or peace,
by the ten years of uninterrupted war which he waged against the
Araucanians, in consequence of their rejecting his pacific overtures,
during which he gained many victories over that valiant people. At the
commencement however of his military operations, Lasso was by no means
fortunate. The quarter-master, Cordova, while advancing by his orders to
invade the maritime provinces of Araucania, was completely routed by
Putapichion in the small district of Piculgue near Arauco. The toqui
placed a part of his army in ambush, and contrived with much skill to
induce Cordova to give battle in an unfavourable situation. In this
action, the Spanish horse, forming the van of the army, was unable to
withstand the charge of the Araucanian cavalry, now become exceedingly
expert, and was put to flight; and the infantry being thus left exposed
and surrounded on all sides, was entirely destroyed after a combat of
five hours, during which they performed prodigies of valour, and
gallantly resisted many furious assaults of the enemy. In this action
Cordova was slain, with five captains, and several other officers of
merit.

On receiving intelligence of this disastrous action, the governor
marched in person against Putapichion with a considerable body of
troops, leaving Robolledo the serjeant-major to defend the passage of
the Biobio against the enterprises of the toqui; who yet eluded the
vigilance of the serjeant-major, passed the Biobio with a detachment of
two hundred men, and laid waste the neighbouring provinces of Chili in
the absence of the Spanish army. Lasso immediately returned with all his
troops to the Biobio, occupied all the known fords of that river, in
hope of cutting off the retreat of the invaders, and then went in search
of Putapichion with a select detachment equal in number to the enemy. In
this expedition, he was attacked at a place called Robleria on the banks
of the Itata by the toqui with such determined resolution, that the
Spaniards gave way at the first encounter, forty of them with several
officers being slain. The remainder owed their safety to the skill and
valour of the governor, who restored their order with wonderful coolness
and intrepidity, and even repulsed the enemy with considerable loss.
Satisfied with the success he had already obtained, and proud of having
taken the scarlet cloak of the governor, Putapichion now conducted his
retreat to the Biobio with great skill, and got over that river