CHAPTER XXVII
POLITICS AND REVOLUTIONS 311
The Constitution of Uruguay--Government of the Republic--Deputies and senators--Their duties--The civil code--Marriage--Rights of foreigners--Law--The Commission of Charity and Public Welfare--Hospitals-- Orphan asylums--Infirmaries--The charity hospital lottery--The distribution of political parties--The _Colorados_ and the _Blancos_--Policy of either--Feud between the parties--Old-standing strife--Explanation of the nomenclature--Origin of the feud--Rivera and Oribe-- Inherited views--Attitude of the foreigners--Revolutions-- Manner of the outbreak--Government precautions--The need of finance and arms--Some rebellious devices--Rifles as Manchester goods--The importance of horses--Difficulties that attend a revolutionary movement--The sweeping up of horses--Equine concentration camps--A powerful weapon in the hands of the authorities--First signs of an outbreak--Sylvan rendezvous--The question of reinforcements--Some desperate ventures--Their accustomed end--Chieftains of the north--Effect of a revolution upon local industries--Needs of the army--Estancia hands as troopers--Hasty equipment-- Manner in which actual hostilities are conducted--"The Purple Land that England lost"--The spirit of Modernism and the internal struggle--Tendency to localise the fields of strife--Power of the _Colorado_ party--Whence the restrictive partisans are drawn--Distinguishing Insignia--Some necessary precautions on the part of the foreigner--Adventures derived from colour in clothes--Some ludicrous episodes--The expense of revolution.
INDEX 343
ILLUSTRATIONS
CATHEDRAL: MONTEVIDEO _Frontispiece_
FACING PAGE
A RURAL INN 28
COUNTRY COACH AT LA SIERRA STATION 28
INDIAN MACE HEADS 38
INDIAN STONE AXE 38
A GAUCHO RACE: THE START 44
A GAUCHO RACE: THE FINISH 44
RUINED COLONIA 52
ARTIGAS' MONUMENT 52
MONTEVIDEO AND THE CERRO HILL 88
"AFTER CATTLE" 88
LAGO DEL PRADO: MONTEVIDEO 124
THE PRADO: MONTEVIDEO 124
THE PRINCIPAL PLAZA: MONTEVIDEO 130
THE HARBOUR: MONTEVIDEO 130
ANCIENT STONES EMPLOYED FOR NUT-CRUSHING 140
NATIVE "BOLEADORAS" 148
SOLIS THEATRE AND NATIONAL MUSEUM 156
THE CERRO FORT 156
THE BEACH AT PARQUE URBANO 162
THE SAN JOSÉ ROAD BRIDGE 162
EUCALYPTUS AVENUE: COLON 166
OXEN DRAWING RAILWAY COACH 186
BEFORE THE FAIR: TACUAREMBÓ 186
FRONTIER STONE AT RIVERA 192
TUNNEL AT BAÑADA DE ROCHA 192
EUCALYPTUS FOREST: PIRIAPOLIS 198
THE CASTILLO: PIRIAPOLIS 198
THE PAN DE AZUCAR MOUNTAIN 202
THE NEW HOTEL: PIRIAPOLIS 202
MERCEDES: FROM ACROSS THE RIO NEGRO 208
RIO NEGRO BRIDGE 212
ON THE RIO NEGRO 212
COLONIA: RUINED FORTRESS WALL 218
A CAMPO GRAVEYARD 218
THE BULL RING 222
ON THE URUGUAY RIVER 230
A URUGUAYAN STREAM 230
CATTLE ON THE ROAD 234
A CORNER OF THE FRAY BENTOS FACTORY 234
A PASTORAL SCENE 238
THE BICHADERO ESTANCIA 246
HEREFORD CATTLE ON THE BICHADERO ESTANCIA 246
ESTANCIA HOUSE: SAN JUAN 250
CHÂLET AT COLONIA SUIZA 258
THE VINTAGE: ESTANCIA SAN JUAN 258
STREAM ON THE SAN JUAN ESTANCIA 272
THE CATTLE DIP 280
DRYING JERKED MEAT 280
A SEAL ROOKERY 292
BASKING SEALS 292
OX WAGON ON THE CAMPO 316
CROSS-COUNTRY TRAVELLING 316
PEDIGREE CATTLE 320
OVEN BIRD'S NEST 320
URUGUAY