257 



mander, having made a sortie in order to procure 

 supplies, was slain together with his soldiers. 



In this critical state of affairs, the governor, Don 

 Gabriel Cano, who had succeeded Concha, arrived 

 with an army of five thousand men. Vilumilla, ex- 

 pecting immediately to come to action, posted him- 

 self behind a torrent, and drew up his troops in or- 

 der of battle : but Cano, tliough repeatedly provok- 

 ed by the enemy, thought it more advisable to aban- 

 don the place, and retire with the garrison. The war 

 afterwards became reduced to skirmishes of but lit- 

 tie importance, which were finally terminated by the 

 celebrated peace of Ncgrete, a place situated at the 

 confluence of the rivers Bio-bio and Lara^ where 

 the treaty of Quillan was reconfirmed, and the 

 odious title of Captain of Friends wholly abolished. 



Cano, after a mild and harmonious government 

 of fifteen years, died in the city of St. Jago. He 

 was succeeded by his nephew, Don Manuel Sala- 

 manca, who was appointed by the viceroy of Peru, 

 and whose whole conduct was conformable to the 

 humane maxims of his uncle. Don Joseph Manso, 

 who was sent from Spain as his successor, brought 

 orders from the king to collect the numerous Spa- 

 nish inhabitants dispersed over the country in com- 

 pact societies. For this purpose, in i74á, he founded 

 the cities of Copiapo, Aconcagua, Melipilla, Ranca- 

 gua, St. Fernando, Curico, Talca, Tutuben and An- 

 geles. In reward for this service he was promoted 

 to the splendid dignity of viceroy of Peru. Hi» 



Vol. it. K k 



