built a number of fortresses, and being assisted by reinforcements, seemed to have secured a firm footing in the country. Lincoyan, the Araucanian toqui, or general, had, by his misconduct, occasioned some disasters, and the affairs of the war began to wear a threatening aspect. In this emergency, an old chief, named Colocolo, quitting the retirement into which he had voluntarily withdrawn himself, traversed the country on a patriotic mission, to arouse anew the courage of the people, which had been rendered torpid by their misfortunes. He set before them the condition of their affairs, and pointed out the necessity of selecting a new general. His counsel prevailed; the Ulmens, or subordinate chiefs of the districts, assembled, according to custom, in a meadow, and, after the usual feast, proceeded to consult upon the election. Great competition arose for the honor of the command, and the dispute ran so high, that the angry rivals were about to resort to their weapons, when they were checked by the venerable Colocolo, who, by a well-timed and forcible address, so far pacified them, that all with one accord submitted the appointment to his choice. He named, without hesitation, Caupolican, the Ulmen of Pilmayquen, a district of Tucapel.

Don Alonzo de Ercilla, a soldier of the invading army, wrote a long epic poem, called the Araucania, in which the events of this war are minutely related. He composed it during his campaigns, as the events successively occurred, sometimes writing on scraps of hide for want of paper. Though deficient in invention, it has many fine descriptive passages,

and is entitled to the distinction of being the best heroic poem in the Spanish language. Ercilla states that Caupolican was elected in a manner highly original and characteristic. Colocolo proposed that the command should be given to the man who could prove himself the strongest of limb.

"A leader bold this desperate state demands,
To guide to vengeance our impatient bands:
Fit for this hardy task that chief I deem
Who longest may sustain a massive beam.
Your rank is equal-let your force be tried,
And for the strongest, let his limbs decide."

They acquiesce in the proposal. The beam is produced, and is of a size so enormous, that the poet declares himself afraid to specify its weight. The first chieftains who engage in the trial, support it on their shoulders four and six hours each; Tucapel fourteen, and Lincoyan more than twice as long; when the assembly, considering his strength almost supernatural, are resolved to pronounce him general. At this moment Caupolican arrives, demands a trial, and surpasses Lincoyan; he is accordingly pronounced general-in-chief by acclamation.

In whatever manner he was elected, the whole nation applauded the choice. Caupolican was of a lofty stature and majestic countenance, though, like Hannibal, deficient in one eye. Having assumed the axe, the symbol of authority among the Araucanians, he immediately appointed his officers, in which number he had the magnanimity to include all his competitors. The troops now considered themselves

invincible under their new toqui, and demanded to be led instantly against the enemy. But Caupolican, who was politic as well as valiant, saw the necessity for proceeding with caution. He ordered a new supply of arms to be furnished, and proceeded to discipline his men. He then watched for a favorable opportunity of surprising the enemy by stratagem; this an accident soon furnished him.

The Spaniards, under Reynoso, were posted in considerable force at Arauco, a fortified place on the coast near the river Biobio. A body of eighty Indians, auxiliaries of the Spaniards, were conducting forage to this place, when they were captured by the troops of Caupolican. His quick sagacity saw at once the means of turning this event to further advantage. He selected a like number of his bravest soldiers, directed them to conceal their weapons in the bundles of grass, and march to the fortress in the guise of the friendly Indians. Having secured possession of the gate, they were to wait the arrival of the main body.

The pretended foragers performed their part so skilfully, that they were admitted without the least suspicion within the fortress. They immediately drew their weapons and attacked the guard. The alarm was given throughout the place, and the whole garrison rushed to the scene of conflict. The Araucanians retained their ground at first, and the fortress would have been captured had Caupolican advanced with more speed; but, at the moment of his arrival, the Spaniards had pushed their attacks so vigorously, that the Araucanians, overpowered by numbers, were forced to retreat; and the gates were cleared and the

draw-bridge raised before he could bring his fresh troops into action. Caupolican, although foiled in his first attempt, determined to storm the place. A general assault was made, but the valor of the Indians was ineffective against the Spanish artillery. Finding he had lost a great number of men, he withdrew his army from the walls, and turned the siege into a blockade.

The garrison made many sallies, but without any success. Finding themselves in danger of starving, they decided to evacuate the place and retire to Puren. At midnight, they mounted their horses, threw open the gates, rushed out at full speed, and escaped through the midst of the blockading forces. The Araucanians, suspecting no such movement, supposed this to be no more than an ordinary sally, and took no measures to obstruct their flight. Caupolican destroyed this fortress, and marched to the attack of that of Tucapel, situated in the interior. This post was garrisoned by a body of forty Spaniards, who, after sustaining repeated attacks from Caupolican, were forced to save themselves in the same manner as the garrison of Arauco had done. Tucapel was also demolished, and Caupolican encamped his army on the ruins.

Valdivia, the Spanish commander-in-chief, had his head quarters at Concepcion, where he received intelligence of the siege of Arauco. He immediately set out on his march for that place, with all the troops he could muster. This hasty movement was in opposition to the advice of his officers, who counselled him to delay his march till a stronger force could be col

lected. The Araucanian army was said to amount to more than nine thousand men. Valdivia's forces were less than half this number; his soldiers, however, full of presumptuous confidence, inspired him by their vain boast that a dozen Castilians were sufficient to put to flight the whole Araucanian army. Valdivia hastened his march, but Arauco had fallen. He then directed his course toward Tucapel, and, on arriving near the place, sent forward a body of ten. horsemen to reconnoitre; they fell in with a scouting party of Araucanians, and were all slain; the Indians cut off their heads and hung them upon the trees that lined the road to Tucapel.

The Spanish army, as they approached the place, were struck with horror at this evidence of the melancholy fate of their countrymen, and their overweening confidence was changed to boding apprehension. They beheld Tucapel in smoking ruins, and a powerful and well-arranged army in battle array to receive them. Valdivia now began to repent his rashness in marching with so little preparation against his enemy. In his timid irresolution, he would have retreated, but his Castilian pride could not brook the disgrace of flying before a horde of barbarians. The Indians insulted their enemies by loud cries, calling them villains and robbers, and goading them to indignation by their scoffing and opprobrious language.

In this situation, it was impossible long to defer the combat. Both sides rushed to battle. A detachment from the left wing of the Spaniards which began the attack, was immediately cut to pieces; a second, which followed it, experienced the same fate;