ted in their last moments to die valiantly in defending the
liberties of their country. At the same time, an hundred and twenty of
the Promaucians, who had been seduced to favour the Araucanians, were
hung on the ramparts, all of whom exhorted their countrymen to aid the
Araucanians. Caupolican was anxious to siglize himself by the capture of
a place which his heroic father had twice attempted in vain, and made a
violent effort to carry the place by assault. He several times scaled
the walls of the town in person, exposing his life to the most imminent
danger, and even one night effected an entrance into the city, followed
by Tucapel and a number of brave companions, but was repulsed by Don
Garcia, whose vigilance was incessant. On this occasion, Caupolican
withdrew, constantly fighting and covered by the blood of his enemies,
to a bastion of the fortress, whence he escaped by an adventurous leap
and rejoined his troops, who were in much apprehension for the safety of
their brave and beloved commander. Wearied out by the length of the
siege, which he saw no reasonable prospect of bringing to a favourable
conclusion, and impatient of the inactivity of a blockade, Caupolican
abandoned this ineffectual attempt upon Imperial, and turned his arms
against Reynoso in hope of being able to take revenge upon him for the
death of his father. But Don Garcia, by going to the assistance of that
officer, rendered all his efforts ineffectual.

In the campaign of the following year, 1559, numerous battles were
fought between the two armies, with various successes; but as these
produced no material change in the state of affairs, it is unnecessary
to give any particular account of them. Though several of these
encounters ended in favour of the Araucanians, yet Caupolican resolved
to protract the war, as his troops were daily diminishing in numbers
from being continually exposed to the fire arms of their enemies, while
the Spaniards were constantly receiving recruits from Peru and Europe.
With this intention, therefore, he took possession of a strong situation
between Canete and Conception, in a place called Quipeo or Cuyapu, which
he fortified so strongly as to be defensible by a few men against any
number of enemies unprovided with artillery. On being informed of this
measure, Don Garcia marched thither immediately with his army in order
to dislodge the Araucanian general, but observing the strength of the
position, he delayed for some