88 A HISTORY OF CHILE not be so readily besieged. Colocolo, a son of the famous wizard, to whom we have already referred, was ulmen of the territory where the new fort was built. In attempting to drive off the invaders he was taken prisoner, and to save himself promised to per- suade his subjects to submit to the Spanish govern- ment. This, however, his people refused to accede to, so that Colocolo, enraged at their obstinacy, joined the Spaniards and led them against his own people. We have now reached the year 1592, and the Arau- canians are no nearer being subjected than when the Spaniards first crossed the Biobio. They had raised up commander after commander, army after army, and recovered from defeat after defeat, scorning all propo- sitions looking toward a treaty of peace, which they well knew meant to 5'ield their liberties and territories to the Spaniards. At this time a Spanish prisoner among the Indians undertook to effect a treaty of peace between the belligerents, but failed to satisfy either Spaniards or Indians by his proposals. The gov- ernor made a last proposition ; this not being accepted by the Indians, he marched an army into the province of Tucapel, which he laid waste far and near. Pail- laeco, having succeeded Quintuguenu, sought to draw the Spanish army into an ambush, but was himself deceived by his enemy's pretended flight and thus drawn into an open field where he was killed and his troops mercilessly put to the sword. The few escap- ing fled to the swamps. Notwithstanding these repeated victories the loss of the Spaniards had been so great that the governor de- cided to withdraw with his forces to Santiago and there await the expected recruits from Peru. These not arriving, he determined to go there himself for assistance, leaving the command of the army and the
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