240 



Laso was not, however, m the commencemênt of 

 his military operations highly favoured by fortune. 

 The quarter-master, Cordova, who was preparing by 

 his orders to invade the maritime provinces at the 

 head of thirteen hundred men, was completely routed 

 in Piculgue, a small district not far from the fort of 

 Arauco. Putapichion, having placed a part of his 

 army in ambuscade, contrived, with much skill, to 

 induce him to come to battle in an unfavourable 

 position. The Spanish horse which formed the 

 advanced guard, not able to sustain the shock of the 

 Araucanian cavalry, which had at this time become 

 very expert, gave way. The infantry, being in con- 

 sequence left exposed and surrounded upon all sides, 

 %vere wholly destroyed after a combat of more than 

 five hours, during which they performed prodigies 

 of valour in resisting the furious assaults of the ene- 

 my. In this action the commander himself was 

 slain, with five captains and several other officers of 

 merit. 



As soon as the governor was informed of this de- 

 feat, he set out in person with a considerable body 

 of troops in search of Putapichion. In the mean 

 time, the latter, mocking the vigilance of Rebolledo 

 the serjeant-major, who had promised to prevent his 

 crossing the Bio-bio, passed that river with two 

 hundred men, and taking advantage of the absence 

 of the Spanish army, laid waste the neighbouring 

 provinces. On receiving this information Laso re- 

 turned, and immediately occupied with his troops 

 all the known passages of the river ; then taking 

 with him a number of men equal to that of the ene- 



