i 

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22 BRAZILIAN OUT-POSTS. 



they had just stolen^ or as they more mildly 

 termed it^ captured from the interior. 



At about a league from Monte Video are the 

 Brazilian out-posts, where we delivered our pass- 

 ports. The troops were all black. As we came 

 up to them, about fifty were marching off to 

 their different stations with a band at their head, 

 playing the Hunting Chorus of Der Freitchutz. 



Proceeding on, and arriving at the top of the 

 first rise of ground, we got sight of the Patriot 

 line of troops, (if troops they may be called,) and 

 very soon came up to them ; on ascertaining our 

 purpose, they allowed us to proceed, but gave us 

 by no means a pleasant account of the difficul- 

 ties we might expect to encounter. Certainly 

 these men had a most terrific and wild appearance : 

 they were all mounted on half wild horses, no 

 shoes or stockings, with tremendous large spurs 

 fastened to their naked heels by strips of hide : 

 their long black hair hung down their backs, 

 huge black mustachios, red caps, and blue 

 pouches lined with red, underneath which, as 



