subaltern officer,
he was timid and irresolute in the supreme military command, and greatly
disappointed the expectations which had been formed from his former
behaviour.

Having marshalled his army in three divisions, Lincoyan marched in 1551
to attack the Spaniards under Valdivia, who still remained at
Conception, occupied in building and fortifying the new city. The
Spaniards were so much alarmed by the approach of the Araucanian army,
that after confessing themselves, they took shelter under the cannon of
their fortifications, where the Araucanians boldly assailed them. But,
finding the first assault unsuccessful, Lincoyan became apprehensive of
losing the army which had been committed to his charge, and ordered a
precipitate retreat, to the great surprise of Valdivia, who was
apprehensive of some stratagem, and did not venture upon attempting a
pursuit. When it was discovered that the enemy had actually retreated,
the Spaniards considered their flight as a special favour from heaven,
and some even alleged that they had seen the apostle St James, mounted
on a white horse, waving a flaming sword and striking terror into their
enemies. But the only miracle on this occasion proceeded from the timid
circumspection of Lincoyan.

Being now in some measure freed from the restraint imposed upon him by
the Araucanians, Valdivia applied himself diligently to the building of
the city of Conception, for which place he entertained a strong
predilection, as he considered that it would become the centre of
maritime communication between Chili and the ports of Peru and Spain.
Although he had fixed upon St Jago for the capital of the kingdom of
Chili, he determined upon establishing his own family at Conception;
for which purpose he selected a pleasant situation for his own dwelling,
reserving for himself the fertile peninsula between the rivers Andalian
and Biobio, and resolved to ask as a reward for his services the two
adjoining districts of Arauco and Tucapel, with the title of marquis:
For, although these districts still remained in the possession of the
Araucanians, he fully expected to be able to subjugate that valiant
people in a short time.

Having speedily reared the new city, in which he established a colony of
his followers, he employed the remainder of the year 1551 in regulating
its internal policy; for which purpose, after having established a
Cabildo or body of magistrates, in imitation of those in Spain, as usua