Sacramento daily record-union., 1890-09-06
SOUTH AEERIclE SOLDIERS.
BoLIvIAs sTANDARD-BEARERs IN TIE
PAST AND PRESENT.
Some Famous warriors-Genteel Thiev-
ery-The ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS De-
termination to Aid France.
Special Correspondence of the REcoRD-UNIoS.
XXVL.
LA PAz, Bolivia, July, 1890.

XXVl-
LA PAz, Bolivia, July, 1890.
In land whose institutions are upheld
by force of arms alone, soldiers are neces-
sarily prominent feature and in La Paz,
since the late revolutionary troubles, Nhey
seem more numerous than ever. The
rebel army, by the way, discouraged by
the lack of funds and the refusal OF the
bank to cash General Camacho's worthless
check for $4,000, has temporarily dis
banded and for some weeks past sort OF
armed peace has prevailed. The rebels,
however, are only biding their time, wait
ing the opportunity to spring upon the
Government in some unguarded moment,
like very small kitten upon very large
mouse, in which event there is no telling
what the result may be.
Military parades are always frequent
here. doubtless with a view to lmpresslng
the people with their prowess, but now
hardly day goes by without grand dis
play of cavalry and infantry, rank and
file, evoluting around and around the
plaza. Martial music is continually in
the air. At stated intervals during every
day company of soldiers comes sweeping
down the hin from one barrack, or up the
hill from another, marching behind
brass band in full toot and halting before
the Presidents casa, where they render
selection or two for the delectation of the
people 1t is only the ceremony of guard
mounting, and although it occurs every
few hours, year in and year out, it is in
yariably attended by the same flourish of
music and musketry. Besides all this it
has been the custom from time immeme-
rial to have military music in front of the
Pclacio two nights every week and on the
evenings of most fiesta days, when three
bands stationed in a row play alternately,
each musician with soldier before him
whose back serves as a rack for the score;
while gaily caparisoned officers off duty
swarm like mosquitoes and crowds of peo-
pie promenade around and around the
plaza.
All the soldiers are obliged to attend
mass on Sunday mornings, clean shirt
day." as it is irreverently called, and an
interesting sight it is to see them come
marching in with shining bayonets over
their shoulders, each division headed by
Its officers They completely I'll the body
of the church, and the sound Of the organ
is drowned by the blare of trumpets. At a
signal arms are presented, down goes every
musket upon the stone floor with thud
which shakes the building, and then the
men stand motionless as statues until the
proper time comes to fall upon their knees.
In the Bolivian army great variety of
Uniform is noticeable. each officer having
apparently been allowed to exercise his
OWN taste in the equipment of his COM
pany, and amazingly have their individual
fancies swung out in the matter of personal
adornments. There are snits in gray and
in blue and red, in black and blue, in gray
and black others all red, all gray, all
blue; and caps of various shapes and colors
in the same regiment. Some of the officers
wear long double-caped overcoats of scarlet
cloth, others gray cloaks not unlike those
of Franciscan friars, and others the grace
full satin-lined circulars of black broad
cloth characteristic of Spanish Hidalgoes.
The presidents Guards" whom we see
careering about the city in gorgeous array,
are, of course, the crack regiment-in dress
and demeanor as far removed as the anti
podes from the shabby, bare-footed COM
mon soldiers. The cavalry make the finest
display, the officers on powerful white
horses, thousand men clad in scarlet from
top to toe, and riding as only South Amer
leans can.
Without disparaging the yalor of b.
livian soldiers, their general geS-up re-
minds one of an historic event which may
perhaps illustrate their character. 1t was
many years ago, in some fracas between
Peru and Bolivia, when the armies of the
two countries rushed forth to battle with
banners flying. So splendidly arrayed
were they and so stunning an appearance
did they make, that when one beheld the
other both sides turned tail and fed in
confusion Gathering courage at length,
the rival Generals, with such men as they
could rally, returned to face one another,
keeping at respectful distance and talking
through trumpets; when, after consider
able parleying, the war was declared off,
both armies marched home in triumph
with flags unfurled, and to this day the
local historians of both countries chronicle
their side as victorious.
In connection with the difficulty of
placing Bolivia's soldiers according to their
uniform, it may be mentioned that her
armies are composed of about as many
officers as men. From time immemorial
it has been the object of ruling powers to
render the military loyal TO the Govern
-nent, through pride of self-interest, if not
rom patriotism. Thus We see corporals
,ourishing about in toggery of Colonels,
With pay TO correspond; and the leader of
Dne of the bands wears the full uniform
Of General and receives the honors and
gmoluments pertaining to the latter
position.
One Of the most distinguished warriors
Boivia has produced was General Melgar-
eio, who appears to have been as original
In character as he was fearless and deter
mined Evidently he was designed for
those feudal times that have long gone by,
and his methods would not be tolerated to-
day in any civilized land At one time he
lived in the big house at the northwest
corner of the central plaza OF La Paz, which
is now the residence of the Bishop. He
was extremely fond of "the rosy" which
in his case not only cheered but inebriated.
One day when he had been entertaining a
foreign Minister and had imbibed eonsid-
erably more that was prudent, he boasted
that his troops we're the best drilled in the
world and absolutely infallible in the ac-
curacy of their movements. The state
ment being received by the guest with
polite incredulity, Melgarejo ordered up
company to drill in the patio of his house.
After many curious and before unheard-of
evolutions, he formed them single file and
marched them up into the second story
front room where the Minister and himself
had lately breakfasted, opened a window
directly in front Of the line and gave the
order, March p Having no order to halt,
every man, accoutred as he was, stalked
straight through the window and off the
balcony, drop of fifteen feet or more, to
the curbing below. A lot of broken bones