white gaiters of the French Zouaves moving all
together have a fine effect when a body of them are marching through a
Parisian boulevard; but the Mexican soldiers have neither stockings nor
gaiters, besides which they do not pretend to keep step at all when
marching. They move at will, while the bottoms of their feet only are
covered with the crudest sort of sandals, laced about the ankles with
leather thongs. Every soldier in the Mexican service is his own
shoemaker. An intelligent officer, in reply to a question regarding the
sandal for army use, said: "They are far more comfortable for a soldier
on the march than any shoe that can be made. They are cool, cheap, and
do not irritate the feet. They can be renewed anywhere in this country,
and a sandal that will fit one man will do for any other in the
regiment. In a warm climate nothing is so suitable for the feet of a
soldier." It is well known that so painful will close shoes often become
to the foot soldier, that he will take them off and throw them away in
despair when making a forced march, preferring to walk barefooted rather
than endure the suffering caused by swollen feet and tight shoes, which
cannot occur when the sandal is used. The feet have always perfect
freedom in them, and the sole and toes are protected. Neither men nor
women of the common class wear stockings, and in fact nine out of ten of
the population of the country go barefooted all the year round.

It puzzles a stranger to see a good military band--and they are
excellent musicians here--play upon their instruments in perfect
harmony, and at the same time march out of step or cadence with the
music. It would seem almost impossible for one possessing a true musical
ear to perform such a trick. With any European or American band, both
feet and instruments would get out of accord constantly, or fall into it
naturally. Like the king's guard in Hawaii, the troops here parade in
white linen or cotton uniforms, stout and unbleached, with a plenty of
silvered buttons, the cap being white and of the same material as the
rest of the simple costume. At times they appear in a plain uniform of
dark blue, but this is on special occasions only, as it is considered to
be full dress. The officers are nearly all graduates of the military
school at Chapultepec, where the best of foreign teachers are employed
in the various departments, so that in future it is confidently expected
that the army will be found in a more