A weakness consequent upon the late misfortunes, or partly perhaps having its origin in the cautious temper of Paillataru, the new Toqui, gave the Spaniards an op portunity of regaining their possessions. Rodrigo de Quiroga, by whom Pedro had been supplanted in the government, availing himself of one or other of those circumstances, rebuilt Arauco and Canete, raised a new fortress at Quipeo, and laid waste the country.
The following year a company of sixty men under Marshal Ruiz Gamboa paid a second visit to the Archi pelago of Chiloe, where, over a multitude of seventy thousand natives, this little band, without one stroke of resistance, was permitted to establish their abhorred tyranny.
An extraordinary fluctuation happened about this time in the form of government. In 1565, a court of royal audience was established by Philip II. to which was entrusted the civil and military administration of Chili. This court immediately dismissed Quiroga from his em ployment, and bestowed the command upon Ruiz Gam boa. Next year, however, on pretence of being inade quate to the purposes of the institution, it was stript of its authority, and the whole power transferred to the person of a single chief, Don Melchor de Brava, with the titles of president of the Royal Audience, governor, and captain general of Chili. The court itself was finally abolished in 1575, when Quiroga was restored to his former authority ; but being already advanced in years, did not long enjoy his restitution. At his death (1580) he was again succeeded by Gamboa. During these rapid transitions in the government, many ineffectual though sincere endeavours had been used to bring the enemy to negotiate. The jealous Araucanians, however, continued to avoid, with unconquerable firmness, the slightest advances to an accommodation with a victori ous enemy ; an enemy whose whole temper and conduct, as well as their avowed designs, served only to excite hostility, and perpetuate disaffection. The war was con tinued with redoubled animosity Paillataru was defeat ed in the neighbourhood of Cancte, and the Spaniards, in their turn, under Melchor de Brava, lost another army on the fatal height of Mariguenu.
After another severe engagement, from which the Spaniards could only claim a victory by remaining mas ters of the field, the contending powers seemed to have been mutually awed into peace, by the ravages of a tremendous earthquake. Conception was completely demolished, and the other settlements experienced con siderable injury, The truce lasted four years, at the expiration of which, on the death of Paillataru, hostili ues were renewed. In the election of another Toqui,
the Araucanians exhibited some political address. In order to engage the confidence and conciliate the affec tion of the Mustees, who by that time had exceedingly multiplied in the country, they exalted to the supreme power Paynenancu, one of their number. This chief had served with honour in their armies, and was possess ed of courage and activity to a great degree ; but his dis position was at the same time rash and presumptuous, and too frequently impelled him to undertakings the most daring and impracticable. He seldom hesitated to engage the Spaniards with inferior forces ; and from this cause it was that most of his enterprises, though sufficiently harassing, and often destructive to the enemy, were still more injurious to the Araucanians.' That vigorous and haughty spirit, which had hitherto defied adversity, now manifestly began to flag under a constant succession of defeat and disappointment. In the first years of his command, the Pehuenches and Chiquil lanians were persuaded, for the first time, to take a part in the contest, and made inroads upon the Spanish settle ment of Chillan. Gamboa, who a few years before under Quiroga established this colony, was now himself at the head of affairs, and the short period of his government was wholly engaged in repelling these incursions, and maintaining the war against Paynenancu.
He was superseded in 1583 by Don Alonzo Sotomay or, who arrived in Chili with six hundred regular troops. This officer supported the war with a powerful superi ority. The impetuous Paynenancu was decisively worst ed in three successive engagements, and the Pehuenches expelled from Chillan. But his fame was deeply tar nished by exhibitions of barbarity. He resumed in all its rigour the detested system of Garcia, and even aggra vated its horrors by additional inflictions, and more ex tended ravages. His course through the country was marked with rapine, devastation, and bloodshed. It pre sented every where a scene of unexampled atrocity; the hamlet yet smoking from the hand of the destroyer ; its late happy tenant suspended lifeless or in torture from his chosen tree. Others, by a merciless indulgence, as if to spread still wider the face of calamity, were permitted to escape with life, driven mangled and helpless from their habitations, to stretch forth their mutilated arms, and implore vengeance on the oppressor.