117 



The building of the city having progressed rapid- 

 ly under his inspection in a short time, he employed 

 the remainder of the year in regulating' its internal 

 police. For this purpose he published forty-two ar- 

 ticles or statutes, among which are some that disco- 

 ver much prudence and humanity respecting the 

 treatment of the natives, whom he left, however, as 

 elsewhere, subject to the private controul of the citi- 

 zens. Believing that the courage of the Arauca- 

 nians was now completely subdued, as, since their 

 second unsuccessful expedition, they had made no 

 attempt to molest him, he resolved to attack them in 

 their own territory, w^ith a reinforcement that he had 

 just received from Peru. 



With this intention, in the year 1552, he passed 

 the Bio-bio, and proceeding rapidly through the pro- 

 vinces of Eneol and Puren, unobstructed by the 

 tardy operations of Lincoyan, came to the shores of 

 the Cauten, which divides the Araucanian territory in- 

 to two nearly equal parts. At the confluence of this ri- 

 ver and that of Damas, he founded another city, to 

 which he gave the name of Imperial, in honour of the 

 ^Emperor Charles the Fifth; or, as is said by some, in 

 consequence of finding there eagles with two heads cut 

 in wood, placed upon the tops of the houses. This 

 city was situated in a beautiful spot, abounding w ith 

 every convenience of life, and during the short pe- 

 riod of its existence became the most flourishing of 

 any in Chili. Its position on the shore of a large 

 river of suflücient depth for vessels to lie close to the 

 walls, rendered it a highly advantageous situation 

 for commerce, and would enable it to obtain imme- 



