petually renewed assaults of the enemy, he
likewise determined upon withdrawing to Puren, which he successfully
executed, either by similar means as those pursued by Reynoso, or in
consequence of a capitulation with Caupolican. Having destroyed this
fortress, Caupolican encamped with his army in the neighbourhood, to
wait the approach of the Spaniards, who he supposed would not be long of
coming against him with an army.

Valdivia, who then resided in the city of Conception, no sooner learnt
that the Araucanians had besieged Arauco, than he began his march for
that place with such forces as he was able to collect at a short notice;
though contrary to the advice of his most experienced officers, who
urged him to wait till he could collect a more formidable army, and
seemed to have a presentiment of the fatal consequences which were to
result from the present expedition. The historians of the times differ
materially in their accounts of the force under Valdivia on this
occasion. According to some of these his army consisted of two hundred
Spaniards and five thousand Promaucian auxiliaries, while others reduce
the number to a half. The same uncertainty is to be found respecting the
number of the enemy, some estimating them at nine and others at ten
thousand men[68]. On approaching the encampment of Caupolican, Valdivia
sent forwards a detachment of ten horsemen under Diego del Oro to
reconnoitre, all of whom were slain by the enemy, and their heads cut
off and hung upon trees by the way in which the Spanish army had to
advance. On arriving at this place, the Spaniards were filled with
horror at this miserable spectacle, and many of them, in spite of their
usual intrepidity, were eager to retreat till a greater force could be
collected. Even Valdivia regretted that he had not conformed to the
advice of his older officers; but encouraged by the boasting confidence
of others, who proudly declared that ten Spaniards were sufficient to
put the whole Araucanian army to flight, he continued his march and came
in sight of the enemy on the 3d of December 1553. The prospect of the
ruins of Tucapel and the well regulated array of the adverse army, with
the insulting taunts of the enemy, who upbraided them as robbers and
impostors, filled the minds of the Spaniards, hitherto accustomed to
respect and submission from the Indians, with mingled sentiments of
dread and indignation.

[Footnote 68: Ovalle does not mention the amount of the