148 



Spaniards, wounded and spent with fatigue^ were 

 no longer able to resist them. At the same time 

 grasping a lance, he turned against his late 

 toaster, crying out, *' Follow me, my country- 

 men, victory courts us with open arms/' The 

 Araucanians ashamed at being surpassed by a 

 "boy, turned with such fury upon their enemies, 

 that at the first shock they put them to rout, 

 cutting in pieces the Spaniards and their allies, 

 so that of the whole of this army, only two Pro- 

 maucians had the fortune to escape, by fleeing to 

 a neighbouring wood. 



The Spanish general having lost all hope, 

 had retired in the beginning of the massacre with 

 his chaplain, to prepare himself for death ; but 

 being pursued and taken by the victors, he was 

 broughtbeforeCaupolican,ofwhom, in an humble 

 manner, he implored his life, soliciting the good 

 offices of Lautaro, and most solemnlj' promising 

 to quit Chili with all his people. 



The Araucanian general, naturally compassion- 

 ate, and desirous of obliging Lautaro, who joined 

 in soliciting him, was disposed to grant the re- 

 quest. But while he was deliberating, an old 

 tllmen of great authority in the country, enraged 

 to hear them talk of sparing his life, dispatched 

 the unfortunate prisoner with a blow of his club ; 

 saying, that they must be mad to trust to the 

 promises of an ambitious enemy, who, as soon as 

 he had escaped from this danger, would make a 



