145 . 



collect in so short a time, in opposition to the 

 advice of his most experienced officers, who ap- 

 pear to have had a presentiment of what was to 

 happen. 



The Spanish historians of that period, as the^- 

 felt a greater or less desire of diniinishing the 

 loss of their countrymen, vary greatly in their 

 accounts of the number of Spanish and Indian 

 auxiliaries, who accompanied him in this unfor- 

 tunate expedition. According to some, he had 

 only two hundred of the first, and five thousand 

 of the latter. Others reduce even this to only 

 half the number. The same uncertainty is to be 

 found in their accounts of the number of the ene- 

 my, some making it amount to nine, and others to 

 more than fen thousand. If both the hostile parties 

 possessed historical documents, we might, from 

 comparing their different accounts, probably ob- 

 tain a tolerable accurate calculation, Ijut the 

 means of information we are obliged to have re- 

 course to, are all derived from the same source. 

 Nevertheless, on considering the important con- 

 sequences of this battle, we are Induced to be* 

 lieve that the loss was much greater than is pre- 

 tended. 



On approaching within at short distance of the 

 enemy's encampment, Valdivia sent piego del 

 Oro forward to reconnoitre them with ten horse. 

 This detachment falling in, with an advanced 

 party of the Araucanians, were all slain by them, 



VOL. H. L 



