Belief in the tradition of the “Ciudad encantada de los Césares” was rife in Martínez’s time, and, having had some part in an investigation designed to make clear the grounds of the popular belief, he wrote _Reflexiones críticas político-históricas sobre los nominados Césares_. He had also in mind to free his countrymen from their illusion; for at Valdivia he had knowledge of those who had faith in the tradition, and of the expeditions organized to discover the famous city of the Césares. [Sidenote: Pinuer’s _Relación_] [Sidenote: Orejuela’s Commission] This tradition was exploited by Ignacio Pinuer, who conducted an expedition organized to search for the famous city. Pinuer was born in Valdivia, and this tradition interested him from his boyhood. In his mature years he was brought into frequent communication with the Indians, and from them he sought confirmation or explanation of it.[207] His expedition was naturally fruitless, but his _Relación sobre una ciudad grande de españoles situada entre los indios_ (1774), has kept alive the memory of his undertaking. A part of this _Relación_ is contained in Pedro de Angelis’ _Colección de documentos_, reproduced from the _Semanario erudito_ of Madrid. Another document relating to this expedition is Benito Delgado’s _Diario_. Delgado was the chaplain of the expedition, and his account was addressed to Governor Joaquín de Espinosa. Gay, the historian, printed it in _Historia de Chile_ (_Documentos_, I, 431-485). But even when this tradition was gradually losing its hold on the minds of Chileans, the court of Spain was still influenced by it, and commissioned Manuel José de Orejuela to continue the search. But in spite of his royal patent Orejuela encountered opposition in America. The viceroy of Peru and the governor of Chile recognized the folly and absurdity of the enterprise, and persuaded him to relinquish his projected expedition. [Sidenote: Order for information] Before the delusion concerning a city of the Césares had run its course, the government in Spain ordered the officers of the royal treasury at Santiago and the corregidores to formulate information concerning districts under their direction. As results of this order there appeared a number of reports or statistical accounts covering various parts of Chilean territory. One of these was José Fernández Campino’s _Relación del obispado de Santiago de Chile_, a dry statistical description of central Chile. Another similar production was Pedro González de Agüeros’ _Descripción historial de Chile_, which was published in Madrid in 1791. [Illustration: Juan Ignacio Molina] [Sidenote: Juan Ignacio Molina]