115 



he was naturally timid and irresolute, and was much 

 better suited for a subaltern station than for that of 

 commander in. chief. 



The new Toqui, in the year 1551, formed his 

 troops into three divisions, and marched to attack 

 the Spaniards. Such was the terror inspired by the 

 approach of the Araucanians, that the Spaniards, af- 

 ter confessing themselves and partaking of the sacra- 

 ment, took shelter under the cannon of their forti- 

 fications. But Lincoyan, finding the first attack un- 

 successful, apprehensive of losing the army commit- 

 ted to his charge, ordered a precipitate retreat, to the 

 great surprise of Valdivia, who, apprehensive of 

 some stratagem, forbad his soldiers to pursue them. 

 When it was discovered that the enemy had retreat- 

 ed in good earnest, they began to consider their flight 

 as a special mark of the favour of heaven, and, in 

 the fervour of their enthusiasm, there were not want- 

 ing some who declared that they had seen the 

 Apostle St. James upon a white horse with a flaming 

 sword striking terror into their enemies.* These 



* This Apostle appears to have been a very convenient person- 

 age, and very ready witli his aid upon all such occasions to the 

 Spaniards of that period. Bernai Diaz, in his true history of the 

 conquest of Mexico, in giving an account of a similar story, thus 

 expresses himself with his peculiar naivetf. " In his account of 

 this action Gomara says, that previous to the arrival of the main 

 body of the cavalry under Cortes, Francisco de Moría appeared 

 in the field upon a grey dappled horse, and that it was one of the 

 holy apostles, St. Peter or St. Jago, disguised under his person. I 

 say, that all our v/orks and victories are guided by the hand of our 

 Lord Jesus Christ, and that in this battle there were so many ene- 

 mies to every one of us, that they could have buried us under the 

 dust they could have held in their hands, but that the great mercy 



