The Massachusetts Spy, Or, Thomas's Boston Journal

Extract of a letter from Madrid, July 8.

"Our court has just received the very disagreeable news of an universal rising of the natives on the sea coasts of Chili, who are greatly reinforced and supported by the brave people in the internal parts of that country. The Chileans are the bravest people on the continent, and ever had a most remarkable antipathy to the Spaniards, which made them cautious how they trusted the natives, who have before made attempts to recover their lost liberties, but were always subdued by the Spaniards keeping possession of the coasts.

The insurrection that lately happened, began at the town of Baldivia, or Valdivia, where the gold mines are situated. It was thus: In the night of the 14th of May, a body of near ten thousand Indians came to the mines, and fell upon the guards, whom they murdered; they then proceeded to set free the negroes, but slaughtered all the whites they came near, without mercy. After this action they proceeded to the town, but found the people were alarmed, and had made some preparations, having shut the inner gates, and pointed some guns on the wall, which they fired incessantly on the Indians, and did great execution. Finding themselves not able to gain possession of the inner town, they set fire to the suburbs, and burnt them to the ground, in which were three fine churches, an hospital, and several religious houses.

Having vented their fury as far as in their power, at Valdivia, and being joined by a number of Indian and negro slaves that dwelt in the suburbs, they left a guard to prevent the Spaniards from escaping out of the town, and proceeded immediately to the town of Imperial, which they invested, but were obliged to raise the siege with precipitation, and marched off as if they intended to serve Villaria in the same manner. A vessel was immediately sent from Imperial, with intelligence, and, when the advices came away from Madrid, an officer was preparing to march out of Lima at the head of 4000 men."