Page:A history of Chile.djvu/67

 CHAPTER IV LAUTARO AND CAUPOLICAN—VALDIVIA'S SUCCESSORS—DON GARCIA—DEFEAT AND SUCCESS Lautaro, the young hero of the battle of Tucapel, was accorded high honors in the great festival which followed the victory. Caupolican appointed him his special lieutenant, and invested him with authority in the army nearly equal to his own. By birth, the young man was of the Indian gentry, and, beside this advantage, was endowed by nature with nobleness of character, beauty and affability.

Another campaign was projected. The veteran Colocolo, the Ulysses of the Araucanians, was of the opinion that all the Spanish posts ought at once to be destroyed. Tucapel, on the other hand, argued that they should first go to Santiago and strike an effective blow while the Spaniards were in their present state of dismay. Caupolican, as usual, adopted Colocolo's advice.

The Spaniards in Ancol and Puren, as well as those of Villarica, hearing of the disaster which had befallen their hitherto invincible arms, retired to the towns of Imperial and Valdivia. In those cities Caupolican determined to besiege them. Lautaro was thereupon given in charge the defence of the country 55