They were received in Copiapo with the most henevo lent hospitality, and, in a short time, were completely re covered of their fatigues. The northern provinces had been subdued, and were still tributary to the Peruvians ; and here the Spaniards were unexpectedly gratified by the distribution of 500,000 ducats, which Paulu, the Peruvian leader, well acquainted with the views and dis position of his associates, had exacted from the inhabi tants, and presented to Almagro. This present gave a strong impression of the riches of Chili, and animated the soldiers in the prosecution of their enterprize.
Before leaving Copiapo, they Were jeined by rein forcements from Peru ; and, in their progress south wards, were every where treated by the natives with liberality and respect. They were even regarded as beings of a higher nature, more allied to divinity than to the .common race of mortals. This convenient per suasion was as industriously propagated as it was credu lously believed. But we must here notice an occurrence, which served, in no small degree, to undeceive the de luded inhabitants, and to dcvelopc, in its true light, the character of their new friends. Two stragglers from the Spanish army being put to death, and we may sup pose not without sufficient grounds for the severity, by the people of Guasco, Almagro instantly proceeded to take a cruel vengeance on the offenders. He arrested the Ulmen or governor of the guilty district, his brother, and twenty more of the principal inhabitants ; all these, together with an usurper of Copiapo, whom he had late ly deposed, were at his command, without even the for mality of justice, committed at once to the flames. This conduct of Almagro did not pass without censure; even his own Spaniards were displeased, and openly reprobat ed the barbarity of their leader. Familiar as they had long been with robbery and slaughter, some were still found among them, who had not utterly renounced all the sympathies of humanity.
Almagro now entered the country of the Proman clans. That gallant people had on a former occasion successfully resisted all the efforts of Peru. At the first appearance of the Spaniards, they stood amazed and confounded. The Spanish horses were the first they had ever beheld ; but still more wonderful were the mysterious weapons which these strangers brought along with them. They were surprised, but not intimidated; and both armies drew up for battle, on the shore of the Rio Claro. The Peruvians, whom Almagro had posted in front, were soon broken and routed, and fell back with terror on the Spanish line. The Spaniards themselves
were able with difficulty to sustain the furious attack ; they were not a little astonished at the resolute valour and impetuosity of their new assailants. The struggle was obstinate, bloody, and doubtful, and night alone put an end to it. The Promaucians, however, re mained in sight of their formidable enemy, with a deter mination to renew the fight next morning. The Spaniards kept the field, and claimed the victory ; but a victory of such perilous achievement they had neither expected nor desired, and they were now fully persuaded of what indeed the Peruvians had before warned them, that the country of this people was not to be won by the force of prejudice alone, but by arms and valour, fatigue and bloodshed.
It is seldom that men have resolution patiently to un dergo toil and danger in the attainment of an object, when their anticipations had prepared them for neither. So it happened with the Spaniards : they resolved una nimously to abandon the enterprise. Some of them, in deed, expressed a desire to remain in the country, and form a settlement in the northern provinces, where the natives were of a milder and less warlike disposition. At the request however of their leader, they unanimous ly returned with him to Cusco, in order to support him in his pretensions to that city. Cusco was included in the grant of territory, which had lately been conferred upon Almagro by the court of Spain ; but his rival Pi zarro, in whose power it then was, could not be persua ded to abandon so rich a possession. Almagro fell in the contest, and his soldiers were scattered over Peru.
Notwithstanding the failure of the last expedition to Chili, an object so tempting was not thus to be relin quished. Pizarro, now sole master of Peru, was con vinced of its importance, and resolved upon another at tempt. For this purpose, he commissioned his own quarter-master Pedro de Valdivia, to the exclusion of de Hoz and Carmargo, who had been nominated by the court of Spain. Valdivia had served in Italy, was pos sessed of courage, prudence, and activity, and, as an officer, was accounted one of the ablest among the Spa nish adventurers. Before leaving Peru, he provided himself with all the requisites of a colony, and having crossed the Cordilleras in summer, entz:red Chili with out loss, at the head of 2000 Spaniards, with a large body of Peruvians.