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serve to attack the division of the enemy, com- 

 manded bj Lincoyan and Ongolmo. This order, 

 vv^hich was promptly executed, preserved the 

 Spanish army from total ruin. This line of the 

 Araucanians being broken, fell back upon their 

 victorious countrymen, who were thrown into 

 such confusion, that Caupolican, after several 

 ineffectual efforts, despairing of being able to 

 restore order, sounded a retreat, and yielded to 

 his enemies a victory that he deemed secure. 

 The Araucanian army would have been cut in 

 pieces, had not Rencu, by posting himself in a 

 neighbouring wood with a squadron of valiant 

 youth, called thither the attention of the victors, 

 who pursued the fugitives with that deadly fury, 

 that characterized the soldiers of that age. That 

 chief, after having sustained the violence of 

 their attack, for a time sufficient in his opinion 

 to ensure the safety of his countrymen, retired 

 with his companions by a secret path, scoffing at 

 his enemies. 



