g INTRODUCTION. 



served the purpose of preventing the Indians from any serious in- 

 vasion of the northern districts ; but their predatory inroads have 

 never been wholly repressed, and Araucana continued free. 



In 1609, the court of audience, which had been suppressed at 

 Conception, was re-established at Santiago, a city far enough from 

 the Indian frontier not to dread the incursions of the natives, but 

 too distant from the sea, being ninety miles from Valparaiso, its 

 nearest port. This situation, however, had at that period its con- 

 venience, as it was out of the reach of the French, Dutch, and 

 English adventurers, who then disturbed the tranquillity and 

 endangered the possessions of the Spanish settlements on the 

 shores of the Pacific. 



In 1638, the Dutch made an attempt to form an alliance with the 

 Araucanians, and thus obtain possession of Chile ; but that nation 

 refused all intercourse with Europeans, and destroyed the parties the 

 Dutch had landed both in the islands of Mocha and Talca. Not 

 disheartened, however, that enterprising people returned in 1643 

 with a numerous fleet, troops, and artillery, took possession of the 

 deserted Valdivia, and began to build three strong forts at the en- 

 trance of the harbour. But the Indians not only refused to assist 

 them in arms, but denied them provisions ; and they were compelled 

 to abandon the place three months after their landing. The 

 Spaniards availed themselves of the labour of the Dutch ; finished 

 their forts, and strengthened the island of Mancura. So that the 

 settlement remained undisturbed from without till the late revolution. 



While the provinces of southern Chile were thus desolated and 

 depopulated by a continual warfare, the same causes that threw back 

 the other Spanish provinces operated also upon this small state. 

 The unnatural aggrandisement of Spain during the reign of Charles V. 

 involved it in all the wars of the continent of Europe; and as it had 

 lost the advantages it had derived from the arts and agriculture of 

 the Moors, which were never replaced by any corresponding industry, 

 the sole resources whence the long and expensive contests of that 

 prince could be supplied, lay in the quantity of the precious metals im- 



