ATROCITIES OF BENAVIDES. 369 



battalion. No. 1, and some militia, which had 

 been sent to reinforce the head-quarters ; the ac- 

 tion was so sharply maintained, that his dastard- 

 ly person was in some danger. At eight o'clock 

 next morning he addressed a despatch to Major- 

 general Don Andres Alcazar, offering to spare 

 the lives of all those who should give themselves 

 up unarmed. It happened that this worthy vete- 

 ran had run short of ammunition, and his people 

 were worn out with fatigue ; he therefore capitu- 

 lated, giving up 'at once his arms and his life. 

 The officers were immediately shot, without be- 

 ing allowed the consolations of religion ; one per- 

 son only escaped by accident. Friar N. Castro, 

 of the order of Hermits. Major-general Alcazar, 

 and Sergeant-major Ruiz, were then delivered 

 over to the Indians, that they might be speared 

 to death, along with three hundred families who 

 had assembled on the island of Laja. 



" He lost no opportunity of destroying every 

 town he came near, burning as many as he possi- 

 bly could. And, not deeming all this sufficient 

 to glut his insatiable disposition, he opened a 

 communication with Carrera, one of the chiefs of 



VOL. I. A a 



