29^ 



cation/ The first said that it was only a scheme 

 to deceive the Araucani^ns^ in order at a future 

 time to conquer them with more facility, by ren- 

 dering them unaccustomed to the use of arms. 

 Those of the Spaniards, on the contrary, pre- 

 tended to be afraid that, if peace were established, 

 the population of the enemy would be so much 

 increased, that they would become suflficiently 

 powerful to destroy all the Spanish settlements 

 in Chili. Of the latter some had even the bold- 

 ness to cry *' to arms," and endeavour to insti- 

 gate the auxiliaries to commence hostilities at 

 the very time of the conference. But the Mar- 

 quis, by justifying his intentions to the one, and 

 reprimanding the other party, prevented the re- 

 newal of the war, and put the last hand to his 

 glorious undertaking, which was approved and 

 ratified by the court. 



In 1G43, two years after the peace, the im- 

 portance of the article inserted by the governor 

 in the tre<ity was rendered very apparent to the 

 Spaniards, by a last attempt made by the Dutch 

 to possess themselves of Chili. Their measures 

 were so well taken, that had they been in the 

 least seconded by the Araucanians, they must 

 have infallibly succeeded. Having left Brasil, 

 which they had conquered, with a numerous 

 fleet, well provided with men and cannon, they 

 took possession of the harbour of Valdivia^, which 

 had been deserted for more than foriy years. 



