Spanish America, Vol. 2 (of 2)Bonnycastle, Richard Henry, Sir
History
Spanish America, Vol. 2 (of 2)
Bonnycastle, Richard Henry, Sir
Latin America -- Description and travel; Latin America -- History
This, the first blood shed on either side, so irritated the Spaniards,
that Almagro ordered the ulmen, his brother, and twenty of the chief
people to be brought before him, when warning the natives to beware of
similar transgressions, he committed his unfortunate victims to the
flames; but the army disapproving of this cruel step, the affairs of
Almagro soon became unprosperous.
At this juncture, Juan de Rada arrived with fresh troops from Peru,
and with the letters of the king appointing Almagro governor of the
territory south of that claimed by Pizarro. The Inca Paullu having
reinforced his army with the Peruvian garrisons in Chili, Almagro
penetrated as far south as the Rapel or Cachapoal, the boundary between
the Independent Chilians and the Peruvian colonies: at this place the
Inca endeavoured to persuade the general not to hazard an attack, as he
was convinced, from what the Peruvians had experienced for a hundred
years, that it would be unavailing; but Almagro persisted, a battle was
fought, the Promaucians were victorious, and the Spaniards, disgusted
with the event and with their general, returned to Peru, to which
Almagro marched by the coast road through the desert of Atacama, and
arrived near Cuzco, in 1538, with little loss; his subsequent history
has been already related.
After the defeat and death of Almagro, Pizarro, wishing to extend his
conquests, ordered Pedro de Valdivia to undertake an expedition to
Chili with 200 Spaniards, a numerous body of Peruvians, women, monks
and European quadrupeds, in order to settle such districts as he might
deem proper.
Valdivia departed from Cuzco in 1540, and pursued the mountain road,
taking the precaution of passing it in summer, on his arrival in
Copiapo, so far from receiving the hospitable reception which Almagro
met with, his army was attacked by the natives with great resolution,
but as they had been too long in subjection to the Peruvians to be
able to afford an effectual resistance, Valdivia soon reduced Copiapo,
Coquimbo, Quillota and Melipilla, and with little loss arrived in the
country of Mapocho, now called Santiago, where he laid the foundation
of the city of Santiago, on the 24th of February, 1541.
The Promaucians assembling some forces to attack the Spaniards,
Valdivia set out from Santiago to repel them, and left the new city in
the care of Alonzo de Monroy; he was no sooner gone than the Mapochians
attacked the place, and burning the settlement, forced the inhabitants
to retire into the fort, but the commandant was relieved after a
desperate siege by the return of Valdivia, who, hastening to the town,
attacked the Mapochians and utterly defeated them.
During this attack a woman named Iñez Suarez killed several chieftains
who were prisoners in the fort, with an axe; as she perceived they were
about to take advantage of the distressed state of the Spaniards.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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