$0 OVALLE*S HISTORICAL RELATION OF CHILE. 



being fo hard preffed both by fea and land, he muft either have relinquifhed the port 

 or periflied there for ever. 



It has been feen on this occafion, that one man is as good as many in the defence 

 of the caufe of God and their country, againft any invader whatfoever, every one de- 

 fpifing all dangers on fuch an account ; but particularly Colonel de Villa Nueva Soberal 

 fignalized himfelf at this time ; for being general of the kingdom, and governor of the 

 country of Arauco, he ventured himfelf in a fmall bark in the midift of winter, to 

 folicit at Lima the neceffary fuccoCirs, and affifl" the viceroy for a more quick difpatch 

 of all things. 



He took with him father Domingo Lazaro, of the company of Jefus, that he might 

 inform him as an eye-witnefs of all that had palfed, he being at that time employed in 

 Chiloe in the apoflolical millions, when the Hollanders landed : he, neverthelefs, with 

 undaunted courage, embarked in the midft of the winter in a tempeftuous fea, as it is 

 at that time ; and without apprehenfion of all thofe dangers, and of being made a 

 prifoner by the Hollanders, who lay in his way, and could fcarce be avoided, he ar- 

 rived at the city of the Conception, where he gave an account of all that had hap- 

 pened ; by which means the country was immediately prepared, and in arms for their 

 defence. 



There is another adion which ought not to be concealed, as well becaufe it fhews 

 the great prudence of the Marquis de Baydes, as the outrage of 20 Spanilh foldiers. 

 It being uncertain whether the enemy were Hill at Valdivia, or whether he had aban- 

 doned it, they offered to go in a boat up the river, as they did by the governor's com- 

 mand ; and without being terrified by the manifeft danger they expofed themfelves to, 

 they went as high as the town ; and having discovered the ill condition of the enemy, 

 and his defign of leaving the place, they returned with that advice. This moved the 

 general not to attack them, as was at firft refolved ; but it did not hinder his intention of 

 peopling the place, (as I believe was done by laft fummer ;) for I have advice from Pana- 

 ma, that there is a garrifon of 600 Spaniards left there ; to which our Indian friends being 

 joined, and the coafl Indians alfo, that poll will be henceforth inexpugnable, and by 

 it the South Sea will be fecured ; for it being already fo dangerous to fail through the 

 ftraights, and fo eafy for us who are at home to defend this poll of Valdivia, and hav- 

 ing all the land our friends, we receive fuccours both from the Spaniards and Indians, 

 who are fo friendly, that their caciques fent to offer their afliftance of their own ac- 

 cord againft the Hollanders ; I fay it will be very hard henceforward for any one to give 

 us any difturbance. 



CHAP. X. — J Continuation of the Defcription of the Rivers of Chile, and particularly 

 thofe which run to the Eaji ; and of the Difference between the one and the other ftde of 

 the great Cordillera. 



- THE river next to that of Valdivia is that which is called Chalbin ; it is deep, and 

 capable of great veffels. From this river, to a place called the Punta de Galera, it is 

 about two leagues ; and from this to Rio Bueno feven j into which fall five rivers more, 

 and one which is beyond the bounds of Valdivia. 



After this is the Rio Chico, which comes from a lake at the foot of the Cordillera ; 

 in which lake are baths to cure leprofy and other infirmities. Next to this is the Rio 

 de la Ballena, which is clofe to the cape of that name, fo called becaufe of a whale of 

 prodigious bignefs, which died upon that coaft. After this, you come to the Archi- 

 pelago 



