Page:A history of Chile.djvu/96

84 A HISTORY OF CHILE mountain. Here he was drawn into a combat and slain, together with fifty of his warriors. Cadeguala was then elected toqui. There had been frequent descents of pirates, corsairs, English and Dutch, upon the coasts and at diverse times. La Serena, Valparaiso, Concepcion and Valdivia had been sacked. In the year 15S6, three ships commanded by Sir Thomas Cavendish landed at Quintero Bay north of Valparaiso and sought to subject the Spanish prov- inces to English power. While he was entering •jnto negotiations with the natives he was attacked by Alonzo Molina, corregidor of Santiago, and driven from the place. This incident, serving to divert the Spaniards, led Cadeguala to plan an expedition against Angol. Some of the inhabitants of that place were friendly to his interests and these instigated some Chilean Indians, who were in the service of the Spaniards, to set the houses on fire during the night of his attack. The plan was successful. Fortunately Sotomayor arrived just before the attack, and inspired b}' his presence, the inhabitants at length retired to the citadel. Re- organizing their forces there, a successful sally was made against the enemy at daybreak and the Arauca- nian general compelled to withdraw his troops. Next Cadeguala undertook the reduction of the for- tress of Puren, and invested it with an army of four thousand men. The governor hastened to its relief with reinforcements; but Cadeguala met him on the way and obliged him to retreat. The toqui now offered the besieged the alternative of retiring upon parole, or joining his army. The terms were rejected by all of the garrison with the exception of one, Juan Tapia, who availed himself of the terms and joined the Arau- canians. Cadeguala now offered to settle the siege by single combat with the commander, Garcia Ramon.