OVALLE*S HISTORICAL RELATION OF CHILE. 



199 



left alone. In this extremity, he went afide with his chaplain to confefs his fms, that 

 being the principal thing he had now to do. The Indians gave him but little time to 

 make his peace with heaven ; for a great troop of them fell upon him with darts and 

 lances, killing the chaplain, and, taking him prifoner, they brought him alive to their 

 general, for the laft triumph of their vidory. 



This hitherto unconquered captain appeared in the prefence of the great Caupoli- 

 can, his hands tied behind him as captive, his face all bloody, though venerable. 

 He alked his life as a favour ; he who a little before had it in his power to grant it 

 his enemies. He turned his eyes towards his Lautaro, and, with their language, 

 feemed to defire him to intercede for him who had been his lord and mafler, and by 

 whofe means he was in this extremity. He promifed Caupolican, if he might have 

 his life, to withdraw all his forces, and leave the country free from their incum- 

 brance. He made oath of this feveral times, and perfuaded with fo much eloquence 

 his hearers, that Caupolican, who was as generous as brave, began to relent, and 

 incline to compaflion. But the greateft part faid it was madnefs to truft to any 

 words or promifes of a captive, who was forced to humble himfelf; but that when he 

 fhould be free, he would do that which fhould be moll for his advantage. However, 

 the difpute between them increafed, and no doubt but Lautaro would have inclined to 

 mercy ; for if he fought againft his mafter, it was not out of any hatred to his perfon, 

 but out of the great kindnefs he had to his country, which, with the defire of liberty, 

 prevailed over the gratitude he owed for the good ufage he had received at his hands j 

 but nothing of this was able to appeafe the vulgar, though Caupolican was inclined to 

 clemency ; fo they forced him to pronounce his death, and to execute it immediately in 

 hot blood, though they differed in the manner of it ; for fome fay that they poured 

 melted gold into his mouth, bidding him once for all content his third for that metal 

 which he had fo infatiably coveted : others fay, that one of thofe Caciques, bearing 

 impatiently that it fhould bear a queftion whether he fhould live or die, gave him a blow 

 on the head with a club ; which Caupolican refented highly, as a want of refpeft to 

 him. That which I find moft probable is, that according to the cuftom of the Indians, 

 they made flutes and trumpets of the bones of his legs and thighs, and kept his head as 

 a teftimony of fo remarakble a vidory, and to animate their youth to undertake the like 

 adions, as they might fee by this their fathers had done. Thus I have heard it 

 related. 



Of all the Spanifh army, it is faid there efcaped only two Indian friends, who, taking 

 advantage of the obfcurity of the night, hid themfelves in a thicket, from whence creep- 

 ing out as well as they could, they came to the Conception, and brought the news of 

 this fatal event. The city was immediately full of confufion and complaints, the 

 women crying and bewailing the lofs of their hufbands and fons, others that of their 

 fathers and relations, and altogether the common calamity of their city, in which they 

 Miere all equally concerned. 



CHAP. XVT. — What happened after the Death op the Governor Pedro Valdivia, 



THE enemy having obtained fo remarkable a victory, their general Caupolican 

 commanded the retreat to be founded, and called a council, to confider whether, or no, 

 it would be befl to follow their blow warmly. Many were of opinion it would be mofl 

 expedient to fall upon the cities immediately, before they could prepare for them ; yet 

 Caupolican, after having heard them all, refolved to do otherwife. It is better, faid 



I where 



