times ravaging their country
with fire and sword, and endeavouring to restrain them by the
establishment of fortresses in different parts of their territory. Among
these, he founded a city not far from the ruins of Angol, to which he
gave the name of San Francisco de la Vega, and left in it a garrison of
four troops of horse and two companies of foot. But it was taken and
destroyed in the same year in which it was built by the toqui Curimilla.
A great number of men were necessarily expended in the prosecution of
this obstinate war, so that the Spanish army, though annually reinforced
with numerous recruits from Peru, was diminished to less than a half of
its force at the commencement of the government of Laso. On this account
he sent over Don Francisco Ayendano to Spain to solicit new
reinforcements, and with a promise of bringing the war to a conclusion
in the course of two years. But, judging from the past that so
successful an issue was little to be expected, the court sent out Don
Francisco de Zuniga, Marquis of Baydes, as his successor, who had given
unquestionable proofs of his political and military talents, both in
Italy and Flanders, where he had executed the charge of
quarter-master-general. On his arrival in Chili in 1640, either in
consequence of private instructions from the prime minister, or of his
own accord, Zuniga procured a personal conference with Lincopichion, who
had been elected toqui on the death of Curimilla. Fortunately for the
interests of humanity, both commanders were of the same disposition in
wishing for peace, and equally averse from the continuance of the
destructive war which had so long raged between their hostile nations.
They readily agreed upon the most difficult articles in settling the
preliminaries, and a day was appointed at the commencement of the
following year for ratifying the conditions of a definitive peace
between the nations.

Accordingly, on the 6th of January 1641, the marquis came to Quillin,
the place of meeting, a village in the province of Puren, attended by a
retinue of about ten thousand persons collected from all parts of Chili,
who insisted to accompany him on this joyful occasion. Lincopichion came
there likewise at the time appointed, accompanied by the four hereditary
toquis of the Araucanians, and a great number of ulmens and other
natives. Lincopichion opened the conference with an eloquent speech; and
then, according to the customs of his nation, he kille