234' 



ception and Chilian, laid waste the provinces in 

 their dependence^ and returned loaded with spoil 

 to his country. 



On the first receipt of this melancholy news at 

 the capital, the inhabitants, filled with conster- 

 nation, abandoned themselves to despair, and 

 agreed with one voice to quit the country and 

 retire to Peru. As they had, however, some 

 confidence in Pedro de Viscara, they assembled 

 in council, and obliged him to take upon him- 

 self the government, till the court, on being 

 made acquainted with the death of Lo3'ola, 

 should appoint some other. This officer, who 

 was more than seventy years old, began his march 

 for the frontiers in 1599, with all the troops that 

 he could raise, and had the courage to cross the 

 Bio-bio, and in the face of the besieging enemy, 

 withdraw the inhabitants from Angol and Coya, 

 with whom he repeopled the cities of Conception 

 and Chilian. But his government continued 

 only six months ; for the viceroy of Peru, on 

 being informed of the perilous situation of Chili, 

 sent Don Francisco Quinones thither as go- 

 vernor, with a numerous reinforcement of sol- 

 diers, and a large supply of military stores. 

 This commander had several actions with Pail- 

 lamachu on the northern shore of the Bio-bio, 

 whither the Araucanians had gone with an in- 

 tention of laying under contribution, or of ra- 

 vaging the Spanish provinces ; but none of thenar 



