The Marqués de Baides (1639-1646) sought to establish peaceful relations with the Indians by friendly conferences and treaties. In these conferences (_parlamentos_) Padre Diego de Rosales rendered the governor noteworthy assistance. This priest of the Society of Jesus won marked distinction not merely for his untiring missionary labours among the Indians of the frontier, but also for the excellence of his _Historia general del reino de Chile_. Considering the absorbing character of his practical activity, whether as missionary or in contributing to the execution of the government’s Indian policy, one has ground for surprise that the author found time for the production of a work that indicates an extensive use of documents, particularly in the first of its two volumes. This volume treats of the civil or secular events, and is divided into ten books, of which the first is devoted to the primitive inhabitants of Chile and to the early period of Spanish settlement. The second book presents in greater detail the history of the different expeditions to the coast of Chile made by Spanish seamen and by foreign adventurers, giving an account also of the natural products of the territory whether of value in industry or serviceable in medicine. The attention given to the geography of the country was apparently encouraged by the decree issued in Madrid on December 30, 1633, requiring the governors to make maps of the several provinces, showing their temples, fruits, mines, herds and fortifications, and indicating clearly and briefly the Indians and Spaniards in each. From the third to the tenth book inclusive Rosales presents an account of the political events of Chile down to the administration of Governor Antonio de Acuña y Cabrera (1648-1656). In treating of events prior to his own time, he says, “he escrito muchas cosas por noticias de papeles y relaciones” but “en adelante escribiré lo que he visto y tocado con las manos.”[109] Near the end of this part the manuscript shows lack of a careful final revision and closes as abruptly as if pages had been torn off. [Sidenote: _Conquista espiritual de Chile_]