Page:A history of Chile.djvu/60

 shore of the bay of Penco, which Pastene had explored some time before. There on the 5th day of October, 1550, the city of Concepcion was founded, being the third of Chile in historical sequence. The place was destroyed by earthquakes in 1757, and in 1764 New Concepcion was established further south.

Concepcion was founded within a territory whose inhabitants did not intend to become chattels upon Spanish repartos, for their forefathers had long resisted the Incarial mitimaes. The surrounding tribes made common cause with their neighbors and allies, the Araucanians, to whom they usually looked for assistance, and the latter resolved to free the country from the unwelcome invaders. Toqui Aillavilu crossed the Biobio with 4,000 warriors and gave battle to Valdivia, who had advanced to meet him. A hotly contested combat ensued which lasted several hours, when the toqui was killed and his army compelled to retreat.

Valdivia thereupon built a fort near his new town, to protect the place against those fierce enemies. But the Araucanians, nothing daunted, elevated a new chief, a person of gigantic stature, to the command, and sent forth another army. This Goliath should have been given a war club and not the axe of authority, for he was irresolute and unfitted to lead. However, in the year 1551, he decided upon war and marched against the Spaniards with his army conducted in three divisions. The Spaniards celebrated mass and hurried within their fortifications. Lincoyan, not understanding such defensive tactics, which were not in accordance with Araucanian notions of valor and methods of warfare, and fearing some stratagem, ordered a retreat. Valdivia was quite as sorely puzzled as his antagonist, and so did not dare follow