219 



de Viscarra, they assembled in council, and obli- 

 ged him to take upon himself the government, till 

 the court, on being made acquainted with the death 

 of Loyola, should appoint some other. This offi- 

 cer, who was more than seventy years old, began 

 his march for the frontiers in 1599, with all the 

 troops that he could raise, and had' the courage to 

 * cross the Bio-bio, and in the face of the besieging 

 enemy, withdraw the inhabitants from' Angol and 

 Coya, with w^hom he repeopled the cities of Con- 

 ception and Chilian. But his government con- 

 tinued only six months ; for the viceroy of Pe- 

 ru, on being informed of the perilous situation of 

 Chili, sent Don Francisco Quiñones thither as gov- 

 ernor, with a numerous reinforcement of soldiers 

 and a large supply of military stores. This com- 

 mander had several actions with Paiilamachu on 

 the northern shore of the Bio-bio, whither the Arau- 

 canians had gone with an intention of laying under 

 contribution, or of ravaging the Spanish provinces ; 

 but none of them were decisive. The most cele- 

 brated was that of the plains oî Yumbel» The en- 

 terprising Toqui being on his return, at the head of 

 two thousand men, with a great number of animals, 

 which he had taken from the district of Chilian, 

 Quiñones attempted to cut ofl' his retreat with an 

 equal number, the most of whom were Europeans* 

 The two armies advanced with equal resolution. 

 The Spaniards in vain attempted to keep the ene- 

 my at a distance by a constant fire from eight field 

 pieces and all their musketry. They very soon 

 came to close quarters, and the battle was continu- 



