I go OVALLE*S HISTORICAL RELATION OF CHILE. 



I am not certain, whether It was before this, or after, that arrived the fuccours 

 fo opportunely brought by Captain Chriftoval de Efcobar Villaroel ; for I do not find it 

 mentioned In any of the hiftorians, which I have read here ; but in Chile the memory 

 of it is very frefh, and will never be forgot ; not only for his coming in a time 

 whfen they extremely wanted fupplies, but alfo for that circuftance of this noble captain's 

 having brought thefe fuccours upon his own charges, (and I think they were 

 feventy men,) and made his way by land to Chile, either by the wildernefs of 

 Aracama, or by the Cordillera, either of which muft coll a great fum of money, 

 for it is above five hundred leagues. 



This a6tion alone was- fufficient to fhew the noblenefs of this gentleman, if that of 

 his family had not been fo well known as it is in Spain ; but he continued to 

 give proofs of his zeal for the King's fervice, by ferving in perfon, and employing alfo 

 his fon Captain Alonfo de Efcobar Villaroel, whom he had brought with him from Spain, 

 that they might both give an example to their poiterity, as they have ; not yielding 

 to any, but have produced many noble perfons, both in arms and other civil em- 

 ployments of the government. 



When I refled: upon thofe I have known of the defcendants of this famous head 

 and conqueror, I find, that between fons, grandfons, and great grandfons, they come 

 up to eighty-feven ; and if they had not been fo many, there was enough to honour 

 this family in the feven or eight fons of the General Luis de las Cucuas, grandfons of 

 this gentleman, with whom he prefented himfelf to the royal army, all armed cap-a-pe, 

 in which they ferved many years at their own charges ; for in thofe days the 

 inhabitants that were gentlemen had no other reward but their loyalty, and the 

 glory of ferving their prince. Antonio de Herrera makes mention of another fupply, 

 of one hundred and eighty men, conducted by Captain Francifco Villagra, who was 

 afterwards governor of Chile, and to whom that kingdom owes a great deal of its 

 being, for the hazards he ran, and the noble adions he performed in its conqueft, as we 

 fhall fee hereafter, and may be read in the general hiftory, to which I appeal. The 

 piobility of his family was always notorious, and the gentlemen of his name have fhewed 

 themfelves worthy of it, in the great fervices they have and do perform every day 

 for the King, worthy of all forts of acknowledgment and reward. 



After this, in the time of the viceroy Don Antonio Hurtado de Mendo9a, His Excellen- 

 cy, as Herrera fays, he fent Captain Don Martin de Avendano by land, with good fuc- 

 cours of men, and three hundred and fifty mares and horfes, which were of as much 

 importance for the war as fo many men. The defcendants of this gentleman are flill 

 carrying on the luftre of his family, fo known in Salamanca and other parts. I 

 was acquainted with two brothers of that name who alone might preferve and in- 

 creafe the reputation of their family ; the one was Colonel Don Antonio de Avendano, 

 who was colonel of the regiment of Arauco, who fignalized himfelf at the head of that 

 regiment in many rencounters with the enemy, and particularly in one, where our 

 camp was defeated, and where, to preferve the reputation he had gained in fo many 

 noble adions and imminent dangers, he chofe to die, being wounded in a great many 

 places, and almoft cut in pieces by the furious enemy. The other was Don Francifco 

 de Avendano, likewife colonel, and who came to Spain ; where His Majefty, in confi- 

 deration of his own and his anceftors' merit, honoured him with the habit of St. Jago, 

 and the government of Tucuman, where he died. 



I do not mention thofe companies out of which, as they pafled by Copiaco, forty 

 were killed, with their leader Juan Bon j becaufe Herrera, who fpeaks of this, does 



not 



