wine merchants he could find. They usually
gave, as they knew too well the consequence of refusing. Those who hid
away found, on their return, their wine presses and vaults in ruins.

On our return to Moquequa, I was ordered to disable the engine, which
I did by taking off both valve stems and driving rods. The officer hid
them and that was the last I ever saw of them. We attended a dance
which lasted all night, and drank much wine in anticipation of the
success of the revolution. It was a gala night. There was dancing and
music in nearly all the houses.

In the early morning bugles, drums and other instruments began making
a hideous noise, officers were commanding men to form ranks, horses,
mules and donkeys were running hither and thither, and dogs were
barking. Here and there were groups of men learning to load their
rifles, others endeavoring to parry and thrust with cutlasses and
making fierce swings at an imaginary government soldier. Louder and
hoarser came the call of the officers, but their commands were lost on
the motley crowd. After several hours the officers succeeded in
getting the men into some kind of marching order.

I turned to a store to buy some cigars, when I heard someone calling,
and turning I beheld three of my fellow prisoners that a few months
before were in jail convicted of murder. One straightened out his hand
to me, but I did not take it. I asked them how they escaped; it was
the old story. The insurgents needed recruits and they were liberated
on condition that they fight for Pierola.

Such was Peru, and such it is today. Instead of the people supporting
the government, the government supports the people, and when all its
favors become exhausted, then some one arises and proclaims himself
president, organizes a band of thieves and murderers, and endeavors
to gain control.

There have been exceptions, when an indignant people, who have been
trodden to such an extent that it seems a revolution is the only means
of righting their wrongs; but nine out of ten are the work of an
ambitious man who wants to become ruler.

I asked the ex-convicts where the other three were who had been
confined with them. Two had died and the other was with the troops.
They begged for money and I gave them a dollar each, and after
profusely thanking me they left to follow the rear guard of Pierola's
scoundrels.

After purchasing my cigars, I followed the main body of troops with my
escort of twenty soldier