195 



The new general immediately collected an 

 armj, and crossed the Bio-bio, resolving to at- 

 tack the city of Conception, which he had been 

 informed was defended only by a few soldiers, 

 Reynoso, having learned his intention, followed 

 him with five hundred men, and coming up with 

 him at Talcaguano, a place but a short distance 

 from that city, offered him battle. The young 

 commander, encouraging his soldiers by his 

 words and his example, fell with such fury upon 

 the Spaniards, that he entirely defeated them ; 

 Reynoso, pursued and wounded by Tucapel, had 

 the good fortune to be able to repass the Bio-bio 

 with a few horse that had escaped the slaughter. 

 He immediately collected more troops, and re- 

 turned to attack the Araucanian camp ; but 

 meeting with no better success than before, he 

 was compelled to abandon the enterprise. 



At the close of this second action, Millalauco, 

 who had been sent to compliment the Spaniards 

 in Quiriquina, returned with the news that Don 

 Garcia had quitted Imperial, with a large body 

 of troops, and was laying waste the neighbouring 

 provinces. On this information Caupolican, by 

 the advice of Colocolo, deferred the siege of 

 Conception, and hastened to give them assistance, 

 leaving a number of men under the command of 

 Millalauco, to oppose the attempts of Reynoso. 

 Don Garcia, however, being informed of his 

 march, withdrew to Imperial, after having placed 



o3 



