THE COLONIAL PERIOD 95 heroic spirit displayed by a Spanish lady, Ines Aguill- era, who, having lost husband and brothers in the siege, yet by her heroic example and ardent words, persuaded the garrison to hold out until a favorable opportunity presented itself for an escape by sea. Osorno also fell about this time, the besieged inhabi- tants having undergone terrible hardships, being com- pelled to subsist on the most loathsome food. This for a period closed the Araucanian wars, as the cities and forts were not rebuilt in the Indian territor- ies. Paillamachu, the most successful chieftain of the Araucanians, died in 1603, and was succeeded in the toquiship by Huenecura. Of the Spaniards in the Araucanian territories, many who were taken prisoners, afterward intermarried with the natives. Spanish women, on the other hand, were conducted to the homes of the conquerors; many cap- tives settled in the Indian country and dwelt there, uniting themselves with the tribes. In those days, when the Spanish succession was of paramount interest, it was a courtier's duty to obtain his royal patron's permission when he wished to wed a lady in the favor of court. This, Alonzo de Rivera failed to do when he married Aguillera's daughter, in consequence of which he was transferred from the governorship of Chile to that of Tucuman and Alonzo Garcia Ramon was restored to the office. The latter was, at the time of his restoration to office, given 1250 soldiers, veterans from Europe and Mexico, which swelled the Chilean army to three thousand Spanish troops, beside a large body of auxiliaries. With this army the captain-general marched into the Araucanian territories, and, encountering no opposi- tion, went as far as the province of Boroa, where he built a fort and garrisoned it with three hundred men
Page:A history of Chile.djvu/107
This page needs to be proofread.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5f/A_history_of_Chile.djvu/page107-1024px-A_history_of_Chile.djvu.jpg)