47 



Rio8, a pot full of gold, telling him that he had 

 found a great quantity of it in a certain district 

 of the country. Upon this information, all were 

 impatient to proceed thither to participate in the 

 imagined treasure. As they arrived tumultuously 

 at the place described, they fell into an ambus- 

 cade, from whence none escaped except the im- 

 prudent commander and a ne^ro, whe saved 

 themselves by the superior excellence of their 

 horses. The frigate that was then finished was 

 also destrojed, being burned together with th 

 arsenal. 



Valdivia, on receiving advice of this disaster^ 

 hastened thither with his troops, and having re- 

 venged, as far as in his power, the death of his 

 soldiers, built a fort to protect the miners. Being 

 afterwards reinforced with three hundred mea 

 from Peru, under the command of Francis Villa- 

 gran and Christopher Escobar, he became sen- 

 sible of the necessity of establishing a settlement 

 in the northern part of the kingdom, that might 

 serve as a place of arms, and a protection for the 

 convoys that should come that way. For this 

 purpose he made choice of a beautiful plain at 

 the mouth of the river Coquimbo, which forms 

 a good harbour, where, in 1544, he founded a 

 city called by him Serena, in honour of the place 

 of his birth ; it is not, however, known at present 

 by this appellation, except in geographical trea- 

 ti.ses, the couutry name having prevailed, as is 



