d to
seek for them in person, and to bring them to the Spanish camp.

While the negociation was in this state of forwardness, an unlooked for
event rendered all these pacific measures abortive. Ancanamon had a
Spanish lady among his wives, who, taking advantage of his absence, fled
for refuge to the governor, accompanied by four other women who were
wives to the toqui, and two young girls his daughters. The toqui was
extremely indignant on this occasion, though less exasperated by the
flight of his wives, than by the kind reception they had experienced
among the Spaniards. Relinquishing every thought of peace, he
immediately returned to the governor, from whom he demanded the
restitution of the fugitives. His demand was taken into consideration by
a council of the officers; but the majority of these, many of whom were
averse to peace, refused to surrender the women to the toqui, alleging
that they were unwilling to expose them to the danger of relapsing from
the Christian faith which they had embraced. After many ineffectual
propositions, Ancanamon consented to limit his demands to the
restitution of his daughters, whom he tenderly loved. To this it was
answered, that as the eldest had not yet embraced the Christian faith,
his request respecting her would be complied with, but as the younger
had been already baptised, they could not think of delivering her into
his hands.

At this time the almost extinguished hopes of peace were revived for a
time by an unexpected incident. _Utiflame_, the apo-ulmen of Ilicura
near Imperial, had always been among the most inveterate enemies of the
Spaniards, and to avoid all intercourse with them, had constantly
refused to ransom his sons or relations who happened to be made
prisoners. He prided himself on having so successfully opposed all the
Spanish governors of Chili, from the elder Villagran to Rivera, that
the enemy had never been able to acquire a footing in his province,
though near the city of Imperial. One of his sons who had been taken in
the late war, was about this time sent back to him by Valdivia, in
consequence of which he was so highly gratified, that he went
immediately to visit the missionary at the fort of Arauco, where in
return for the civilities he experienced from the governor and Valdivia,
he engaged to receive the missionaries into his province, and to use his
influence with Ancanamon to conclude a peace with the Spaniards. He
observed, however, that it was n