HUEPON (way-pong'), Araucanian soldier, born in the valley of Yanapocho about 1511; died near Serena early in 1548. He was cacique of the tribe of Promancos, and, when Chili was invaded by the expedition of Valdivia in 1541, Huepon was elected by the assembled caciques their commander-in-chief against the invaders, and was the first to attack the conquerors. During the construction of the city of Santiago by Valdivia, he continually fought the Spaniards, and several times destroyed the fortifications, keeping them in perpetual alarm and scattering their forces. In 1542 he took advantage of the absence of Valdivia on an expedition to the south to surprise the city, destroy the intrenchments, and oblige the citizens to take refuge in the fort on the hill, which he also attacked, and compelled the commander, Alonso de Mouroy, to abandon it and accept a battle in the plains, where he was defeated. The new colony would probably have been destroyed entirely but for the opportune arrival of Valdivia, who defeated Huepon. During that year and in 1543-'4 he continued to oppose the Spaniards. but was not fortunate, and resolved to abandon the valley of Mapocho with his tribe, and join the northern tribes of Copiapo, who continued the warfare against the Spaniards, and by those tribes he was appointed general-in-chief of the northern confederation on account of his military skill. In 1545 he attacked Alonso de Monroy on the march to Peru in search of re-enforcements, who narrowly escaped with one companion, while all the rest of the force was destroyed. In the valleys Coquimbo and Copiapo the Spanish forces found no rest from Huepon, who killed a great number of them, and, on account of his sudden and unexpected appearances, they called him "the ghost." In 1546 Valdivia, to get some rest from Huepon, signed a treaty of peace with him, which was soon broken by the latter, who in 1547 destroyed the new settlement of Serena, and continued his depredations till he was murdered by some warriors of the northern tribes, who disliked to be commanded by a southerner.