305 



Is twelve leagues in extent, and twenty from east tt; west. It 

 is ill r/\U:-(\ by the river Andalieii and several other sniall 

 itreanti. !t nroduces <zo\.\ iliiit in aUundaiice, and also "reat 

 qnaiitiiies of strawberries both wild and cultivated, which are 

 the lai'rest in Chili. Gnalqui, or Si. John the Baptist, 

 founded in the ^ear 1754, u))on the iiortlierji sliore of the 

 river Bio-bio, in 30'. 44. de^iees of iiitiuule, and 304. 48. of 

 longitude, is ])roperly the capital, and the residence of the 

 Prefect or Corrfgidor. This province comprehends the 

 I'refecturate of Conception, which extends a little beyond the 

 city t)f tluit name. 



Concej)rion, called in the language of the country Ponco, 

 \ras founded, by Pedro di Valdivia, in a dell, or valley, 

 formed on the sea-coast ])y some beautifid liiiis, in latitude 

 3(). 42. and longitude 303. '23. This city is liie scv:ond in the 

 kingdom. At its connneucement it ilourisiied great 'v, from 

 the vast quantities <f gold that were dug in its viciniiy ; but 

 alter tiie uiit'ortunate battle of jNlarriqucno, in the year 1.5.)4, 

 it was abaiuioned by Villagran the governor, and the inhahit- 

 ants, on the approach of Lauiaro, the Araucaiiian general, 

 and bv him l;;ken and buri;ed. It was, however, rebuilt in t'je 

 month of November of tiie f)lIo'/. in.'- year after a period of 

 six months ; but Lautaro, returning, ag;!in remlered himself 

 iiiaster of it, slew in tlie a-.>Du!t the greater part of the garri- 

 j^on, and razed it to its fou;j. lalions. \jci\ Garcia de Mendoza, 

 alter his \iclories over Cuiiouran, re>,t;;ied it anew, ^\v\ for- 

 lilied it stro[)glv. Having su( ces-fr.'!- iesi^ied t.'ie attempt of 

 the Araueaniaus to tatce it, wh.o be--icged it for lifty ('^r-, s, it 

 contiriued to flourish in great s-^!e"dour niiti! the year iGO'j, 

 when, uith the t)!iur > ;athi~rn '-ities ^-^' tliL Sp.uiiards, it was 

 tahen a;u! i)r.nied hv ti:e Toqui Paillamachu. It soon, how- 

 ex er, bcM.iU to rise again from it^ ashes, and re^u!^;e ii^ !, iir.er 

 iU'^tre, in consequence (Mhe t^v'u! CMr.mt ice wliii h was ear- 

 lied on 'licre; and beceniijjg !iio;i> -Irong a:i(l pojailous Ihau 

 LW(r, tiie Aruueanlans teaHMJ to iHo!e-,t it. But in the ycSf 



VOL. I, X 



