Ch.YUL south AMERICA. 261 



provinces, undertook theconqueftof them-, and pro- 

 iccuted the enterprize with fuch fuccefs, that he fub- 

 dued the feveral nations inhabiting the valleys of Co- 

 poyapu or Copiapo, Coqulmpu or Coquimbo, and 

 Chili. But in his intended career fouthward, the vic- 

 torious Ynca met with zrji unfurmountable difficulty 

 from the Purumauco Indians, and other nations, 

 whom the rapidity of his conquefts had induced to 

 oppofe him by a general confederacy - Thus he found 

 himfelf under a neceflity of defifting, after having 

 carried his arms as far as the river Mauli, which is in 

 the latitude of 34*^ 30'. 



After the Spaniards had undertaken a defcent 

 in Peru, and made themfelves matters of its feveral 

 provinces, the marfhal Don Diego de Aimagro was 

 commiflioned for the conqueft of Chili. Accord- 

 ingly he marched from Cufco at the beginning of 

 the year 1535, and after lofing the greateft part of his 

 Indians, and a confiderable number of Spaniards, who 

 periihed with cold inpaffing over the CordilleraNevada, 

 he arrived at Copiapo, where the Indians, without try- 

 ing the chance of war, fubmitted. Animjited with 

 fuch unexpeded pufillanimity, he proceeded to the 

 conqueft of other nations ; even fuch as never had ac- 

 knowledged the Yncas. And though he here met 

 with a more warlike people, who were determined to 

 fell their liberty dear, he carried on the war profper- 

 oufly. But his majefty, in confideration of his great 

 fervices, performed with fo much hazard, having con- 

 ferred on him the government of a territory a hun- 

 dred leagues in length, fouth of that which belonged 

 to the marquis Don Francifco Pizarro, a difference a- 

 rofe between thefe two great men, with regard to the 

 boundaries of their refpeflive governments. Aima- 

 gro, impatient to take pofTefTion, and pretending that 

 the city of Cufco ought to be included in his govern- 

 ment, the conqueft was fufpended, and he himfelf 

 haftened to that city, where inftead of being invefted 



S 3 with 



