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chiefs, in which, after expostulating with them upon their
ruinous rivalry ; he exhorted them to choose a leader by some
trial of ability, which should be publicly made ; and suggested
that the man who could bear a heavy weight for the longest
time must be the fittest to endure the burthen of governing.
The caciques agreed to his proposal, and prepared a large
trunk of a tree for this great trial of strength. Colocolo well
knew that the qualifications of an Indian general were not
bodily strength and activity, unless accompanied by qualities
of mind proportionably superior; but it happened that Caupolican
exceeded all his countrymen in mental, and all but
Lincoya in bodily qualifications. Accident had impeded his
attendance at the ‘ gathering,’ and the object of Colocolo in
proposing so tedious and otherwise absurd a trial was to gain
time for Caupolican’s arrival.
Fourteen chiefs successively bore the ponderous tree upon
their shoulders. No one gave up the trial, until he had
endured more than four hours’ oppression; some even sustained
the burthen six, eight, or ten hours; and one hardy mountaineer
carried the tree for fifteen. But the famed Lincoya claimed
the prize ; confiding in his Herculean strength, he had allowed
all others to precede him in the trial. When at last he threw
the mantle from his Atlas shoulders, he took the tree from the
ground as if it had been a stick; ran, jumped, and danced with
it on his back, seeming to feel no weight; and the multitude,
astonished, exclaimed, ‘ Lincoya shall be general! the rest are
infants in comparison!’ but the wise Colocolo insisted upon
the completion of the trial, knowing that Caupolican would
soon arrive, and that Lincoya’s antics would exhaust even his
great strength, and make it possible for an inferior to carry the
tree longer. The crafty veteran had himself excited Lincoya to
the unnecessary exertions which he knew would undermine
him. From sunrise, until noon of the following day, full thirty
hours, did the gigantic Lincoya sustain his immense load.
While the air yet resounded to the shouts of ‘ Lincoya,’ Caupolican
arrived, and demanded to try his strength ; but Colocolo
interposed, saying that Caupolican had arrived from a
great distance, and ought to rest. Until the next morning,
therefore, the trial was postponed.
During the night, great excitement animated the vast multitude.
The strength and ability of Caupolican were well
known; even Lincoya doubted the result; he had deemed his
only rival far off; and the antics in which he had indulged
had prematurely exhausted his strength. At daybreak the
tribes again assembled, and as the sun rose, Caupolican lifted
the tree, and quietly poised it upon his shoulder. His manner,
and the ease with which he placed his burthen, excited the
surprise and admiration of all, except Lincoya, whose spirits
sunk as he watched the cautiously guarded manner and easy
movements of his rival.
During that day and the following night, lighted by the full
moon ; during the whole of the next day, and throughout the
second night, did Caupolican sustain that overpowering weight
which men of common strength could only bear during a very
few hours: and when the sun rose on the third morning, the
still untired chief lifted the tree above his head, and dashed it to
the ground, with an effort which showed that his powers were
far from being exhausted. He was unanimously chosen general,
amidst extraordinary shouting and applause: and no sooner
had the other caciques acknowledged his authority, than he
began to take measures for acting immediately against the
Spaniards.
Arauco, their nearest strong hold, was to be attacked.
Eighty chosen men approached, disguised as the serving Indians,
who supplied the Spanish soldiers with firewood, and
forage for their horses. Each man, with his load of fuel or
grass, in which his arms were hidden, advanced unsuspected to
the fort, when, by preconcerted signal, they threw down their
loads and attacked the unprepared Spaniards. This assault was
the signal for other Indians to rush towards the fort; but the
Spaniards, although surprised, made so good a defence, that
almost all the eighty chosen men were killed, and no others
could gain admittance. The whole Indian multitude then surrounded
Arauco; and the Spaniards, seeing that they must be
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