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 no A HIS TOR y OF CHILE their predecessors. They undertook important reforms and one of these brought about good results, in fact, went far to better the condition of prostrate Spain and her American colonies. The king permitted his French compatriots to open trade in America — with Chile by way of Cape Horn. French manufactures were intro- duced directly into Chile, whose ports had hitherto been closed against her. This gave a new impetus to com- merce and increased the receipts of the custom-house, which before had been nominal. At the same time a new activity was given to immigration, both of French and Spanish. During the first years of the seventeenth century there was a heavy emigration from Aragon and the Basque provinces of Spain. These people were hardy and industrious classes of settlers and soon became thrifty farmers and merchants. Perhaps to this fact, more than to any other, is due the later energy and progress of Chile. Instead of hunting for chimeri- cal Eldorados these settlers set about developing the resources of the country. In 1722 the Araucanians became enraged over the con- duct of- a class calling themselves Captains of the Friends, {Capitanos del Amigos), whose pretended busi- ness seems to have been the guarding of the mission- aries. This organization sought to exercise certain surveillance and authority over the natives, a course of conduct that was highly distasteful to them. They therefore resented it and chose a war toqui, Yilumilla, and took up arms. The new commander held very ambitious views ; he not only desired to obtain justice for his race, but also to expel the Spaniards from Chile. He actually sent emissaries to all the Indians throughout Chile, and requested them to take up arms at a given signal — the building of fires on the tops of the highest mountains.