191 



on the bark of a tree some verses containing his 

 name and the time of the discovery, the 31st of 

 January, 1559. 



Don Garcia, satisfied with having been the 

 first to discover by land the Archipelago of Chi- 

 loe, returned, taking for his guide one of those 

 islanders, who conducted him safely to Imperial 

 through the country of the Huilliches, which is 

 for the most part level, aud abounds in provi- 

 sions. The inhabitants, who are similar in every 

 respect to their western neighbours, the Cun- 

 chese, made no opposition to his passage. He 

 there founded, or according to some writers, re- 

 built the city of Osorno, which increased rapidly, j 

 not less from its manufactories of woollen and ^ 

 linen stufis, than from the fine gold procured I 

 from its mines, which were afterwards destroyed 

 by the Toqui Paillamacu. 



During this expedition, Alonzo Reynoso, com- 

 mander of Canete, after having for a long time 

 attempted, by offers of reward and by means of 

 torture, to obtain from the natives information of 

 the retreat of Caupolican, at length found one 

 less inflexible, who promised to discover the 

 place where he had concealed himself since his 

 last defeat/ A detachment of cavalry was im- 

 mediately sent under the guidance of this spy, 

 and at day-break made prisoner of that great 

 man, but not till after a gallant resistance from 

 ten of his most faithful soldiers, who would not 



