41 



ercises. Leucoton is declared victor in the contest of throwing the 

 lance, and receives a scimitar as his reward. Rengo subdues his 

 two rivals, Cayeguaii and Talco, in the exercise cf wrestling, and 

 proceeds to contend with Leucoton. After a long and severe struggle, 

 Rengo has the misfortune to fall by an accidental failure of the 

 ground, but, springing lightly up, engages his adversary with in- 

 «reasing fury ; and the canto ends without deciding the contest. 



CANTO XI. 



LAUTARO separates the two enraged antagonists, to prevent 

 the ill effects of their wrath. The youth Orompello, whom Leucoton 

 had before surpassed in the contest of the lance, challenges his 

 successful rival to wrestle : they engage, and fall together : the 

 victory is disputed. Tucapel demands the prize for his young 

 friend Orompello, and insults the General Caupolican. The latter 

 is restrained from avenging the insult, by the sage advice of the 

 veteran Colocólo, at whose request he distributes prizes of equal 

 value to each of tli-j claimants. To prevent farther animosities, 

 they relinquish therest of the appointed games, and enter intodebate 

 on the war. Lautaro is again appointed to the command of a 

 chosen troop, and marches towards the city of St. Jago. The 

 Spaniards, alarmed at the report of his a])proach, send out some 

 forces to reconnoitre his party : a skirmish ensues : they are driven 

 back to the city, and relate that Lautari) is fortifying a strong post 

 at some distance, intending soon to attack the city. Villagran, who 

 commanded there, being confined by illness, appoints an officer of 

 his own name to sally forth, with all the forces he can raise, in 

 quest of the enemy. They fix their camp, on the apjiroach of 

 night, near the fort of Lautaro : and are throvvn into an alarm, 

 by a horse turned loose by Lautaro towards their camjj, as an in- 

 sulting mode of proclaiming his late victory. 



The Spaniards pass the night underarms, resolving to attack the 

 Indians at break of day. Lautaro havnig issued orders that no Indian 

 should sally from the fort under pain of death, to prevent the ad- 

 vantage which the Spanish cavalry must have over his small forces 

 in thé open plain, had also commanded his soldiers to retreat with 

 an appearance of dismay, at the first attack on the fort, and suffer 

 a considerable number of the enemy to enter tlie place. This 

 stratagem succeeds : the Spaniards rush forward with great fury : 

 the Indians give ground, but, soon turning with redoubled violence 



Vol. II. F 



