Presently Lautaro, the famous Araucanian chief, at the head of his undefeated army, marched in the track of the retreating Spaniards, and threatened Santiago itself.  But for an access of over-confidence on the part of the natives, it is likely enough that the Spanish power would have been completely swept from Chile.  Villagran, returning to the capital with reinforcements, found the investing Araucanian army in a totally unprepared condition.  Some were carousing, many slept, and in any case the majority were drunk, a state to which, as a matter of fact, these southern Indians were only too prone at all times.  Villagran, perceiving his opportunity, fell upon the demoralized native army, and defeated them utterly with great slaughter.  Lautaro himself, the flower of the Araucanian warriors, perished in the ensuing struggle.

Villagran had thoroughly deserved this success, which had crowned one of the most exhausting periods of the terrific struggle.  He possessed, in the first place, many fine qualities as a leader, and was one of the toughest, bravest, and most honest of the conquistadores.  Unfortunately for himself, these qualities did not appear to suffice in the eyes of the highest Spanish official in South America.  Shortly after his victory Villagran was superseded by Garcia Hurtado de Mendoza, son of the Viceroy of Peru.  Mendoza possessed many good points; at the same time, he had to a full degree many of the faults which characterized so great a number of the Spanish noblemen of the period.  Thus, he was unduly arrogant and autocratic towards his comrades of inferior rank, flinging Villagran into prison on his first arrival in the country as the result of little beyond a whim.  On the other hand, it must be admitted that Mendoza spared no endeavours to conciliate and treat with kindness the Araucanian Indians.

Garcia Hurtado de Mendoza had some reason for his arrogance.  At twenty years of age, when sent by his father to Chile at the head of his force, he had already distinguished himself by his bravery, and, according to one biographer, had already fought in Corsica, Tuscany, Flanders, and in France.  Even in that age there were not many who could boast of having effected all this when still in their teens.  It was little wonder that he was high-spirited, wilful, and impetuous.  Ercilla represents him as very ardent in battle, sometimes fighting himself, sometimes urging on his soldiers, always in movement.  At the time of the Araucanian invasion he addressed his troops in the most humane terms.  One of his sayings was to the effect that—­“An enemy who surrenders is a friend whom we ought to protect; it is a greater thing to give life than to destroy it.”  Sentiments of this kind were doubly commendable when, judging from their rarity, they could scarcely have been popular.

Notwithstanding his good intentions towards the Araucanians, Mendoza soon found himself involved in a struggle to the death with the now hereditary foes of his race, for the southern Indians—­maintaining their reputation—­proved themselves implacable, and would hear nothing of compromise.  After many fierce battles, in the course of which fortune ebbed either way, Mendoza succeeded in capturing Caupolican, who was tortured to death, an episode which caused a short lull in the fevered activities of the Spanish forces.