Page:A history of Chile.djvu/54

 plant his colony. Here then on February 14, 1541, he established a town which he called St. Jago, in honor of the apostle; and this is Santiago, a city which, two centuries later, contained less than a hundred thousand people, and which in 1892 had a population of more than two hundred thousand. A cathedral, bishop's palace and government buildings were immediately erected, magistrates appointed and a fort constructed upon the hill of Santa Lucia.

The Mapochinians were not disposed to look upon this settlement in their territory in a friendly spirit, and soon organized an active opposition. Valdivia, suspecting their designs, confined some of the chiefs in the fortress, then went with sixty cavaliers to the river Cachapoal to watch the movements of the neighboring Promaucians, whom he suspected of being about to unite with their neighbors in an uprising. The Mapochinians availed themselves of the opportunity afforded them by the absence of the commander to fall furiously upon the colony. One half of the new town was reduced to ashes; the inhabitants fled to the citadel where they defended themselves against repeated onslaughts. A woman among them seized a hatchet, and, single handed, beat out the brains of the captive chiefs. Inez Suarez can hardly be eulogized as a Joan of Arc for this zealous act, as the death of the chieftains in no way aided Valdivia's cause, or dismayed the Mapochinians. From daybreak to nightfall the battle raged around the citadel, fresh hordes of assailants constantly taking the places of those that fell. Alonzo Monroy, who had been left in command of the fortress, communicated with Valdivia during the day, and the latter, upon receiving the dispatch, returned hurriedly to the scene of the conflict. The Indians posted themselves on