168 



father. This opinion was adopted and confirmed by 

 the Ulmenes. Tucapel, perceiving that the affec- 

 tions of the nation were placed upon his competitor, 

 had a second time the magnanimity to yield his 

 claim to the supreme command without murmuring ; 

 he only required to be elected Vice Toqui, which 

 was granted him. 



The new general immediately collected an army, 

 and crossed the Bio-bio, resolving to attack the city 

 of Conception, which he had been informed was de- 

 fended only by a few soldiers. Reynoso, having 

 learned his intention, followed him with five hun- 

 dred men, and coming up with him at Talcaguano, 

 a place but a short distance from that city, offered 

 him battle. The young commander, encouraging 

 his soldiers by his words and his example, fell with 

 such fury upon the Spaniards, that he entirely de- 

 feated them ; Reynoso, pursued and wounded by 

 Tucapel, had the good fortune to be able to repass 

 the Bio-bio with a few horse that had escaped the 

 slaughter. He immediately collected more troops, 

 and returned to attack the Auraucanian camp ; but 

 meeting with no better success than before, he was 

 compelled to abandon the enterprise. 



At the close of this second action, Millalauco, 

 who had been sent to compliment the Spaniards in 

 Quiriquina, returned with the news that Don Garcia 

 had quitted Imperial, with a large body of troops, 

 a nd was laying waste the neighbouring provinces. 

 On this information Caupolican, by the advice of 

 Cl>1oco1o, deferred the siege of Conception, and has- 

 ten.^d to give them assistance, leaving a number 



