Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-05-04
EATING HORSE FLESH.
A Scotchman's Unpleasant Expert
ence During the Chile War.
BALMACEDA'S BARBAR0US EDICTS.
4 Hotel Proprietor Who Shed Tears Before
His Cue Is.
HARD TINES FOR BEER DRINKERS

Five long weeks of living on horse and
mule flesh with no possible means ofprocur-
ing better diet was one of the many grew
some experiences 7. NJ. Hunter, Scottish
contractor was obliged to endure in Chile
during the recent troubles there.
Mr. Hunter is at the Schlosser House
while on his wav home to Scotland. after
spending two years in South America.
''The barbarity of the late Balmaceda has
not been half told," he said last
evening. "Edicts were issued with
such alarming frequency that a person did
not know what to expect upon awakening
although polite order was issued which for
bade vessels landing at Chilean ports the
people of the inland provinces were greatly
troubled for fear that their provisions would
be exhausted and that doom of starvation
was impending.
Hotel Boarters Had to Suffer.
81 was staying in the northern part of the
country at the time, and lived at the largest
hotel in the locality. After the edfct had
been issued the food at the table became al
most too poor to eat. The board
ers held secret conferences for the pur-
pose of doing something to change the
order of things, and a committee was
appointed to wait on the proprietor. The
latter met the gentlemen ana he, with tears in
his eyes. begged them not to leave him or he
would starve, as the price of everything had
risen to an eNhorbitant figure, and any
thing really good was not to be had. We
were disposed to leave but he met us with
an indisputable argument which was to the
effect that we should find ourselves even
worse off than we were if we did go, and
AlnoA vQd h0
truth of the old Ch1lean's words, and con-
cluded TO make the best of a bad thing. Beer
was 81 so per bottle at the beginning of the
last five weeks o. Balmaceda's reign, and
other beverages could not be purchased for
love or money. The food became steadily
worse.
Surprise for the Guests
"The meat gave out, and we became un-
willing vegetarians for week or so. Then
came the final terror. We sat down to
breakfast, and were surprised to hear the
waiter ask US if we wanted steak. Did We
want steak. Well, any hungry man, or any
many who has ever been hungry, can appre-
cfate our desires about that time, and ac-
cordingly piece of meat about the size of
the palm of a mans hand was laid before u.s.
We ate ravenously while the tidbit, as we
called it, lasted. At noon and supper time
the same kind OF meat, of the same size and
toughness, was laid before US.
"The next morning a painful discovery
was made. Some one remarked that horses
were higher of late and wondered If Balma-
ceda was going to feed his soldiers on horse
meat. At the mention of the word sort OF
psychological occurrence happened. Awe
fell over the faces of all present. Keen
Elances were cast at the meat before them.
Then without word, seemingly by inten-
tion the men arose in body and the ladies
hurried away from the table. The proprie-
tor was seen. He confessed that he had
been serving horse and mule flesh for beef.
A stormy scene ensued but the result was
that we ate hcrsemeat or none and we ac-
cepted the !ormer alternative. 1t was bar
barous," and the Scotchman shuddered at
the thought.