64 



fame, the Poet relates the dreadful carnage which ensued as the 

 Indians approached the fort. The Spaniards, after destroying 

 îîu-mbcrs by their artillery, send forth a party of horse, who cut the 

 fugitives to pieces. They inhumanly murder thirteen of their 

 most distinguished prisoners, by blowing them from the mouths of 

 cannon : but none of the confederate Chieftains, whom the Poet has 

 particularly celebrated, were included in this number ; for those 

 high-si3Írited Barbarians had refused to attend Caupolican in 

 this assault, as they considered it disgraceful to attack their 

 enemies by surprize. The unfortunate Indian Leader, seeing his 

 forces thus unexpectedly massacred, escapes with ten faithful fol- 

 lowers, and wanders through the country in the most calamitous 

 condition. The Spaniards endeavour, by all the means they can de- 

 vise, to discover his retreat ; the faithful inhabitants of Arauco 

 refuse to betray him. 



Ercilla, in searching the country with a small party, finds a young 

 wounded female. She informSjhim, that marching with her husband, 

 she had the misfortune of seeing him perish in the late slaughter ; 

 that a friendly soldier, in pity to her extreme distress, had tried to 

 end her miserable life in the midst of the confusion, but had failed 

 in his generous design, by giving her an ineffectual wound : — that 

 she had been removed from the field of battle to that sequestered 

 spot, where she languished in the hourly hope of death, which she 

 now implores from the hand of Ercilla. Our Poet consoles her ; 

 dresses her wound, and leaves one of his attendants to protect her. 



CANTO XXXIII. 



ONE of the prisoners, whom the Spaniards had taken in their 

 search after Caupolican, is at last tempted by bribes to betray his 

 General. Pie conducts the Spaniards to a spot near the sequester- 

 ed retreat of this unfortunate Chief, and directs them how to dis- 

 cover it; but refuses to advance with them, overcome by his dread 

 of the Hero whom he is tempted to betray. The Spaniards sur- 

 round the house in which the Chieftain had taken refuge with his 

 ten faithful associates. Alarmed by a centinel, he prepares for de- 

 fence ; but being soon wounded in the arm, surrenders, endeavour- 

 ing to conceal his high character, and to make the Spaniards be- 

 lieve him an ordinary soldier. 



