_Narrative of the War between the Spaniards and Araucanians, from the
year 1550, to the Defeat and Death of Pedro de Valdivia on the 3d of
December 1553._
Perceiving the intentions of Valdivia to occupy the important post of
Penco by a permanent settlement, the adjacent tribes of the Pencones
gave notice of this invasion to the great nation of the Araucanians,
their neighbours and friends, whose territories began on the southern
shore of the Biobio; who, foreseeing that the strangers would soon
endeavour to reduce their own country to subjection, determined to
succour their distressed allies for their own security. Accordingly, in
a _butacoyog_, or general assembly of the Araucanian confederacy,
_Aillavalu_ was nominated supreme _toqui_, and was instructed to march
immediately with an army to the assistance of the Pencones. In the year
1550, pursuant to the resolutions of the Araucanian confederacy,
Aillavalu passed the great river Biobio, at the head of 4000 men, and
boldly offered battle to Valdivia, who had advanced to meet him on the
banks of the Andalian. The brave Araucanians sustained the first
discharges of musquetry from the Spaniards with wonderful resolution,
and even made a rapid evolution under its direful effects, by which they
assailed at once the front and flank of the Spanish army. By this
unexpected courageous assault, and even judicious tactical manoeuvre,
the Spaniards were thrown into some disorder, and Valdivia was exposed
to imminent danger, having his horse killed under him; but the Spaniards
replaced their firm array, forming themselves into a hollow square
supported by their cavalry, and successfully resisted every effort of
their valiant enemies, of whom they slew great numbers by the
superiority of their arms, yet lost at the same time a considerable
number of their own men. The battle remained undecided for several
hours; when at length, rashly pressing forwards with impetuous bravery,
Aillavalu received a mortal wound[65], and many of the most valiant
officers and soldiers of the Araucanians being slain, they retired in
good order, leaving the field of battle to the Spaniards, who felt no
inclination to pursue them after a so dear-bought victory.
[Footnote 65: In Ovalle, this general is named Anabillo, and is said to
have been made prisoner in the battle.--E.]
Valdivia, though he had been present in many battles, both in Europe
and America, was astonished at the valour and military skill of this new
enemy, and declared he had never been exposed to such imminent danger in
the whole course of his military service. As he expected to be soon
attacked again, he immediately proceeded to construct a strong
fortification for the protection of his new city; and in fact, the
Araucanian confederacy was no sooner informed of the defeat and death of
their general Aillavalu, than a new and more numerous army was ordered
against the Spaniards, under the command of _Lincoyan_, who was elected
to the vacant office of supreme toqui. From his gigantic stature, and
frequent displays of courage, this officer had acquired great reputation
among his countrymen; but, though well suited for a subaltern officer,
he was timid and irresolute in the supreme military command, and greatly
disappointed the expectations which had been formed from his former
behaviour.
Having marshalled his army in three divisions, Lincoyan marched in 1551
to attack the Spaniards under Valdivia, who still remained at
Conception, occupied in building and fortifying the new city. The
Spaniards were so much alarmed by the approach of the Araucanian army,
that after confessing themselves, they took shelter under the cannon of
their fortifications, where the Araucanians boldly assailed them. But,
finding the first assault unsuccessful, Lincoyan became apprehensive of
losing the army which had been committed to his charge, and ordered a
precipitate retreat, to the great surprise of Valdivia, who was
apprehensive of some stratagem, and did not venture upon attempting a
pursuit. When it was discovered that the enemy had actually retreated,
the Spaniards considered their flight as a special favour from heaven,
and some even alleged that they had seen the apostle St James, mounted
on a white horse, waving a flaming sword and striking terror into their
enemies. But the only miracle on this occasion proceeded from the timid
circumspection of Lincoyan.
Being now in some measure freed from the restraint imposed upon him by
the Araucanians, Valdivia applied himself diligently to the building of
the city of Conception, for which place he entertained a strong
predilection, as he considered that it would become the centre of
maritime communication between Chili and the ports of Peru and Spain.
Although he had fixed upon St Jago for the capital of the kingdom of
Chili, he determined upon establishing his own family at Conception;
for which purpose he selected a pleasant situation for his own dwelling,
reserving for himself the fertile peninsula between the rivers Andalian
and Biobio, and resolved to ask as a reward for his services the two
adjoining districts of Arauco and Tucapel, with the title of marquis:
For, although these districts still remained in the possession of the
Araucanians, he fully expected to be able to subjugate that valiant
people in a short time.
Having speedily reared the new city, in which he established a colony of
his followers, he employed the remainder of the year 1551 in regulating
its internal policy; for which purpose, after having established a
Cabildo or body of magistrates, in imitation of those in Spain, as usual
in all the cities of Spanish America, he promulgated a body of
fundamental regulations, comprised in forty-two articles or statutes,
some of which respecting the treatment of the natives within its
territory and jurisdiction evinced much prudent humanity; yet, as in all
the other subjected countries of America, he left them in a great
measure subject to the control and caprice of the citizens to whom they
were allotted.
After the settlement of his new city, and having received a
reinforcement of soldiers from Peru, he resolved to attack the
Araucanians in their own territories, believing that their courage was
now entirely subdued, as they had made no attempt to molest him since
their late repulse under Lincoyan. With these views, he passed the
Biobio in 1552, and proceeding rapidly through the provinces of Encol
and Puren, unopposed by the tardy and timid operations of Lincoyan, he
arrived at the river Cauten, which divides the country of the
Araucanians nearly into two equal parts. Near the confluence of this
river with the Damas, he founded a new city which he named
_Imperial_[66], in honour of the Emperor Don Carlos; though some say
that it received this name in consequence of finding some wooden figures
of eagles with two heads, fixed on some of the native huts. This city
was placed in a beautiful situation, abounding in all the conveniences
of life; and, during the short period of its existence became one of the
most flourishing in Chili. Being placed on the shore of a large and deep
river, capable of allowing large ships to lie close to the walls, it was
excellently situated for commerce, and had free access to receive
succours of all kinds by sea in case of being besieged. By modern
geographers, this place is still spoken of as an existing city, strongly
fortified, and the seat of a bishopric; but it has been in ruins for
considerably more than two hundred years.
[Footnote 66: The place where Imperial once stood is marked on our maps
on the right or north shore of the conjoined streams of the Ouisa and
Cauten, immediately above the junction of a small river which is
probably the Damas of the text.--E.]
Intoxicated with his present prosperity, and the apparent submission of
the Araucanians, he assigned extensive districts in the surrounding
country among his officers. To Francisco Villagran, his
lieutenant-general, he gave the warlike province of _Maquegua_,
considered by the Araucanians as the key of their country, with about
thirty thousand inhabitants. The other officers obtained grants of lands
and Indians proportionate to their rank, and the degree in which they
possessed his favour, some getting as far as eight or even ten thousand
Indians. He likewise dispatched Alderte, with a detachment of sixty men,
with orders to establish a settlement on the shore of a lake called
_Lauquen_, to which he gave the name of _Villarica_, or the rich city,
owing to the great quantity of gold that was procured in the environs.
It may be here mentioned that the province of _Maquegua_ was partitioned
anew among the conquerors after the death of Villagran; the principal
part of it being assigned to Juan de Ocampo, and another large share to
Andreas Matencio. But, in consequence of its recapture by the
Araucanians, they reaped very little advantage from their commanderies.
Ocampo was afterwards rewarded for his distinguished services by being
appointed to the office of corregidore of the cities of Serena Mendoza
and St Juan, the two last in the province of Cujo; in which province he
had likewise the grant of a considerable commandery of Indians, which he
afterwards ceded to the crown.
Receiving additional reinforcements from Peru, Valdivia resumed his
march for the south of Chili, still followed but at a considerable
distance by Lincoyan, who pretended continually to seek a favourable
opportunity to attack the Spaniards, but whose timid and cautious
procedure could never find one of which he dared to avail himself. In
this manner Valdivia traversed the whole territory of the Araucunians
from north to south, with exceedingly little opposition and hardly any
loss. But on his arrival at the river Callacalla, which separates the
Araucanians from the _Cunches_, he found that nation in arms on the
opposite bank of the river, ready to dispute the passage. The Cunches
are one of the most valiant of the tribes inhabiting Chili, and possess
the maritime country from the river Callacalla, called Valdivia by the
Spaniards, to the gulf of Chiloé. They are divided into several
subordinate tribes or clans, each of which, as in the other parts of
Chili, are governed by their respective _ulmens_. They are in strict
alliance with the Araucanians, and have ever continued bitter enemies to
the Spaniards.
While Valdivia was deliberating upon the adoption of proper measures for
crossing this river, a woman of the country, named _Recloma_, addressed
the general of the Cunches with so much eloquence in behalf of the
strangers, that he withdrew his army and allowed them to pass the river
unmolested. Immediately after this unexpected event, the Spanish general
founded a sixth city on the southern shore of the Callacalla, near its
junction with the sea, giving it his own name of Valdivia; being the
first of the conquerors in America who sought in this manner to
perpetuate his name. This settlement, of which the fortress only now
remains, attained in a few years a considerable degree of prosperity;
owing to the superior fineness of the gold procured from its
neighbouring mines, which obtained it the privilege of a mint, and
because its harbour is one of the most convenient and secure of any on
the shore of the Pacific Ocean. The river is here very broad, and so
deep that ships of the line may be moored in safety within a few feet of
the shore; and it has several other safe harbours and creeks in the
vicinity.
Satisfied with the extent of the conquests he had made, or rather with
the incursions he had been able to make in the Araucanian territory,
Valdivia now retraced his steps towards the north; and in his progress
during the year 1553, he built fortresses in each of the three
Araucanian provinces of Paren Tucapel and Arauco. From the warlike
inhabitants of these provinces especially, he apprehended any attempt
that might prove fatal to his more southerly settlements of Imperial
Villarica and Valdivia, and he left garrisons in these more northern
fortresses to preserve the communication, and to be in readiness to
afford succours to the others in the south. According to the poet
Breilla, the Spaniards had to sustain many battles and encounters with
the natives in the course of this expedition in Araucania, but the
particulars of none of these are recorded. This is however very
probable; as it is not easy to account for the continuance of Lincoyan
in the command on any other principles. It may be concluded, however,
that, owing to the caution, or cowardice rather of the Araucanian toqui,
these actions were so ill conducted and so inconclusive, as to give very
little interruption to Valdivia in his triumphant progress through these
provinces, between the Biobio and Callacalla, or from Conception to
Valdivia.
On his return to St Jago, the seat of government, Valdivia received a
considerable body of recruits to his army from Peru, together with 350
horses; on which he dispatched Francisco de Aguirre with two hundred
men, to reduce the provinces of Tucuman and Cajo on the eastern side of
the Andes; not considering how inadequate was even his whole
undiminished military force to retain so large an extent of country as
that he had now occupied, and a so numerous and warlike people under
subjection. Indefatigable in the execution of his extensive plans of
conquest, Valdivia returned into Araucania, where he founded in the
province of Encol, a city to which he gave the name of La Frontera,
being the seventh and last of his foundation. This name, from events
which could not then have been in the consideration of Valdivia, has
become strictly applicable to its present situation, as its ruins are
actually situated on the southern confines of the Spanish settlements in
Chili. Though long ago destroyed, it is still mentioned by geographers
as an existing city under the name of Angol, by which native
denomination it was long known to the Spaniards. It was situated in a
fertile district, excellently adapted for the cultivation of vines, and
for some time was in a rich and flourishing condition, principally owing
to its wines, which were in great repute at Buenos Ayres, to which place
they were transported by a road across the Andes and through the plains
of La Plata.
After making suitable regulations for the security of this new colony,
Valdivia returned to his favourite city of Conception, where he
instituted three principal military officers for commanding the royal
army of Chili, consisting of a quartermaster-general, a serjeant-major,
and a commissary. In the present times only two of these subsist, the
quarter-master-general and the serjeant-major; which latter office is
now divided into two, one for the cavalry, and the other for the
infantry; while the office of commissary is only now known in the
militia. At this time he sent Alderte into Spain, with a large sum of
money, and a particular relation of his transactions and conquests; and
commissioned him to employ his utmost exertions to obtain for him the
perpetual government of the country which he had conquered, together
with the title of Marquis of Aranco. He dispatched likewise Francisco de
Ulloa by sea, with directions to explore the Straits of Magellan, by
means of which he hoped to open a direct communication with Spain,
without being obliged to depend upon Peru for supplies.
While occupied in the contemplation of these extensive plans for the
amelioration of the extensive kingdom which he had subdued, and the
advancement of his own rank and fortune, Valdivia had no suspicion of an
extensive and determined system of warfare which was planning among the
Araucanians, and which soon burst forth with irresistible violence, to
the ultimate destruction of all the Spanish conquests beyond the Biobio,
and to which Valdivia himself fell an early victim. _Colocolo_, an aged
_Ulmen_ of the province of Arauco, animated by love for his country,
quitted the retirement in which he had long indulged, and traversed the
provinces of the Araucanian confederacy, exciting with indefatigable
zeal the dormant spirit of his countrymen, which had sunk after their
late disasters, and eagerly solicited them to make choice of a new
supreme _toqui_ capable of directing their arms for the recovery of
those parts of their country which had been subjugated by the Spaniards,
through the timid conduct of Lincoyan. Colocolo was well versed in the
principles of government which subsisted among the Araucanians, and had
long enjoyed the reputation of wisdom throughout the whole country, in
which he was so universally esteemed and respected, that his councils
and opinion were always solicited and listened to on every subject of
importance. Roused from their torpidity by his animating exhortations,
the whole body of Araucanian ulmens assembled according to their custom
in a _Butacayog_, or national council, in an open plain; and, after the
usual feast, they proceeded to consult upon the situation of their
national affairs, and the election of a new toqui to wipe off the
disgraces which they had suffered under the direction of Lincoyan.
Many chiefs aspired to the glorious situation of avenger of their
oppressed country, the most distinguished among whom were Andalican,
Elicura, Ongolmo, Renco, and Tucapel. The last of these was so highly
celebrated by his martial prowess that the province of which he was
_Apo-ulmen_ has ever since retained his name. He was besides supported
in his pretensions by a powerful party; but his elevation to the
supreme command was opposed by the more prudent members of the
assembly, who dreaded lest the impetuosity of his character might hasten
the entire ruin of the nation, instead of retrieving their honour and
independence. Dissensions arose so high that the opposite parties were
on the point of turning their arms against each other, when the
venerable Colocolo rose to speak, and obtained a patient and attentive
hearing. By a judicious and energetic address, he pacified their
factious irritation so completely, that the assembly unanimously
submitted the nomination of a supreme _toqui_ to his choice. The wise
old man, on whom every eye was now fixed in anxious expectation,
immediately named Caupolican, the ulmen of Pilmaquen a subordinate
district of the province of Tucapel, and the whole assembly applauded
and confirmed the choice. Caupolican was of a lofty stature and uncommon
bodily strength; and though he had lost an eye, the majesty of his
countenance evinced great endowments of mind. He was of a serious,
patient, and sagacious disposition; and besides great personal bravery,
had every requisite to constitute him an able general of the peculiar
troops over whom he was now appointed to command. On being invested with
the battle-axe, as the badge of his supreme authority, he immediately
selected the officers who were to bear command under him in the army of
the state, among whom were all the late competitors, and even Lincoyan
the former _toqui_. The office of vice-toqui, or lieutenant-general, he
conferred on Marientu, a person in whom he reposed entire confidence.
Even the violent Tucapel, who had nearly involved his country in civil
war for the attainment of the supreme command, did not disdain to serve
under the orders of his own vassal, manifesting by this submission his
eager wish to sacrifice his personal ambition to the service of his
country.
As the Araucanians believed themselves invincible under the command of
their new toqui, they were desirous of going immediately from the place
of assembly to attack the Spaniards. But Caupolican, no less prudent in
council than valiant in the field, repressed this rash ardour, and
persuaded them to disperse to their several places of abode, to provide
themselves with good arms in order to be in readiness at the first
summons to the field, and to leave the direction of the war to his
management. Shortly afterwards, he collected and reviewed his army[67],
and resolved to commence his operations by a stratagem suggested by an
accident. He had that morning taken eighty Indian prisoners, who were
conducting forage to the Spanish garrison in the neighbouring fort of
Arauco. In place of these men, he substituted an equal number of his own
bravest soldiers, under the command of Cajuguenu and Alcatipay, whom he
directed to conceal their arms among the bundles of grass, and to
maintain possession of the gate of the fortress until he could come to
their assistance with the rest of his army. The pretended foragers
conducted themselves with so much judgment that they were admitted into
the fortress without any suspicion on the part of the garrison, and
immediately seizing their arms, they attacked the guard at the gate,
killing all that came in their way. The alarm however soon spread, and
the rest of the garrison hastened in arms to the spot, under Francisco
Reynoso the commandant, and drove the Araucanians from the gate after an
obstinate contest, at the very moment when Caupolican came up with his
army, so that the Spaniards had just sufficient time to raise the
draw-bridge and hasten to defend their ramparts. Though disappointed in
his expectation of gaining admittance by the gate, Caupolican was still
in hope of profiting from the confusion of the garrison, and encouraged
his soldiers to assail the fortress on all sides, notwithstanding the
continual fire kept up by the Spaniards from two cannon and six small
field-pieces. After losing a great number of men in this unequal
contest, Caupolican drew off from the assault, and determined to attempt
the reduction of Arauco by a strict blockade, in hopes that the
Spaniards would be soon constrained by famine into a surrender.
[Footnote 67: Ovalle carries the number of the Araucanian array on this
occasion to the inconceivable amount of 67,000 combatants in the field,
besides a large body of reserve.--E.]
After the blockade had continued for some time, during which the
Spaniards made several unsuccesful sallies with considerable loss,
Reynoso determined to abandon the fort and to retire with his remaining
garrison to Puren, as provisions began to fail, and there was no
prospect of being relieved. Accordingly the whole garrison mounted their
horses at midnight, and rushing suddenly from the gate, made their
escape through the middle of their enemies. As the Araucanians supposed
this to have been one of the ordinary sallies, they took no measures to
obstruct their flight, and Reynoso got off with his men. Having
destroyed the fort of Arauco, Caupolican led his army to attack that of
Tucapel, which was commanded by Martin Erizar with a garrison of forty
men. Erizar defended himself gallantly for several days; but as
provisions began to fail, and his small force was continually
diminishing by the perpetually renewed assaults of the enemy, he
likewise determined upon withdrawing to Puren, which he successfully
executed, either by similar means as those pursued by Reynoso, or in
consequence of a capitulation with Caupolican. Having destroyed this
fortress, Caupolican encamped with his army in the neighbourhood, to
wait the approach of the Spaniards, who he supposed would not be long of
coming against him with an army.
Valdivia, who then resided in the city of Conception, no sooner learnt
that the Araucanians had besieged Arauco, than he began his march for
that place with such forces as he was able to collect at a short notice;
though contrary to the advice of his most experienced officers, who
urged him to wait till he could collect a more formidable army, and
seemed to have a presentiment of the fatal consequences which were to
result from the present expedition. The historians of the times differ
materially in their accounts of the force under Valdivia on this
occasion. According to some of these his army consisted of two hundred
Spaniards and five thousand Promaucian auxiliaries, while others reduce
the number to a half. The same uncertainty is to be found respecting the
number of the enemy, some estimating them at nine and others at ten
thousand men[68]. On approaching the encampment of Caupolican, Valdivia
sent forwards a detachment of ten horsemen under Diego del Oro to
reconnoitre, all of whom were slain by the enemy, and their heads cut
off and hung upon trees by the way in which the Spanish army had to
advance. On arriving at this place, the Spaniards were filled with
horror at this miserable spectacle, and many of them, in spite of their
usual intrepidity, were eager to retreat till a greater force could be
collected. Even Valdivia regretted that he had not conformed to the
advice of his older officers; but encouraged by the boasting confidence
of others, who proudly declared that ten Spaniards were sufficient to
put the whole Araucanian army to flight, he continued his march and came
in sight of the enemy on the 3d of December 1553. The prospect of the
ruins of Tucapel and the well regulated array of the adverse army, with
the insulting taunts of the enemy, who upbraided them as robbers and
impostors, filled the minds of the Spaniards, hitherto accustomed to
respect and submission from the Indians, with mingled sentiments of
dread and indignation.
[Footnote 68: Ovalle does not mention the amount of the army under
Valdivia on this occasion, but extends the force of the Araucanians to
twenty thousand men.--E.]
The two armies continued for some time to observe each other from a
small distance. At length the vice-toqui Marientu, who commanded the
right wing of the Araucanians, began the engagement by an attack against
the left wing of the Spaniards. Bovadilla who commanded in that wing,
moved forwards with a detachment to encounter Marientu; but was
immediately surrounded, and he and all his men cut to pieces. The
serjeant-major, who was dispatched by Valdivia to his succour with
another detachment, experienced the same fate. In the mean time,
Tucapel, the Apo-ulmen of Arauco, who commanded the left wing of the
Araucanians, made a violent attack on the Spanish right wing with his
accustomed impetuosity. The battle now became general, and the hostile
armies joined in close fight from wing to wing. Animated by the commands
and example of Valdivia, who performed at the same time the duty of a
valiant soldier and experienced general, the Spaniards by the
superiority of their arms overthrew and destroyed whole ranks of the
enemy. But, notwithstanding the horrible slaughter produced by the
cannon and musquetry of the enemy, the Araucanians continually supplied
the places of those who were slain by fresh troops. Three times they
retired in good order beyond the reach of the musquetry; and as often,
resuming new courage, they returned vigorously to the charge, which they
urged with the most determined and persevering valour. At length, after
losing a vast number of their men, the Araucanians were thrown into
disorder and began to give way; and in spite of every effort of
Caupolican, Tucapel, and even of the aged and intrepid Colocolo, to
reanimate their courage and rally their disordered ranks, they took to
flight. The Spaniards shouted victory! and pressed ardently upon the
fugitives, and the battle seemed decidedly won.
In this critical moment, a young Araucanian only sixteen years of age,
named Lautaro, who had been made prisoner by Valdivia, and baptized and
employed as his page, went over from the ranks of the victorious
Spaniards, loudly reproached his countrymen for their opprobious
cowardice, and eagerly exhorted them to return to the contest, assuring
them, that the Spaniards, being all wounded and spent with fatigue,
were no longer able to bear up against a fresh attack. Having succeeded
in stopping the flight of a considerable number of the Araucanians,
Lautaro grasped a lance which he tunned against his late master, crying
out, "Follow me my countrymen to certain victory." Ashamed at being
surpassed in courage by a boy, the Araucanians turned with fury against
their enemies, whose ranks were somewhat disordered by the pursuit, and
put them completly to rout at the first shock, cutting the Spaniards and
their allies to pieces, insomuch that only two Promaucians of the whole
army had the good fortune to escape, by fleeing to a neighbouring wood,
whence they withdrew during the night to Conception. When all hope was
lost by the entire rout of his army. Valdivia withdrew from the massacre
attended by his chaplain, to prepare himself for inevitable death by
confession and absolution. He was pursued and made prisoner by the
victors; and on being brought before Caupolican, is said to have humbly
implored mercy from the victorious toqui, and to have solicited the
intercession of his former page, solemnly engaging to withdraw from
Chili with all the Spaniards if his life were spared. Naturally of a
compassionate disposition, and desirous of obliging Lautaro to whom he
owed this important victory, and who now interceded for Valdivia,
Caupolican was disposed to have shewn mercy to his vanquished foe; but
while deliberating on the subject, an old ulmen of great authority among
the Araucanians, indignant at the idea of sparing the life of their most
dangerous enemy, dispatched the prisoner with a blow of his war club,
saying that it would be madness to trust the promises of an ambitious
enemy, who would laugh at his oaths when once he escaped the present
danger. Caupolican was much exasperated at this interference with his
supreme authority, and was disposed to have punished it severely; but
most of his officers opposed themselves to his just resentment[69].
[Footnote 69: According to Ovalle, Caupolican was forced by his officers
to pronounce condemnation against Valdivia, which was executed
immediately, but different accounts were given of the manner in which
this was performed: some saying that it was done in the way related in
the text, while others allege that they poured melted gold down his
throat; that they preserved his head as a monument of victory, to
animate their youth to a valorous defence of their country, and that
they converted the bones of his legs and arms into flutes and
trumpets.--E.]
Thus fell Pedro de Valdivia, the conqueror of Chili; a man of superior
genius and of great political and military talents, but who, seduced by
the romantic spirit of his age and country, had not sufficient prudence
to employ them to the best advantage. His undertakings had been more
fortunate, if he had properly estimated his own strength, and had less
despised the courage and skill of the Araucanians, presuming on the
dastardly example of the Peruvians, and the want of concert in the more
northern tribes of Chili, against whom he had hitherto been accustomed
to contend. Historians do not impute to him any of those cruelties with
which the contemporary conquerors of America have been accused. It is
true that, in the records of the Franciscans, two monks of that order
are mentioned with applause, as having dissuaded him from exercising
those cruelties which had been usual with other conquerors upon the
natives of America. By some he has been accused of avarice, and they
pretend that the Araucanians put him to death by pouring melted gold
down his throat, in punishment of his inordinate search for that metal:
But this is a mere fiction, copied from a similar story in ancient
authors.
* * * * *
Garcilasso de la Vega, Part I. Book vii. Chap. xxi. gives the following
account of the battle in which Valdivia was defeated by the Araucanians.
"In many skirmishes Valdivia always defeated the Araucanians and put
them to flight, as they were in such dread of the Spanish horse that
they never dared to adventure into the open plains, where ten Spaniards
were able to beat a thousand Indians, for which reason they always kept
lurking in the woods and mountains, where the Spanish cavalry could not
get at them; whence they often sallied out, doing all the injury they
were able against the Spaniards. The war continued in this manner for a
long time; till at length an old captain of the Araucanians, who had
been long famous in their wars, began to consider the reason why so
small a number as only 150 Spaniards should be able to subdue and
enslave twelve or thirteen thousand Araucanian warriors. After mature
deliberation, he divided the Araucanian force into thirteen battalions
each of a thousand men, which he drew up in successive lines at some
distance, so as to act as a series of reserves one after the other, and
marched in this new order of battle against the Spaniards one morning at
day-break, ordering them to give louder shouts than usual, and to make
a great noise with their drums and trumpets. Alarmed by the noise and
shouts of the Indians, the Spaniards sallied forth to battle, and seeing
the many divisions of the enemy, they imagined it would be much easier
to break through and defeat these smaller battalions than if united in
one body."
"So soon as the Araucanian captain saw the Spaniards advancing, he
exhorted the foremost battalion of his army to do their best; 'not, said
he, that I expect you to overcome them; but you must do your utmost in
defence of your country, and when you are worsted, then betake
yourselves to flight, taking care not to break into and disorder the
other battalions; and when you get into the rear of all, you must there
rally and renew your ranks.' He gave similar orders to all the successive
battalions, and appointed another officer to remain in the rear to
restore the order of those who should retreat, and to make them eat and
refresh themselves while the others continued the fight successively.
Accordingly the foremost battalion fought for some time against the
Spaniards, and when no longer able to withstand the impetuosity of their
charge, they retired as ordered into the rear. The second, third,
fourth, and fifth battalions did the same in succession, and were all
successively defeated by the Spaniards, all retiring according to orders
when their array was broken; yet in these reiterated combats the
Spaniards sustained some loss both in men and horses. The Spaniards,
having already defeated and put to flight five successive bodies of the
enemy, and having fought three long hours, were astonished still to
observe ten or twelve similar successive battalions before them in firm
array, yet they gallantly attacked the sixth body which they likewise
overthrew, and in like manner the seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth.
Having now fought seven hours without intermission, both the Spanish men
and horses began to fail from long fatigue, and were unable to charge
with the same vigour as in the beginning of the action, yet they exerted
their utmost efforts not to shew any appearance of failure to the
Indians. Yet the Indians could clearly perceive a material relaxation in
the exertions of their enemies, to whom they did not allow a moment of
repose, but plied them as at first with new and fresh battalions."
"At length, seeing there was likely to be no end of this new way of
fighting, as there were still eight or nine battalions of the enemy in
view, and it being now drawing towards evening, Valdivia determined
upon making a retreat before his men and horses should be entirely worn
out and disabled by incessant action. He accordingly gave orders to his
men to retreat, that they might reach a narrow pass about a league and a
half from the field of battle, where they would be secure against
attack, as in that place two Spaniards on foot were able to keep off the
whole army of the Araucanians. He accordingly issued orders to his
soldiers to retreat to that narrow defile, passing the word from rank to
rank, with directions to turn and make head occasionally against the
enemy. At this time Valdivia was attended by an Araucanian, youth named
_Lautaro_, the son of an ulmen, who had been bred up in his family from
a boy, and baptized by the name of Philip. Knowing both languages, and
being more biassed by affection to his country than love to God or
fidelity to his master, on hearing the orders given to retreat, he
called out to the Araucanians not to be satisfied with the retreat of
the Spaniards, but immediately to take possession of the narrow pass, by
which they would ensure the entire destruction of their enemies. To
encourage his countrymen by his example as well as his words, Lautaro
took up a lance from the ground, with which he joined the foremost rank
of the Araucanians, and assisted them to fight against his former
master."
"When the Araucanian captain observed the Spaniards preparing to retire,
he immediately followed the advice of Lautaro, and ordered two fresh
battalions of his troops to hasten in good order to occupy the narrow
pass, and to use their utmost efforts to defend it till the rest of the
army could get up to their assistance. With the remainder of his troops
he pressed on against the retreating Spaniards, still plying them as
from the first with fresh bodies of his men, and not allowing a moments
respite to the enemy. On coming to the entrance of the narrow pass,
where they expected to have been in safety, the Spaniards found it
already occupied by the enemy, and began to despair of being able to
escape. At this time, perceiving that both the Spanish men and horses
were completely tired, the Araucanians broke in among them, fifteen or
twenty of them seizing upon one horse, some catching him by the legs,
others by the tail, and others by the mane; while others knocked down
both men and horses with their great war-clubs, killing them with the
greatest rage and fury."
"Pedro de Valdivia, and a priest who accompanied him, were taken alive
and tied to trees, until the Indians had dispatched all the rest, only
three Indian auxiliaries of the Spaniards making their escape by favour
of the night into a thicket, whence, being well acquainted with the ways
and more faithful to their masters than Lautaro, they carried the fatal
news to the Spaniards in Chili. The manner in which Valdivia was
afterwards put to death has been differently related. Some say that
Lautaro, finding him tied to a tree, killed him after reviling and
reproaching him as a robber and a tyrant. The most certain intelligence
is, that an old captain beat out his brains with a club. Others again
say that the Araucanians passed the night after their victory in dances
and mirth; and that at the end of every dance, they cut off a piece of
flesh from Valdivia and another from the priest, both yet alive, which
they broiled and eat before their faces. During which horrid repast,
Valdivia confessed to the priest and they both expired."
* * * * *