Castro a City.
Stream Chili.
Brewer Dies.
Strange accident.
Baldivia, a brave City.
The Dolphin Pink and a great Boat being sent to the Inlet, lay the following Night at an Anchor near a high Mountain; from whence, in the Night, two great Guns were fir’d, whereupon, Lieutenant William Ter Bergen Landed with sixteen Musqueteers, and climbing up the Mountain, found a Village behind the same, where all things were in Alarm, Drums beating, Trumpets sounding, Bells ringing; the Villagers suddenly firing their Guns on Ter Bergen, who being supply’d with thirty four Men, Encounter’d the Enemy so Valiantly, that he fled into the Woods, not without the loss of Men and Horses: The Guns with which they had shot in the Night lay onely on a Redoubt: Ter Bergen persuing this Victory, March’d into the Woods, and shot the Spanish Commander Andreas Munes Iserrera from his Horse, got great store of Treasure which lay hid under the Tree, being brought out of Carelmappa, which Village he set afire, and kill’d all the Horses, and Weigh’d Anchor with the Admiral Brewer to Michael de Cabuco where not being able to Land, because of the many obscure Rocks and Shoals, they set Sail to Castro, which they conquer’d and burnt without the least resistance: This City situate on a Mountain is stately built among Flowry Meadows, delightful Orchards, and brave Fountains; the Sea before it flows daily fourteen Foot. Brewer also burnt a Spanish Ship, and set some Houses afire, took three Spaniards Prisoners on Las Bahias, who inform’d him, that the Winter Season was almost over, but that it was never known by any to pass over so mildly, ill Weather generally using to blow down Houses, Trees, and rend Rocks asunder; that there was much Gold in Osorno and Baldivia, which last they had some years since deserted for hunger, but it was since Garrison’d by three hundred Castilians, that none could get at the Fort Conception (which lay a League Westerly from thence) but in a small Boat, that there were on the place near two thousand Inhabitants. Moreover, an ancient Matron call’d Lovysa Pizarra, from Quintian, one of the Isles in the Chilean In-Land-Sea, being fetch’d from thence, gave information, that forty years since, before the Indians took up Arms, the Spaniards were quietly setled in Osorno, and in so good a condition, that an ordinary Planter had at least three hundred Slaves, of which, every one was to procure a certain quantity of Gold; that the Isles Chiloves were divided into above a hundred Colonies or Plantations, the Chileses serving the Castilians as their true Governors; those that do good Service the King of the Colony makes them Commanders, and that the Chileses had Rebell’d in several places. Brewer on the Chileses request took some of them, with their Wives and Children into his Ship, furnish’d with Arms, he digg’d a Chest of Silver and a Brass Gun out of the Earth, and soon after being sick, dy’d. His Successor Elias Herkmans prosecuting those Publick Affairs, sent the Pilot of the Unity out of Brewer’s Haven, and some Sea-men, with two Chilean Casiques with a Boat to Carelmappa; but being surpriz’d by a violent Storm, stood in for Horse-Island, where he and the Casiques Landing, he order’d seven Sea-men to carry the Boat to a safer Harbor; but being driven from the shore by strong Winds it took in so much Water as fill’d and sunk it, so that all of them were drown’d. Horse-Island being destitute of Provisions and Lodgings, those that were Landed expected nothing but Death, till they found out a small Hut, and in the same six brave Sheep, and a good quantity of Potatoe Roots, which serv’d for Bread: But when this their new-found Store was almost spent, they happily were fetch’d off by the Boat belonging to the Ship Amsterdam, and with the whole Fleet came to an Anchor before Baldivia. This City built by the Castilians, consisted formerly of five hundred and fifty fair Houses, and was divided into Streets and cross Ways, with two large Markets, and as many costly Churches.
Why the Chileses grew strange to the Hollanders.
The Chileses unsufferably oppress’d, slew all the Spanish Garrison, and into the Governor’s Mouth and Ears pour’d melted Gold; of his Skull they made a Drinking-cup, and of his Shin-bones, Trumpets; after this, the City fell almost to decay, onely a great part of the Wall remain’d yet standing: The Chileans hereupon flock’d hither by thousands, some on Horses, others on Foot, all Arm’d with Lances of a Foot long: Herkman hereupon informing them by an Interpreter, that they being mortal Enemies of the Spaniards, would joyn with the Chileans against that common Foe; and desir’d, that they might build a Fort on the Market-place in Baldivia, for a defence against all Invasions, and that they might be supply’d with Provisions which the Fleet wanted; all which the Chileans granted, and accordingly brought in store of Sheep, Hogs, and Cattel: But so soon as Herkman began to make the least mention of Gold, they were all abash’d, and said, that they knew of no Gold Mines, nay, their Hair stood an end, when they heard the name of Gold; so horribly the Spaniards had dealt with their Parents: After this, the Chileans growing more and more strange, did not in the least countenance the building of the Fort, and the longer the Fleet staid, the less Provisions they brought aboard; upon which, the Ships were necessitated, without any remarkable Exploits, to set Sail and return to Reciffo.
