306 NARRATIVE OP A JOURNEY 



them where to fire ; and Florine — the diabolical Florine, smiled in 

 scorn and derision ! A reserve of twelve men was then brought 

 forward, and each of them walked up to some one of the victims, 

 and placing his musket against the head or breast, fired at his 

 leisure. The first file had by this time reloaded, and they also 

 marched up, each one of them discharging his piece with the 

 most perfect coolness and unconcern at those of the dying men 

 who still struggled, until at last the horrid butchery ceased with 

 the death of all the culprits. The heads lay flaccid and motion- 

 less upon the bosoms, and the thongs being cut asunder, the 

 bodies fell heavily to the ground. The soldiers were then all 

 marched in single file by the spot that they might look upon the 

 remains of those who had been traitors to their country, and re- 

 ceive a fearful lesson from the sight, after which the bodies were 

 thrown into one of the carts, and conveyed through the streets 

 towards the place of sepulture. The concourse of people still 

 followed, and I several times observed, when the cart was forced 

 to stop for a few minutes by reason of the crowd, that when it 

 moved on again, a pool of dark, frothy blood was always seen on 

 the spot over which it had been delayed. It was very horrible, 

 and I saw more than one man shudder as he looked upon it. 



When the cart arrived at one of the small streets in the lower 

 part of the city, on which the burial ground is situated, the 

 bodies were lifted out by the arms and feet, and thrown upon the 

 ground with about as much care and tenderness as the carcasses of 

 so many dogs ! I felt my blood boil at this, but the Chilian gentle- 

 men who were present gave no evidence of such feeling. They 

 had been traitors, and therefore indignity should be added to 

 indignity, until the earth covered the mutilated remains. 



While the bodies were thus lying, previous to interment, I re- 

 quested of the guard permission to examine them, which being 

 granted, I stept out from the surrounding crowd, which was kept 

 back by the soldiery, and contemplated with great interest the 



