abandon him. His wife, who never ceased exhorting him to die rather than surrender, on sceing him taken, indignantly threw towards him his infant son, saying, she would retain nothing that belonged to a coward.

The detachment returned to the city amidst the rejoicings of the populace, and conducted their prisoner to Reynoso, who immediately ordered him to be impaled and dispatched with arrows. On hearing his sentence, Caupolican, without the least change of countenance, or abatement of his wonted dignity, coolly addressed Reynoso in these words: " My death, general, can answer no possible end, except that of inflaming the inveterate hatred which my countrymen already entertain against yours. They will be far from being discouraged by the loss of an unfortunate chief. From my ashes will arise many other Caupolicans, who will prove more fortunate than I have been. But if you spare my life, from the great influence I possess in the country, I may be serviceable to the interests of your sovereign, and the propagation of your religion, which, as you say, is the only object of this destructive war. But if you are determined that I shall die, send me to Spain, where, if your king thinks proper to condemn me, I may end my days without causing new disturbances in my country."

Vain were the attempts of the unfortunate

general to prevail upon Reynoso, whose name is held in detestation not only by the Araucanians, but by the Spaniards themselves, who have ever reprobated his conduct, as contrary to those principles of generosity on which they pride themselves as a nation. He ordered the sentence to be immediately executed; and a priest, who had been sent for to converse with the prisoner, pretending that he had converted him, hastily administered the sacrament of baptism.

After this mock ceremony, he was conducted, amidst a crowd of people, to a scaffold that had been erected for his execution: But when he saw the instrument of punishment, which until then he did not clearly comprehend, and a negro prepared to execute him, he was so exasperated, that, with a furious kick, he hurled the executioner from the scaffold, exclaiming, "Is there no sword, and some less unworthy hand to be found to put to death a man like myself? This has nothing in it of justice-it is base revenge." He was, however, seized by numbers, and comelled to undergo the cruel and ignominious death to which he had been condemned,

VOL. II.

CHAP. VIII.

Successes of Caupolican the Second; Siege of Imperial; Battle of Quipco fatal to the Araucanians; Death of Caupolican; Termination of the Government of Don Garcia.

SOON were the predictions of the great Caupolican verified. Instigated by the most unbounded rage, the Araucanians immediately proceeded to elect a Toqui, capable of revenging the ignominious death of their unfortunate general. The majority of the electors were of opinion, that in the present circumstances the fierce Tucapel was better qualified than any other to sustain the important office. But this choice was by no means agreeable to the sentiments of Colocolo: he declared himself in favour of young Caupolican, the eldest son of the late general, who possessed the talents of his celebrated father. This opinion was adopted and confirmed by the Ulmenes. Tucapel, perceiving that the affections of the nation were placed upon his competitor, had a second time the magnanimity to yield his claim to the supreme command without murmuring; he only required to be elected Vice Toqui, which was granted him.

1

The new general immediately collected an army, and crossed the Bio-bio, resolving to attack the city of Conception, which he had been informed was defended only by a few soldiers. Reynoso, having learned his intention, followed him with five hundred men, and coming up with him at Talcaguano, a place but a short distance from that city, offered him battle. The young commander, encouraging his soldiers by his words and his example, fell with such fury upon the Spaniards, that he entirely defeated them; Reynoso, pursued and wounded by Tucapel, had the good fortune to be able to repass the Bio-bio with a few horse that had escaped the slaughter. He immediately collected more troops, and returned to attack the Araucanian camp; but meeting with no better success than before, he was compelled to abandon the enterprise.

At the close of this second action, Millalauco, who had been sent to compliment the Spaniards in Quiriquina, returned with the news that Don Garcia had quitted Imperial, with a large body of troops, and was laying waste the neighbouring provinces. On this information Caupolican, by the advice of Colocolo, deferred the siege of Conception, and hastened to give them assistance, leaving a number of men under the command of Millalauco, to oppose the attempts of Reynoso. Don Garcia, however, being informed of his march, withdrew to Imperial, after having placed

two hundred horse in ambush on the road by which he was to pass. The Araucanian general, although unexpectedly attacked by them, defended himself with such presence of mind, that he not only escaped without loss, but cut in pieces a great part of his assailants, and pursued the rest to the gates of Imperial, which he girt with a close siege.

In the meantime Reynoso and Millalauco, who had several times encountered each other in skirmishes, agreed to terminate the question of superiority between them by single combat. Such duels had become very common during that war. The two champions fought a long time without either obtaining the advantage, till, wearied and fatigued, they separated by mutual consent, and returned to their former mode of warfare.

The siege of Imperial was prosecuted with much vigour. Caupolican had made several assaults upon that city, flattering himself with the aid of the Spanish auxiliaries, which, uncautioned by the misfortunes of his father, he had solicited by means of two of his officers, Tulcomaru and Torquin. These emissaries were, however, discovered and impaled in sight of the Araucanian army, to whom they recommended with their last breath to die in defence of the liberties of their country.

One hundred and twenty of the auxiliaries were also hung on the ramparts, exhorting the