OVALLE*S HISTORICAL RELATION OF CHILE* 189 



divia did fo, beftowing on him the richeft lands of the Indians ; but the ambition of 

 commanding is always very contentious, and fubject to complain till it gets the upper 

 hand. This appeared in Pedro Sanches de Hoz, in the abfence of the governor from 

 Chile; for being vexed that he was not left with the authority of lieutenant in his room, 

 he plotted to take away the life of him who had it, which was Francifco de Villagra, 

 who having notice of his defigns, feized upon Pedro Sanches de Hoz, and cut off his 

 head, by which he affured his own ; and Valdivia approved of the thing as well done, 

 when he was informed of it ; becaufe he was a friend to juftice, and becaufe a com- 

 petitor is never forry to have his competitor removed. 



About this time, the Indians of Copiapo, who had begun to imbrue their hands in 

 the blood of the Spaniards, in purfuance of the revenge of their Prince's death, whom 

 the Captains Miranda and Monroy had killed, as we have related in the ninth chapter, 

 lay in wait, and furprifed Juan Bon, with forty foldiers more, of fome companies which 

 were coming from Peru, and marching through their country ; thefe they put all to 

 death. After their example the Coquimbefes attacked the foldiers and inhabitants of 

 the city of La Serena, whom they killed without fparing one, and fet fire to the city, 

 which they ruined utterly, not leaving one ftone upon another. 



All this being underftood by the governor at his return from Peru, he fent Captain 

 Francis de Aguirre with a good force, to follow them to their retiring-place, where in 

 feveral rencounters, in the valley of Copiapo, he overcame the Indians : all which was as 

 much owing to his great valour as condudl, without which the force he had would 

 have proved infufficient (as Herrera obferves). He did the fame in the valley of 

 Coquimbo, and rebuilt the city of La Serena, in the place and fituation where it now 

 (lands. For which reafon he was looked upon as the true founder of it ; and his 

 defcendants, who are of the befl nobility of the kingdom, have preferved that prero- 

 gative, and are the chiefeft in %hat government, or rather the maflers of it ; for they 

 are fo numerous and fo powerful, that they yield to none in reputation, and are 

 accordingly refpefted by all. 



Let us now treat of that which it is not reafonable to forget ; which is, of thofe 

 captains, who in thofe early times entered Chile with fuccours of men to help to 

 cdnquer it, lince it is juft their memory fhould live for ever in thofe who enjoy the 

 fruits of their labours, and are now maflers of what they gained with their blood and 

 fweat, and the lofs of many lives, and danger of their own, which they expofed in fo 

 many battles and encounters they had with the enemy. I am only forry, that I cannot fpeak 

 of them all, and defcribe in particular their good qualities and great merits, becaufe I 

 am in a place where I want memoirs and informations for fuch a work ; but I will fay 

 what I can of their noble adlions, as I find them recorded in other hiftories; though 

 to fay truth, that which they fay about Chile is fo little, that it is almolt next to 

 nothing. I am not furprifed at it, for it is a place much out of the way, and its con- 

 querors were bufier with their fwords than with their pens ; for their enemies preffed 

 them continually with fo much vigour, that they had but little of that leifure which 

 hiftories and relations require. We fhall begin with the Governor Pedro de Valdivia, 

 who was the firft that entered the kingdom with a force, as has been related ; then 

 that which General Paftene brought afterwards with arms and cloaths. The fuccours 

 brought by Captain Monroy proved of great importance ; as Herrera fays, it was of 

 three-fcore men, which in thofe days was as much as fix hundred now : thefe he had 

 hired in Peru, being much aflifted by the viceroy, who, upon the relations of Monroy 

 and Miranda, was refolved to encourage the enterprize. 



I am 



