28 



remitted the debts they owed him the immense 

 sums of money that he had advanced for the prepa- 

 ration of the enterprize. Being persuaded that in a 

 short time he should have all the gold of the country 

 at his disposal, he sought by this display of liberality 

 to maintain the reputation of being generous, w^hich 

 he had acquired in Peru by his profuse lavishment 

 of the treasures of its sovereigns. 



While Almagro remained in Copiapo, he disco- 

 vered that the reigning Ulmen had usurped the go- 

 vernment in prejudice of his nephew and ward, who, 

 through fear of his uncle, had fied to the woods. 

 Pretending to be irritated at this act of injustice, he 

 caused the guilty chief to be arrested, and calling 

 before him the lawful heir, reinstated him in the go- 

 vernment with the universal applause of his subjects, 

 who attributed this conduct entirely to motives of 

 justice, and a wish to redress the injured. 



The Spaniards, having recovered from their fa^ 

 tigues through the hospitable assistance of the Copi- 

 apins, and reinforced by a number of recruits whom 

 Rodrigo Organez had brought from Peru, com- 

 menced their march for the southern provinces, filled 

 with the most flattering hopes, increased by the 

 beautiful appearance of the country, and the nume- 

 rous villages that appeared upon all sides. The na^ 

 tives crouded round them on their march, as well to 

 examine them nearer, as to present them with such 

 things as they thought would prove agreeable to a 

 people, who appeared to them of a character far su^ 

 perior to that of other men, * 



