no Ovalle's historical relation of chile. 



though hitherto no one has treated purpofely of this matter. There are now two hif- 

 tories in the prefs, which will make out, by particulars, all that has been faid of this 

 nation. Don Alonfo de Ereilla fays enough, in his famous poem called the Araucana ; 

 but becaufe it is in verfe, it feems to leflen fomething the real truth ; and yet abftrad- 

 ing from the hyperboles and enlargings of poetry, all the hiftorical part is very con- 

 formable to truth, he being a gentleman of great quality, and an eye-witnefs of what 

 he affirms ; for what he wrote was not by hearfay, but upon the very fpot where the 

 things happened ; fo that he might have had as many contradidors as he had witneffes, 

 who were prefent as well as he at what palfed. 



He dedicated his book to the moft Catholick King, his lord and mafter ; and pre- 

 fenting to him with his own hand, when he came from Chile to Spain, it is to be pre- 

 fumed he would not have dared to fail in the exaftnefs of truth, for fear of receiving 

 a chaftifement, inftead of a reward, which he obtained for it. Let any read his pro- 

 logue, in which, in a very good ftyle, and in profe, he gives a noble account of the 

 valour of the Indians, and concludes his preface with thefe words : — " I have faid all 

 this, as a proof and clear demonftration of the valour of thefe nations, worthy of all 

 the encomiums I can give them in my verfes ; and befides, there are now in Spain fe- 

 veral perfons who were prefent at many of the actions which I here defcribe, and refer 

 to them the defence of my work on that fide/* Thus far this author, worthy of im- 

 mortal praife for his incomparable book, which, though publifhed above fifty years 

 ago, and printed in Spain and Flanders, is yet continually reprinted ; which fhows the 

 value the curious and the learned have for it. The Araucanos are indeed the chief 

 fubjett of it ; and yet what is faid of them may be extended to all the Indians of Chile, 

 as we fhall fee in its proper place, when we ftiall treat of the wars they had with the 

 Spaniards. 



But before ever the Spaniards fet their feet on their ground, they had given fufficient 

 proof of their bravery, which was invincible, to the Ingas, emperors of Peru, fmce 

 with all their power they could never conquer them, though they endeavoured it, as 

 being extremely inclined to enlarge their dominions ; and they defired it the more, for 

 the fame of Chile, to which they fent a powerful army, and which made fome pro- 

 grefs at firft, fubjeding fome nations to extraordinary tributes. But as they purfued 

 their point, and came to the valley of Maule, they met with the Promocaes, to whofe 

 fuccour the Chilenos, who inhabited more within the country, were come, and forced 

 the army of the Ingas to retire in hafte. GarcilafTo de la Vega relating this more par- 

 ticularly, fays, 



That the Inga yn Pangue, the tenth king of Peru, came to the confines of his own 

 kingdom, to a place called Atacama, to be nearer at hand to attend the conqueft of 

 Chile : and from thence firft fent his fcouts through the fourfcore leagues of unculti- 

 vated country, which was between his kingdom and Chile, with orders to difpatch a 

 man, every two leagues, with an account of what they difcovered ; which they did, 

 one meflenger following another, and leaving in the way certain marks, whereby they 

 that came laft might guide themfelves. He firft fent ten thoufand men, under the com- 

 mand of General Sinchiruca, and two other colonels of his own kindred, not being 

 willing to commit to any other's care fo great an enterprife. They came within fight 

 of the valley of Copiapo, which is the firft inhabited valley of Chile ; with the inha- 

 bitants of which, the Peruvians began to fkirmifh, becaufe they had not admitted the 

 embafly which they fent them as from the Inga, to own him for their lord ; and withal, 

 having given notice of the refiftance they found to the Inga, he fent them ten thoufand 

 men more, with a new fummons, alTuring them, that his defign was not to take their 



I a country 



