Hernan Cortes was one of the handsomest of men; and his beauty and misfortunes exciting the sympathy of his keepers, he was not very vigilantly watched. Possessing great natural pluck and dexterity, he managed in the night, as they neared the land, to slip his chains and gain the shore. Here he hid himself in the jungle till daybreak, when he found sanctuary in a little church. For several days he remained here in safety, but among the frequenters of the shrine was Melinda Xuares, whose piety, and modest demeanour in spite of her exceeding beauty, attracted his attention and won his heart. Her brother, Juan Xuares, with whom she lived, for she was an orphan, was delighted to cultivate the acquaintance of a man he admired so much, and therefore received him cordially.

In his remote retreat he thought himself so safe that he ventured daily to spend some hours at Juan Xuares' house; but the governor's spies were down upon him. They caught him one day outside the limits of the sanctuary, and clapped him in prison.

When he had been seized before, it was by an arbitrary stretch of power: now there was a formal charge against him, for having broken prison; and he was liable to be hanged.

Melinda's grief was indescribable: but she was brave as beautiful; she no sooner heard of Hernan's imprisonment than she hastened to the governor, and so successfully pleaded her lover's cause, that

he ordered him to be set free and restored to

her.

Thus a noble life was spared; and Hernan Cortes afterwards became the conqueror of Mexico.

ARAUCANIA THE INDOMITABLE.

I.

MONG the many traditions of Spanish adventures in the West Indies and Ame

ricas, none are more interesting than those concerning Araucania. Araucania is a province of Chili, which was inhabited by the bravest and noblest tribe of aborigines. Their courage and patriotism preserved them from ever succumbing to the invaders. When the rule of Spain was at length effected, it was through the conversion of the natives and their voluntary acceptance of a Christian government-never by their subjugation; so much so, that for years it was commonly known by the name of "El Estado indomito" (the unconquered province).

Various stories are told of heroism on both sides which deserve a place beside the noblest and most celebrated deeds of any history. Don Alonso de Ercilla y Zuñiga was a page in attendance on

Philip II. at the Court of our Queen Mary, when news came of a fresh outbreak of the indomitable Araucanians. Though a mere lad, he pleaded for permission to join the expedition which was immediately formed to quell the insurrection. He presents a marked instance of the best type of Spanish character-brave and patriotic, and at the same time chivalrous and generous. The intervals of leisure he could snatch from the business of the campaign were spent in recording in a heroic poem (which he wrote on any scraps of paper he could procure, and when these failed on dried skins of animals) the incidents of the war which struck his poetic fancy. Far from attributing all the merit to those of his own side with the spirit of a partisan, he has left a series of most touching pictures of the nobleness and bravery of his antagonists. His poem begins, after the manner of the Iliad, with a list of all the valiant chiefs, detailing their qualities and the numbers they commanded. Then it goes on to give a stirring description of their meeting to excite each other to rise in the defence of their country. There was no hanging back or cowardly fear, every one was anxious to be foremost to the fray. When they had well eaten, and warmed their courage with deep potations from their tinajas1 of wine, up rose Tucápel the audacious, and declared he was ready to head the expedition. The universe knew he 1 Large jars.

was the bravest of them all; and if any one disputed the boast, he was ready there and then to make it good. Not suffering him to conclude his speech, Elicura broke in full of boldness, "To me it is given to lead the affair; and if any one dispute the claim, he must taste the point of my lance."

"To my arm! to my arm," cried Ongolmo, "it behoves to brandish the iron club."

"Folly!" shouted Lincoya, mad with rage. "It is mine to be lord of the world, as certainly as my hand holds the oaken staff."

"None surely," interposed Argol, "is so vain as to put his prowess on a par with mine."

But Cayocupil, shaking his heavy spear, cleared a free space around him, and roared, "Who will dispute my right to be first? Let him come on, come on! I can match you, one or all."

"I accept the challenge!" responded Lemolemo, darting towards him, "it is no effort to me to prove what is already mine of right."

But Puren, who was drinking at a distance, here dashed furiously through the crowd, and proudly asked who dared harbour so insane a thought; declaring that where Puren stood no one else could bear command. When the storm was at its

2 Puren distinguished himself so much by his courage in these wars, that Alvárez de Toledo, a captain in the Spanish army in Araucania, composed a poem on him, entitled, "Puren indomito."