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 THE COLONIAL PERIOD 103 tinuous rain of lead into the enemy's ranks, that the Araucanian leader was compelled to retreat. Crossing the Biobio, Putapichion proceeded against Quinel, a strong port garrisoned by six hundred troops, but the attack proved a failure, whereupon, the toqui turned his attention to sacking the Spanish settle- ments in Chilian. The governor sought to retaliate in the following year (1628), by invading the Arauca- nian territories in three directions. Many prisoners were captured and rich spoils taken, when Putapichion presented himself with an army of three thousand men and offered battle to the division commanded in per- son by the governor. The outcome was about equal on both sides, the slaughter being everywhere great. The quartermaster, who had commanded one of the three divisions, was more fortunate than the governor in that he captured a vast amount of booty, droves of horses, a thousand cattle and two hundred prisoners ; but, transferring them aboard ship, he lost them all at sea during a tempest. The third division, com- manded by the sergeant-major, accomplished noth- ing worthy of note, as the natives along the Andes, against whom he had directed his march, fled to their mountain fastnesses, where he was unable to follow them. Don Francisco Laso de la Vega succeeded Cordova, being appointed captain-general by the Spanish court. He was a gallant and experienced officer, and humane in his policy of treating the natives. His first act with reference to the Araucanians was to send home all the Indian prisoners and undertake to arrange a treaty of peace with them. Failing in this, he began and carried on an effective war against that unconquer- able nation for a period of ten years. There were many evenly contested fields, Piculgue, Robleria,