69 



terrifie manner, and notwithstanding the slaughter 

 made among them by the cannon, endeav our to pene- 

 trate the centre of the enemy. Though iliey know 

 full well that the first ranks will be exposed to al- 

 most certain destruction, they eagerly contend with 

 each other for these posts of honour, or to serve as 

 leaders of the files. As soon as the first line is cut 

 down, the second occupies its place, and then the 

 third, until they finally succeed in breaking the front 

 ranks of the enemy. In the midst of dieir fury they 

 nevertheless preserve the strictest order, and perform 

 all the evolutions directed by their officers. The 

 most terrible of them are the club-bearers, who, like 

 so many Herculeses, destroy with their iron-pointed 

 maces all that they meet in their way.* 



* The people of Chili, the bravest and most acti%^e among the 

 Americans, ought to be excepted from this observation ; they at- 

 tack their enemies in the open field ; their troops are disposed in 

 regular order, and their battalions advance to action not only with 

 courage but with discipline. The North Americans, although 

 many of them have substituted the fire arms of Europe in place of 

 their bows and arrows, are notwithstanding still attached to their 

 ancient manner of making war, and carry it on according to their 

 own system ; but the Chilians resemble the warlike nations of 



Europe and Asia in their military operations Robertson's History 



qf Americay vol ii, 



