POLITICAL HISTORY OF CHILI. 225 



with all parties. The army landed in perfect order. Blanco was 

 deprived of his command, and a court-martial ordered. The troops 

 were again sent to Quillota, and the greatest enthusiasm seemed to 

 prevail. A new and more formidable expedition was determined on ; 

 and General Bulnes, the President's nephew, who commanded the 

 troops on the frontiers, and was known as a bold dashing officer, was 

 appointed to the command. Many thought the government mad, fore- 

 saw forced loans, and all the attendant evils, great financial difficulties, 

 and, eventually, revolution. Still the government moved steadily on. 

 Six thousand men were soon got together, well officered, well equipped, 

 and with a military chest well filled. It is generally believed that the 

 church made a loan to the government for this war, and it is said that 

 it possesses one-eighth of the landed property of the country. This 

 second expedition sailed, confident of success. No loans were asked 

 for by government, nor any funds other than the ordinary revenue 

 used, yet no account remained unpaid. This was and continues to be 

 the marvel of every one. The greatest regularity was observed in all 

 the dealings of the government agents ; no complaints of extortion or 

 abuses were heard. The internal affairs of the country went on as if 

 no war existed. Improvements were not neglected ; lighthouses built ; 

 roads improved ; and no interruption took place in the usual operations 

 of government. With this last expedition went General Gamarra, one 

 of the fathers of Peruvian revolution, grown gray in the service. 

 Lafuente went as his adjunct, though he had once made a revolution 

 against him. With these went a host of military leeches, Peruvian 

 exiles, ready to bleed their country to its last gasp. High-sounding- 

 words of patriotism, oppressed country, self-devotion, &c, flowed 

 from them in most extravagant terms. From their local information 

 it was expedient for the Chilians to have them, but if considered as 

 a constituent part of the army, they were like fire-brands. Bulnes, a 

 plain blunt soldier, it was thought would use no ceremony with any 

 of them if he found them troublesome, which those who knew their 

 characters thought would be the case. 



The remaining part of the operations of the Chilian army in Peru, 

 will be treated of when I give the sketch of the history of that country. 



STIRRUPS, SPURS, ETC., OF CHILI. 



vol. i. 29 



