that it received this name in consequence of finding some wooden figures of eagles with two heads, fixed on some of the native huts.  This city was placed in a beautiful situation, abounding in all the conveniences of life; and, during the short period of its existence became one of the most flourishing in Chili.  Being placed on the shore of a large and deep river, capable of allowing large ships to lie close to the walls, it was excellently situated for commerce, and had free access to receive succours of all kinds by sea in case of being besieged.  By modern geographers, this place is still spoken of as an existing city, strongly fortified, and the seat of a bishopric; but it has been in ruins for considerably more than two hundred years.

[Footnote 66:  The place where Imperial once stood is marked on our maps on the right or north shore of the conjoined streams of the Ouisa and Cauten, immediately above the junction of a small river which is probably the Damas of the text.—­E.]

Intoxicated with his present prosperity, and the apparent submission of the Araucanians, he assigned extensive districts in the surrounding country among his officers.  To Francisco Villagran, his lieutenant-general, he gave the warlike province of Maquegua, considered by the Araucanians as the key of their country, with about thirty thousand inhabitants.  The other officers obtained grants of lands and Indians proportionate to their rank, and the degree in which they possessed his favour, some getting as far as eight or even ten thousand Indians.  He likewise dispatched Alderte, with a detachment of sixty men, with orders to establish a settlement on the shore of a lake called Lauquen, to which he gave the name of Villarica, or the rich city, owing to the great quantity of gold that was procured in the environs.

It may be here mentioned that the province of Maquegua was partitioned anew among the conquerors after the death of Villagran; the principal part of it being assigned to Juan de Ocampo, and another large share to Andreas Matencio.  But, in consequence of its recapture by the Araucanians, they reaped very little advantage from their commanderies.  Ocampo was afterwards rewarded for his distinguished services by being appointed to the office of corregidore of the cities of Serena Mendoza and St Juan, the two last in the province of Cujo; in which province he had likewise the grant of a considerable commandery of Indians, which he afterwards ceded to the crown.

Receiving additional reinforcements from Peru, Valdivia resumed his march for the south of Chili, still followed but at a considerable distance by Lincoyan, who pretended continually to seek a favourable opportunity to attack the Spaniards, but whose timid and cautious procedure could never find one of which he dared to avail himself.  In this manner Valdivia traversed the whole territory of the Araucunians from north to south, with exceedingly