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