263 



permitted to pass it with an armj ; that all de- 

 serters iu future should be mutually returned, 

 and that the missionaries should be permitted to 

 preach the doctrines of Christianity in the Arau- 

 canian territories. 



The Araucanian general required as a preli- 

 minary the evacuation of the forts of Paicavi 

 and Arauco, which had been lately erected upon 

 the sea-coast. The governor abandoned the first, 

 and agreed immediately on the conclusion of 

 peace to quit the other. As the consent of the 

 chiefs of the four Uthalmapus was however re- 

 quisite to ratify the treaty, Ancanamon proposed 

 to go and seek them in person, and bring them to 

 the Spanish camp. 



The negotiation was in this state of forward- 

 ness, when an unexpected event rendered abortive 

 all the mea<;ures that had been taken. Among 

 the wives of Ancanamon was a Spanish lady, 

 who, taking advantage of his absence, fled for 

 refuge to the governor, with two small children, 

 and four women, whom she had persuaded to 

 become christians, two of whom were the wives, 

 and the others the daughters of her husband. 

 The indignation of the Toqui on this occasion 

 was extreme, though he was much less exas- 

 perated at the flight of his wives, than the kind 

 reception which they had experienced from the 

 Spaniards. As soon as he obtained information 

 of it he relinquished every thought of peace, ar.d 



