VI 
CHILE 
After Pizarro had conquered Peru he dis 
patched Diego de Almagro with an army, in 
structing him to explore and take the territory 
to the south, or what is now Chile. He was 
unable to accomplish the task. In 1540 
Pizarro sent another expedition under Pedro 
Valdivia, whom fortune favored and who 
penetrated to what is now the city of Santiago, 
which he founded in 1541. For more than 
100 years the war-like Araucanian Indians 
made repeated attacks on settlers in this terri 
tory, the Spaniards having great difficulty in 
conquering them. A treaty of peace was con 
cluded in 1640. 
When the revolutionary movement in South 
America started against Spain, Chile on Sep 
tember 18, 1810, declared her independence, 
and became the scene of much fighting, finally 
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