' 227 



After liaving been suppressed for thirty. four years, 

 the Court of Royal Audience was re-established on 

 the 8th of September, 1609, in the city of St. JagOj 

 to the great satisfaction of the inhabitants, since 

 which period it has continued to exist with a high 

 reputation for justice and integrity, Ramon, who, 

 by this new regulation, to the tides of governor and 

 captain-general, had added that of president, return- 

 ed and crossed the Bio- bio at the head of an array 

 of about two thousand men. Huenecura advanced 

 to meet him in the defiles of the marshes of Lu- 

 maco. The battle was obstinate and bloody, and 

 the Spaniards were in great danger of being entirely 

 defeated ; but the governor, placing himself in the 

 front line, animated his troops so far that they at 

 length succeeded in breaking the enemy. Shortly 

 after this battle, on the 10th of August, 1610, he 

 died in Conception, greatly regretted by the in- 

 habitants, to whom he was much endeared by his 

 excellent qualities and his long residence among 

 them. He was also highly esteemed by the Arau- 

 canians, whom he always treated, when prisoners, 

 with particular attention, and a humanity that did 

 him honour in that age. 



According to the royal decree establishing the 

 Court ôf Audience, the government now devolved 

 upon the eldest of the auditors, Don Louis Merlo de 

 la Fuente. 



About the same time either from disease, or in 

 consequence of a wound that he received in the last 

 battle, died the Toqui Huenecura. His successor 

 was Aillavilu the Second, whom Don Basilio 



