Page:A history of Chile.djvu/71

 THE COLONIAL PERIOD 59 Stimulated by Lautaro's success at Concepcion, Caupolican determined to begin again the sieges of Imperial and Valdivia; Lautaro, in the meantime, being required to march against Santiago to create a division of the Spanish forces. The young chief thereupon selected six hundred men, traversed the provinces lying between the Biobio and Maule rivers, and then fell upon the country of the Promaucians, the Spanish allies, which he laid waste. Fortifying him- self on the banks of the Rio Claro, he sent out spies and awaited information of the state of affairs at San- tiago. In the latter place, preparations for defense were actively begun. Juan Godinez with a body of horsemen was sent forward into the Promaucian coun- try to gain information of the whereabouts of the much dreaded enemy. He was attacked by a party of the Araucanians, by whom his little force was severely handled. Those escaping iled to Santiago, and the city was soon in consternation over the news. Villagran was ill at the time, and therefore placed his son, Pedro, in command of a body of troops, with which he ordered him to march against Lautaro ; the approaches to the city he directed to be hurriedly fortified. Young Lautaro had not come three hun- dred miles into the enemy's country to be defeated by young Pedro ; being attacked by the latter in his intrenchments on the banks of the Rio Claro, he feigned a retreat and thus drew the Spaniards into the enclosure. No sooner were they inside than the Araucanians fell upon them, furiously slaughtering all of them, with the exception of the cavalrymen, who were able to effect an escape. Pedro received reinforcements and three times attacked Lautaro, but was each time repulsed. There- upon he withdrew his forces to a meadow. Lautaro