48 



tte case with all the other European settlements 

 ia Chili. 



. In the ensuing year he began to think of ex- 

 tending his conquests, and for that purpose pro- 

 ceeded into the country of the Promaucians. 

 Contemporary writers have not made mention of 

 any battle that was fought upon this occasion ; 

 but it is not to be supposed that this valiant 

 people who had with so much glory repulsed the 

 armies of the Inca and of Alniagro, would have 

 allowed him, without opposition, to violate their 

 territory. It is, however, highly probable, that 

 Valdivia, in the frequent incursions which he 

 made upon their frontiers, had the art to persuade 

 them to unite with him against the other Chilians 

 by seducing promises ; a mean that has been 

 employed by all political conquerors, who have 

 ever availed themselves of the aid of barbarians 

 to conquer barbarians, in order, finally, to sub- 

 jugate the whole. In fact, the Spanish armies 

 have ever since that period been strengthened by 

 Promaucian auxiliaries, from whence has sprung 

 that rooted antipathy, which the Araucanians 

 preserve against the residue of that nation. 



In the course of the year 1546, Valdivia, 

 having passed the Maule, proceeded in his career 

 of victory to the river Itata. While encamped 

 there in a place called Quilacura, he was at- 

 tacked at night by a body of the natives, who 

 destroyed mauy of his horses, and put him in 



