237 



to confine himself to defensive war, but to attack di- 

 rectly the Araucanian territory in various quarters. 



His first care on his arrival at Conception was to 

 introduce a reform of the military, and to pay the 

 soldiers the arrearages that were due them. Those 

 offices that were vacant he conferred on the Creoles, 

 or descendants of the conquerors, who had been for 

 the most part neglected ; and by this measure, not 

 only obtained their esteem, but that of all the inhabi- 

 tants. After having established order in the govern- 

 ment, he directed his cousin Alonzo Cordova, whom 

 he had appointed quarter-master, to make an incur- 

 sion with six hundred men into the provinces of 

 Arauco and Tucapel. But he was not able to take 

 more than a hundred and fifteen prisoners of both 

 sexes, and a small number of cattle, the inhabitants 

 having taken refuge with their families and effects in 

 the mountains. Eight only attempted to oppose his 

 march, who paid with their lives for their temerity. 



In the mean time, Putapichion endeavoured to 

 signalize the commencement of his command, by 

 the capture of one of the strongest places belonging 

 to the Spaniards on the Bio- bio. This was the fort 

 of Nativity, situated on the top of a high and steep 

 mountain, well furnished with soldiers and artillery, 

 and both from its natural and artificial strength con- 

 sidered as impregnable. These considerations did 

 not at all discourage the ardent temper of the young 

 general. He came upon the fort unexpectedly ; in 

 a moment scaled the difiicult ascent, possessed him- 

 self of the ditch, and set on fire with burning arrows 

 the palisades and houses of its defenders. But the 



