OUD REPORT]

Every morning, so we heard, they were taking a vote to decide whether
they would be Federalists that day or Liberalists, or what not; and the
vote was invested with a good deal of personal interest, too, because
there was no telling when a superior force might arrive from the
interior; and if they had happened to vote wrong that day there was
always the prospect of their being backed up against a wall, with
nothing to look at except a firing squad and a row of newmade graves.

We were told that one morning, about three or four weeks before the date
of our visit, the garrison had been in the barrack casting their usual
ballot. They were strong Huertaists that morning--it was Viva Huerta!
all the way. Just about the time the vote was being announced a couple
of visiting Americans in an automobile came down the road flanking the
fort. There had been a rain and the road was slippery with red mud. As
the driver took the turn at the corner his wheels began skidding and he
lost control. The car skewed off at a tangent, hurdled the moat, and
tore a hole in the mud wall; and, as the occupants spilled sprawlingly
through the gap, a front tire exploded with a loud report. The garrison
took just one look out the front door, jumped to the conclusion that the
Villa crowd had arrived and were shooting automobiles at them, and
unanimously adjourned by the back way into the woods. Some of them did
not get back until the shades of night had descended upon the troubled
land.

Such is military life in our sister republic in times of war, and yet
they sometimes have a very realistic imitation of the real thing over
there. Revolution before last there were two separate engagements in
this little town of Tia Juana. A lot of belligerents were killed and a
good many more were wounded.

In an iron letter box in front of the post-office we saw a round hole
where a steel-jacketed bullet had passed through after first passing
through a prominent citizen. We did not see this citizen. It became
necessary to bury him shortly after the occurrence referred to.

In vain I sought the red brother on my saunterings through California.
In San Francisco I once thought I had him treed. On Pacific Street, a
block ahead of me, I saw a group of pedestrians, wrapped in loose
flowing garments of many colors. Even at that distance I could make out
that they were dark-skinned and had long black hair. I said to myself:
"It is probable that these pers