Thus then it appears, that on our arrival in the South-Sea we
might have found the whole coaft unprovided with troops, and
deftitute even of arms : For we well knew from very particular
intelligence, that there were not three hundred fire-arms, of which
too the greateft part were matchlocks, in all the province of Chili.
Whilft at the fame time, the Indians were ripe fora revolt, the Spaniards
difpofed to mutiny, and the Governors enraged with one another,
and each prepared to rejoice in the difgrace of his antagonift.
At this fortunate crifis we, on the other hand, might have confifted
o f near two thoufand men, the greateft part in health and vigour,
all well armed, and united under a chief, whofe enterprizing genius
(as we have feen) could not be deprefled by a continued feries o f
the mod finifter events,- and whofe equitable and prudent turn o f
temper would have remained unvaried, in the midft of the greateft
degree of good fuccefs; and who befides poflefled, in a diftinguilh-
ed manner, the two qualities, the moil; necelfary for thefe uncommon
undertakings ; I mean that of maintaining his authority, and
preferving, at the fame time, the affedions of his people. Our
other officers too, 'o f every rank, appear, by the experience the
Public hath fince had of them, to have been equal to any attempt
they might have been charged with by their Commander : And
our men (at all times brave, i f well conducted) in fuch a caufe,
where treafure was the objedt, and. under fuch leaders, would
doubtlefs have been prepared to rival the molt celebrated achievements
hitherto performed by Britijh Mariners.
It cannot then be contefted,. but that Baldivia mult have lur-
rendered on the appearance of our fquadron : After which, it may
he prefumed, that the Arraucos, the Pulches and Penguinches, in - '
habiting the banks o f the river Imperial, about twenty-five leagues
to the northward of this place, would have immediately taken up \
arms, being difpofed thereto, as hath been already related, and
encouraged by the arrival o f fo. confiderable a force in their
neighbourhood. As thefe Indians can bring into the field near
thirty thoufand men, the greateft part of. them horfe, their firft
ftep would have been'the invading the province of Chili, which
they would have, found. totally unprovided both of ammunition
and weapons; and as. its inhabitants, are a luxurious and'effeminate
race, they would have been-incapable on fuch an emergency,
of giving any oppofition to this rugged enemy : So that'it
is no {trained conjefture to imagine, that the Indians would have
been foon matters of the whole country. Moreover, the other
Indians, on. the- frontiers of Peru being equally difpofed with the
Arraucos to-fliake off the Spanijh yoke, it is highly probable, that
they likewife would have embraced this favourable occafion, and
that a general infurredion would have taken place through all
the Spanijh territories of South America j in which cafe, the only
refource left to the Creolians (diflatisfied as they were with the
Spanijh Government) would have been to have made the beft
.terms they could with their Indian neighbours', and to have withdrawn
themfelves from the obedience of a Matter, who had
fhown fo little regard to their fecurity. This laft fuppofitionamay
perhaps appear chimerical to thofe, who meafure the poffibility
of all events by the fcanty ftandard of their own experience ; but
the temper of the times, and the ftrong diflike of the natives to -
the meafures then purfued by the Spanijh Court, fufficiently evince
at leaf!; its poffibility. However, not to infill on the prefumption
of a general revolt, it is fufficient for our purpofe to conclude, that
the Arraucos would fcarcely .have failed of taking arms, on our.:ap-
pearance : Since this alone would fo far have terrified the enemy,-
that they would no longer have employedtheir thoughts on the,
means of oppofing us j but would have turned all their care, to the
Indian affairs j as they ftill remember, with the utmoft horror, the
facking of their cities, the rifling of their convents, the captivity of
their wives and daughters, and the defolation of their country,by
thefe refolute favages, in the laft war between the two nations.
For it mutt be obferved, that the Chilian Indians have been frequently
fuccefsful againft the Spaniards, and poffefs at this time a!
large trad of country, which was formerly full of Spanijh towns
6 and