, provoked at his temerity, dis- 

 patched seventy horse to take possession of the above 

 mentioned defile and cut ofl^ his retreat, but they 

 were received with such braver}^ by the troops of 

 Lientur, that they were compelled to retire for secu- 

 rity to a hill, after having lost eighteen of their num- 

 ber, with their captain. Rebolledo sent to their as- 

 sistance three companies of infantry, and the re- 

 mainder of the cavalry. Lientur, who by this time 

 had arrived with all his army, immediately formed 

 his troops in battle array, fell upon the Spaniards, 

 notwithstanding the continual fire of their musketr}^ 

 and at the first encounter put the cavalry to flight. 

 The infantry, being thus left exposed, were almost 

 all cut in pieces ; but thirty-six prisoners were ta- 

 ken by the victors, who Mere distributed in the 

 several provinces of the country. 



Had Lientur at that time invested the place, it 

 must inevitably have fallen into his hands ; but, for 

 some reason which does not appear, he deferred the 

 siege until the following year, when his attempts to 

 take it were rendered ineflectual by the valiant de- 

 fence of Ximenes, the commander. This failure 

 was, however, recompensed by the capture of Ne- 

 culguenu, the garrison of which he put to the sword, 

 and made prisoners of all the auxiliaries who dwelt 

 in the neighbourhood. These successes were fol- 

 lowed by many others equally favourable, whence, 



