^/.' 



164 ovalle's historical relation op chile. 



with the fwiftnefs of the horfes, yet at laft they grew fo little afraid of them, that they 

 took a folemn oath by the great fun, either to die or kill them all. The Adelantado 

 attacked them, and was in great danger, for they killed his horfe under him in the 

 engagement ; but he continuing ftill to fight them, they refolved at lafl. to retire : then 

 he purfued his journey, with his whole army, which was of two hundred horfe, and 

 fomething above three hundred foot j with a great many Indians, as well Yanaconas, as 

 others, who aflifted the Inga Paulo. The army being thus numerous, they began to 

 want provifions ; and, which was worfe, they were without hopes of finding any, there 

 being no place thereabouts that could afford it, the country being a defart, which 

 lafted feven days, all barren ground, and full of fait nitre ; and for their comfort, as 

 they defcended a hill or precipice, after which they hoped for fome relief, they met 

 with the fnows of the Cordillera, which was a fight able to freeze the boldeft under- 

 taker, confidering the dangers and fufferings they were threatened with. Herrera, 

 when he comes to this palfage, fays, fpeaking of the bravery of the Spaniards, and their 

 patience in fuffering a great deal, which I fhall not relate, that I may not be thought 

 to praife my own countrymen with affeftation ; but I cannot omit fome part of it : 

 he fays then, that to overcome fuch difficulties, none could have attempted it, but fuch 

 as were ufed to endure hunger and thirft, and to enter into a country without guides, 

 through foreils, and over great torrents, fighting at the fame time with their enemies 

 and the elements, and fhewing invincible minds j marching both day and night, 

 enduring cold and heat, loaded with their arms and provifion ; being all of them ready 

 to put a hand to all things, even the moil noble among them being the firft, when a 

 bridge or any thing was to be made, to turn pioneers and carpenters, and cut down 

 trees, by which they were fit for the greatefl enterprizes. 



The Adelantado feeing the new, and, in all appearance, the infuperable difficulty that 

 attended this journey, did not lofe courage, but made a bold exhortation to his men, 

 telling them, that thefe were accidents that ufed to befal foldiers, without which no 

 great honour could be gained, nor any of thofe riches which they fought, after ; that 

 they fhould put their trull: in God, who would not fail to affift them, fince the planting 

 of his faith depended upon their prefer vation. They all anfwered chearfully, that they 

 were ready to follow him to death ; and becaufe example is the beft rhetorick, he firft 

 began to enter into the Cordillera, or fnowy mountains, with a detachment of horfe 

 going before, that if he found any provifions, he might fend a fhare to the army, which 

 began to faint for want of it. But the more he advanced, he met with nothing but 

 vafl defarts, with a wind fo cold, that it ftruck them through ; and the paflage grew 

 ftraiter and ftraiter, till at laft it pleafed God, that from a high hill they difcovered the 

 valley of Copiapo, where the kingdom of Chile begins, where they were received very 

 kindly by the Indians, out of the refpedt they bore to the Inga Paulo, and afforded them 

 provifions enough to fend fome to the army which followed. It is not poffible to ima- 

 gine how much they were preiTed both by cold and hunger, both Spaniards and In- 

 dians ; here one would fall into the fnow, and be buried before he was dead ; another 

 would lean againft a rock, and remain frozen, juft as if he had been alive. If any did 

 but ftop to take breath, immediately a blaft of cold air left him fixed and immoveable, 

 as if he had been of iron ; and a Negroe, who had a led horfe in his hand, did but 

 turn his head, and ftop to fee who called him, as fomebody did, and both he and the 

 horfe remained like two ftatues ; fo that there was no remedy but to keep moving, for 

 it was certain death to ftop a little ; but it could not be, but people fo weary and fo 

 weak muft ftand ftill fometimes ; and therefore they loft a great many men, ftrowed 

 up and down the mountain. 



Gar- 



