1832.] Dr. Francia, the Dictator of Paraguay. 25 



arrives a dirty, ragged, drunken mulatto, with whom, if the dictator is 

 in a good humour, he loves to chat. When the operation of shaving is 

 over, Francia, dressed in a robe de chambre, shews himself in the outer 

 gallery that surrounds the edifice, and gives audience to the various 

 functionaries. At seven he retires again to his cabinet, where he 

 remains till nine. From eleven to twelve he is occupied in dictating to 

 his secretary, at which time all the officers retire, when he sits down 

 to a frugal dinner, which he always makes a point of ordering himself. 

 When the cook returns from the market, she places at her master's door 

 all she has purchased, who selects what he wishes for his own use. 

 After dinner he takes his siesta, drinks matte, and smokes ; he is then 

 engaged until four in the afternoon, when the escort to attend him on 

 his promenade arrives ; while the horse is saddling the barber dresses 

 his hair ; he then visits the public works. In these excursions, although 

 surrounded by a strong escort, he is armed not only with a sabre, but 

 also a double-barrelled pair of pistols. Returning about dusk, he em- 

 ploys himself in study until nine o'clock, when he takes a light supper, 

 and, if the weather is fine, he again promenades in the outer gallery. 

 At ten he generally gives the countersign, and, retiring, barricades 

 with his own hand every door in the house. 



During several months in the year he takes up his residence in the 

 cavalry barracks, varying occasionally his monotonous existence with 

 the pleasures of the chase. Arms are always placed within his reach 

 pistols and naked swords are seen in every corner of his apartment. 

 When any one is admitted to an audience, he must not approach within 

 a certain distance until motioned by him to advance. The arms must 

 then be extended along the body, and the hands open and hanging 

 down. None of his officers must enter his presence armed. Reugger 

 mentions, that, in his first audience, being ignorant of this custom, he 

 omitted carrying his arms in the prescribed form, which drew from the 

 dictator the question, " If he intended drawing a dagger from his 

 pocket?''' On another occasion he asked him, "If through his skill in 

 anatomy he could discover if the people of Paraguay had an extra bone 

 in the neck, which prevented them holding their heads erect and speak- 

 ing loud ?" In conversation the dictator always aims at intimidation ; 

 if, however, his first attack is sustained with firmness, his manner 

 insensibly softens, and he converses with the greatest affability. It is 

 on these occasions that his great talents develope themselves ; his mind 



f rasps with facility every variety of topic, and displays an extent of 

 nowledge very astonishing for one who has never moved beyond the 

 confines of Paraguay. Above the prejudices of his countrymen, he 

 frequently makes them a subject of pleasantry, and launches furious 

 diatribes against the priests. " You see" said he to M. Reugger, " the 

 tendency of these priests and their religion ; it is to make mankind wor- 

 ship a devil instead of God " Still, at the commencement of his career, 

 he regularly heard mass, but in the year 1820, he dismissed his chap- 

 lain, and since that year he has evinced the most marked contempt for 

 the established religion. To a military officer, who asked him for the 

 image of a saint to put in a newly constructed fortress, he answered 

 " O, people of Paraguay, how long will you remain idiots ! When I 

 was a Catholic I thought as you do ; but now, I know that the best 

 saints you can have on the frontiers are camion balls." 



When the dictator is attacked by an excess of hypochondria, he 



