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 THE COLONIAL PERIOD in The fires were kindled on March gth, 1723, but the Indians did not all respond, those north of the Biobio being timid and fearful of the issue. Vilumilla requested the missionaries to quit the Araucanian territories; then, as soon as they had crossed the Biobio, he proceeded against the fort of Tucapel, which he captured. The fort of Arauco was also occupied, and that of Puren reduced to extremi- ties. Gabriel Cano de Aponte had succeeded Concha ; the new governor now marched against Vilumilla with an army of five thousand men. The Araucanian gen- eral offered battle, but the governor thought best to withdraw the garrison of Puren and retire. A succes- sion of insignificant battles followed until peace was established at Negrete, where the order of Captains of Friends, so odious to the Araucanians, was abolished and the treaty of Quillin reaffirmed. Cano ruled Chile satisfactorily for a period of fifteen years. Francisco Sanchez de la Barreda, Manuel de Salamanca and Jos6 de Manso followed Cano. Manso founded, in 1742, the cities of Copiapo, Aconcagua, Melipilla, Rancagua, San Fernando, Curico, Talca, Tutuben and Los Angeles; this was done under orders from the king to collect the inhabitants of the country in urban societies. The governor was at one time obliged to forego his labors in city building to attend to the defence of the coast which was threatened by an English squadron sent out by Lord Anson. The usual Cape Horn tempest, however, caused the English to repair to the island of Juan Fernandez. Chile at this time had become a stepping-stone to promotion, so that the office of governor, or captain- general, was much sought after; from captain-general of Chile the splendid office of viceroy of Peru often fol- lowed. This was true of Don Jos^ de Manso; as a re-