The South American Republics, Part 2 of 2Dawson, Thomas Cleland
History
The South American Republics, Part 2 of 2
Dawson, Thomas Cleland
South America -- History
after the hereditary title of his family. Leaving it heavily garrisoned,
he went on to Imperial for provisions. In his absence the Indians
unsuccessfully tried to carry Canete by assault, and seeing the
hopelessness of aggressive movements, they withdrew to the wooded
districts and mountains, abandoning the open country and the sea-coast
to the Spaniards. Mendoza pushed on beyond the southern limits of the
Araucanian territory and discovered and explored the populous
archipelago of Chiloe. On his way back he founded, on the mainland a
hundred miles south of Valdivia, the city of Osorno.
The Araucanians were now shut in between the Andes and a semicircle of
towns and forts; it seemed as if their final subjection would only be a
question of time. Mendoza returned to Santiago, leaving a lieutenant to
undertake a campaign of raids and surprises. A few of the Araucanians
remained in the field, and it was not until their veteran chief,
Caupolican, was betrayed and pitilessly shot to death with arrows, that
the whole confederacy again flew to arms under the command of his son.
Marching on Concepcion, the Indians cut to pieces first one Spanish
force of five hundred men and then another; and blockaded the city from
the land side. The Spaniards, holding the sea, had no difficulty in
pouring in reinforcements from Peru and Valparaiso, and the Indian army
finally retreated. At Quiapo, between Concepcion and Canete, it was
defeated and nearly annihilated, its most celebrated chiefs and heroes
perishing in the slaughter. Once more the Araucanians retired to their
forests and mountains while the Spaniards rebuilt and improved the line
of fortifications and took possession of the valuable gold mines of
Villarica. But they could make no further impression on these
indomitable Indians. For forty years the war continued, sometimes
active, sometimes desultory, and with constantly varying fortunes. Year
after year the Spaniards poured in reinforcements, and their expeditions
more than once ravaged the remotest parts of the Araucanian territory.
But as soon as the armies retired the unflagging Indians would return to
the attack, cutting off isolated bands of settlers and surprising forts
and towns.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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