The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-02-07

How They Conquered Peru-The Au-
MISUNDERSTANDING Out of Spanish
SkuIls-The Gsuchos of Argentinea.
AS Fecocious as the Chileans - No
Quarter Given to Enemies-Gauchos
ana Chilesns Not Yet PItted Against
Each Othsr-Mexican eoldiers-Those
OF Central America-How "Volun-
teers" Are Obtained.
Copyright, 1892. bv the United Press.l
Indian blood predominates in all the
South American soldiers. Indeed, from the
Rio Grande to Magellsn's Straits, the lower
classes. from whom the ranks Of the com
monasoldiers are recruitede are mostly of
Indian origin. They do the work and the
fighting, and are impartially faithful and
| Indifferent to the cause into the service of
! which they happen to be impressed Chile
owes Ter military successes largely to the
fact that the common people Of that republic
are about three parts of Auracanian blood
This is the most indomitable of South
| American tribes. and even now the remnant
Of the Auracanian nation which has never
mingled with the Spaniards, is terror to
the neighboring communities.
The chief Of the Auracanians Is virtually
independent. He hates the Spanish race,
| and drinks, after the fashion Of the barbar-
Gus warriors Of the ancient Teutonic tribes,
| out Of the skulls of Spaniards aud Of
| Chtleans slain by him and his ancestors
| Only few months ago party of Ameri-
can tourists. including an adventurous lady,
| obtained access to the stronghold Of the in
| dependent AurRcanians AS soon as the
chieftain learned that his visitors were Lot
| Spaniards, be received them cordially and
| produced the hideous drinking cups men
toned before. He drank himself from one
of the skulls and asked the travellers to join
him. They succeeded in declining without
| giving otfense.
A popularity of the Chilean soldier,
| which he derives from his Aurac anian an
cestry, is natural thirst for blood. He
likes to see it flow, and especially from
wounds inflicted by himself. He prefers
the knife in warfare, and uses the rifle and
| bayonet under protest. When opportunity
is given, be throws aside the regular mill.
tary weapons end rushes to Close quarters
with the knife. The result of such an en-
counter between Chileans, as in the recent
revolution, can be imagined. After the
battle of Pozo al Monte scores of men lay
| locked IN the death-grip, their knives
| plunged into each others bodies.
AT the storming Of Lurin by the Chileans
| IN the Peruvian war the Chilean troops de-
| Hvered one discharge Of their firearms and,
drawing their knives, dashed upon the Pc
| ruviens with irresistible fury The latter
had no chance to use their weapons The
| Chileans brushed the bavonets aside and
struck fearful and usually fatal blows with
their knives, aiming in almost every in
stance at the heart. The Peruvians broke
| into flight, but even then no mercy was
| shown.
Chileans rarely take prisoners in the heat
OF a conflict. Except when troops are sur
| rendered without resistance, quarter is sell
| dom given. Following q battle is the hor-
rible custom, known as the reposo. of going
| back over the field aud killing the enemy 8
wounded. After the victory of Tacna every
| wounded Peruvian left on the battlefield
was slain by Chileans sent out for that pur-
| pose. The Chilean triumph over Peru was
| due, in great part. to the terror which their
atrocities inspired. The Peruvians, whose
| Indian admixture is of the comparatively
| gentle strain which maintained the civiliza-
ton of the meas, learned to look upon the
| Chlleans as monsters whom it was vain TO
resist, and who could be conciliated only by
| surrender. 1t is this indomitable ferocitY
which is the principal secret of Chilean
success in South American warfare.
| The Chileans have for neighbors the Ar
| gentiues, where the Gaucho, as the native
Indian with slight European admixture is
called, are the mainstay Of the military
arm. The Gaucho, like the Auracanian,
loves the spectacle Of human suffering and
| bloodshed. lie is, III one respect, lest merci-
full than the Chilean, for be delights Ia to
urlng captured enemy. The Gauchos
| could give points on torture to Comanche.
In the insurrection uuder Lopez Jourdan, in
1873, Jourdon's supporters. who were nearly
all Gauchos attracted by the people of
plumber to take part in a desperate cause,
| captured company of militia composed OF
| young men belonging to the best families in
| Corrientes. Notwithstanding the earnest
| pleadings of their own officers,
and Of Jourdan himself, the Gauchcs
insisted on torturing to death all of the cap
tlves who were not able to pay an exorbi-
tant ransom. They made grim distinc-
ton, according to the financial ability of
| the prisoners. Those who were able to nav
| the whole sum demanded, which amounted
in each case TO 8. ZOO silver pesos or dollars,
were allowed to go free and unframed.
ANY captive paying less, but more than
half the amount, was liberated with the loss
| OF the left ear. The treatment was gradu-
ated In cruelty down to those who could not
raise any sum sufficient to move the cupid
| lty OF their captors, and all such were re-
served for death at the stake. Some were
burned alive and Others cut 10 pieces. Tee
experience so disguised Jourdan that he
fled from his own forces and gave up the
| struggle.
An English correspondent who recently
visited the frontier towns OF Argentina,
| where the Gauchos are in the habit of con-
gregating, gives an interesting illustration
| OF their innate ferocity. The correspond
| ent attended theatrical performance. The
| play was of thoroughly frontier flavor,
| and in one Of the scenes the hero or villain
| 1T probably did not matter which, as both
| deserved It any way-WaS tied to tree, to
| be carved for the delectation of the enc
mics. into whose power he had fallen. The
| Gaucho audience went wild over that por-
ton of the play and every expression of
mimic agony evoked yells of delight.
These Gauchos have been the backbone
OF nearly every revolution in the Argentine
confederation. They are also the nainstay
| of the government, from military point Of
| view. When the better class OF citizens
rose, in 1880, against the tyranny aud cor
! ruption of President Celman, the president
| hastened TO send for the Gauchcs Fear of
having their city plundered by the dreaded
half suvages Of the pampas, had much to do
| with the conclusion arrived at by the
| leaders of the revolt, to make terms with
the government. The Gauchos have not
| yet been pitted against the Chileans. The
| two neighbor republics have cordially de-
tested each other for many years, and are
! now said to be on the point of rupture
but 80 far they have avoided war. Should
conflict come, it will bs interesting to
watch the test of battle between the
CiauchOs and the Auracenian blood