MILITARY ESTABLISHMENT. 



59 



Recife, Olinda, and the villages around them ; 

 he and his followers were much dreaded, but at 

 his death no one stepped into his place. * 



The military establishment is much neglected. 

 The regular troops consist of two regiments of 

 infantry, which ought to form together a body 

 of c 2,500 men, but they seldom collect more 

 effective than 600 ; so that sufficient numbers 

 can scarcely be mustered to do the duty of the 

 town of Recife, of Olinda, and the foils. Their 

 pay is less than 2f d. per day, and a portion of 

 the flour of the mandioc weekly, and their 

 cloathing is afforded to them very irregularly. 

 From their miserable pay, rather more than one 

 farthing per day is held back for a religious pur- 

 pose. Recruits are made of some of the worst 

 individuals in the province ; this mode of re- 

 cruiting, and their most wretched pay, account 

 completely for the depreciated character of the 

 soldiers of the line.t They are formed chiefly 



* Lately, a cadet has come forwards, and has taken the 

 direction of these matters; he has apprehended several per- 

 sons of infamous character, but of determined courage ; he 

 has done much good, risking his life under circumstances of 

 great danger, and even to extreme rashness has he been car- 

 ried by his zeal. This young man well deserves promotion. 

 That thus the police should fall into the hands of inferior 

 officers, shows the irregular footing upon which it stands. — 

 1814. 



f The arrival of another colonel to the regiment of Recite, 

 and the increase of activity in the officers, has altered its ap- 

 pearance much for the better. The regiment of Olinda or 



