mother, an Indian woman. He directed his attention principally to agriculture, and left several works which are the only ones in existence on the agriculture of the early stages of the conquest. They are “Arte para criar gusanos de seda en la Nueva España” (Granada, 1581; reprinted in a revised form as an appendix to Herrera's “Agricultura,” Madrid, 1690); “La agricultura de los Indios y sus instrumentos agrícolos” (Madrid, 1596); and in manuscript “Defensa de la Conquista y los conquistadores de la Nueva España y como ha de haberse con los naturales” and “Tratado de la guerra con los Chichimecos.”
LAS HERAS, Juan Gregorio de (las-air -as),
South American soldier, b. in Buenos Ayres. 11
July, 1780 ; d. in Santiago, Chili, in February, 1866.
He engaged in business till the age of twenty-six,
when he enlisted in the army, taking part in the
struggles of 1806-7 against the English. In 1808
he became sergeant of hussars, and, when independence was declared in 1810, he acted with the patriots, was appointed captain of militia in Cordova, and in 1812 became commander of the garrison of that city. In 1813 he offered to accompany the auxiliary Argentine division, of which he became second in command. After the battle of Cuchacucha he attained the rank of colonel, and after the defeat of Rancagua. 2 Oct., 1814, he retired in good order and twice repulsed the enemy. Afterward he was employed in Mendoza in the organization of the Army of the Andes. In 1817, leading one column by the pass of Cspallata, he commanded in the battles of Potrerillos, Guardia, and Villa de los Andes. Together with the forces of Gen. San Martin he took part in the battle of Chacabuco, 12 Feb., 1817, and immediately afterward was sent to the south, gained the victories of Curapalihue, Vegas de Talcahuano, and Gavilan, and was present at both of the sieges of Talcahuano under the orders of Gen. O'Higgins. In 1820 he was chief of staff of the liberating army of Peru, and in the same year was promoted brigadier by the Argentine government, and general of division by the Chilian government. In Peru he had the command of the siege of the castles of Callao and received the title of grand marshal. After retiring from Peru he went to the Argentine Republic, where he was elected governor of the province
of Buenos Ayres in May, 1824. During his government the congress of the united provinces met on 16 Dec, 1824, and on the restoration of the confederation and the election of Rivadavia to the executive, Las Heras delivered the government to him, 7 March, 1825, and in 1826 returned to Chili.
He was deprived of his rank on account of the civil
disturbances of 1830. but it was restored by congress in 1842 and by the Argentine congress in
1855. From 1862 till the time of his death he was
inspector-general of the army.
LASO DE LA VEGA, Jose Silvester (lah-so-deh-lah-vay'-gah), Chilian statesman, b. in Santiago
in June, 1779 ; d. there in 1842. In 1805 he became
counsel to the royal audiencia, and in 1811 he
received the degree of doctor from the University
of San Felipe. Toward the middle of 1809 he intended to go to Spain to claim the duchy of Alba, but, having enlisted in the party that worked for the independence of Chili, he lost the fortune and honors that would have come to him with that
title. He was one of the most active in calling the
popular meeting of 18 Sept., 1810, and also formed
the first governing junta. In 1811 he was elected
a deputy to the congress that succeeded to that
junta. He afterward took command of a division
that was paid and maintained by himself, and
going to the province of Aconcagua, which had
declared in favor of Spain, he pacified it. After
the defeat of Rancagua he was obliged to emigrate
to the Argentine Republic, where he engaged in
commerce, and divided his scanty resources with
his companions. In the republic of Uruguay he
was secretary of Gen. Artigas, in which post he
greatly aided the expedition of San Martin to
Chili. After the battle of Chacabuco he returned
to Chili in 1818, and in that year was intrusted
with the portfolio of justice, which was at that
time the most influential post in the republic, and
which he occupied till 1824. In 1820 he was sent
as envoy to the Argentine Republic, where he
worked for the independence of Peru. He was a
member of congress in the years 1824-'6. and in
1827 was appointed a member of the supreme
court. He died poor, having expended his fortune
in the cause of his count rv*s independence.
LASSERRE, Charles Louis, Chevalier de (las'-sair), West Indian naval officer, b. in Le Cap, Santo
Domingo, in 1762; d. in Angouleme in 1826. He
entered the navy at the time of the war of American independence, served at Yorktown, and was wounded in an engagement with the British fleet. He served afterward in Guiana till the French revolution, when he returned to Fiance. He emigrated in 1790. and lived in New Orleans from
1800 till 1809, earning a living as a teacher of
mathematics. At the restoration he was commissioned rear-admiral, and became president of the naval college at Angouleme. He published "Essais historiques et critiques sur la marine Franchise de 1661 a 1789, principalement. durant sa
lutte avec la marine Anglaise en Amerique" (London. 1813); "Impressions de voyage, journal d'un ancien emigre dans la Louisinne" (Paris, 1817); "Del'avenir des Etats-Unis" (Angouleme, 1824); and several other works.
LASTARRIA, Jose Yictorino (las-tar'-re-a), Chilian author, b. in Rancagua in 1812. From his
early youth he applied himself to teaching and
journalistic labors, and at the same time composed
political works and text-books for the colleges
where he was employed. In 1838 he was appointed teacher of civil law and literature in the National institute. Associated with other literary men, he was the founder of the journals "El Semanario." "El Crepusculo," "El Siglo," and "La Revista de Santiago," and he has also founded several literary societies. From 1843 he has at different times been elected deputy to the legislature and senator of the republic, and has been president of
both chambers. He was appointed minister to
Peru in 1863. and in 1864 to La Plata and Brazil,
and has been several times secretary of state. In
1873 Lastarria founded in Santiago the Academy
of science and literature. His principal works are
directed to the teaching of public law, of which
science he has been one of the founders in his
country. His books include "Elementos de derecho publico constitncional (Santiago), "Investigaciones sobre la inflnencia social de la conquista," "Juicio historico de Diego Portales, "Bosquejo historico de la constitucion del gobierno de Chile
durante el primer periodo de la revolucion," "Estudios sobre los primeros poetas espanolcs," "Historia constitucional del medio siglo," "La America," "Recuerdos de viaje," "Lecciones de geografia moderna," "El libro de oro de las escuelas," "Manual de testamentos," and "Lecciones politicas," all published in Santiago.
LASTRA, Francisco de la (las'-trah), Chilian soldier, b. in Santiago, 4 Oct.. 1777; d. there, 13 May, 1852. He was sent to Spain to pursue his
