APPENDIX. 465 
gave a loose to his infernal rage: at every halt his army made in their 
return to Mendoza, parties of prisoners were brought out and shot; for 
which cruelty he accounted to the provinces, by saying that all those soldiers 
had fallen on the field of battle fighting: he did us much more honour 
than we merited, in order to add to his own, and cover his wanton barbarity. 
It would be doing an injustice to Albin Gutierres to neglect noticing his 
family, and the earlier occupations of his youth, &c. Like most of the 
people in power in America, he started up from the dregs of society. The 
most that is known of him is, that his first employment in active life was that 
of picador ; i. e. a person whose duty it is to sit in front of a cart with a long 
cane or pole, pointed with a nail or spike, in order to prevent the bullocks 
from going to sleep, and make them quicken their pace occasionally. The 
carts in which he served as peon were employed in the commerce between 
Buenos Ayres and Mendoza; hence he imbibed his love for traffic. His 
first promotion was from picador to the rank of arriero, or muleteer, in the 
wine trade. He, with his savings, purchased a mule; and was allowed by his 
employers to take with him in every journey to Buenos Ayres one cargo or 
two barrels of wine, there to sell for his account and risk ; the return of which 
he always employed in buying up something proper for the market of Men- 
doza. Having saved some money in this trade, he left it off, and became 
pulpero, or wine retailer ; in which he was so fortunate as to amass a consider- 
able quantity of money, and soon established himself as wine-merchant on 
a pretty large scale. As he was acquainted with every branch of the busi- 
ness, from gathering the grapes to driving the mules with the produce, and 
was uncommonly industrious, it is not surprising that in a few years he 
became one of the richest menin Mendoza. When San Martin was captain- 
general of the province of Aryo, he conferred on him the rank of colonel of 
militia for some services which are not ascertained. 
Such was the general who had the credit of humbling us, after our having 
defeated the best and bravest generals of the country! He was an arrant 
coward, and as cruel as he was timid. But he was successful, and crowned 
with honours. 
As to Carrera, he showed the greatest resignation to his fate, from the 
moment he was made prisoner ; he was aware that his longest respite would 
not exceed four or five days, yet he conversed, ate, drank, and slept, as if 
nothing were to happen to him. 
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