Page:Letters from the Battle-fields of Paraguay (1870).djvu/503



CONCLUDING LETTER. 473

light upon the shades of Paraguayan civilization. Thus, whilst sundry partisans brazenly assert that the Republic decreed that from January 1, 1843, " the wombs of female slaves should be free" and manumitted all her serviles before 1851, 1 found a document, stamped " Sello Cuarto" and dated April 19, 1858, in which serviles were sold to D. Miguel (now Colonel) Baes for 125 (f.) a head. The dollars were of full value, but in paper, as Paraguay lacked silver. Again, the Esclavos del Estado are alluded to in a rescript dated 1862. With these papers before me it was easy to understand how desertion from the Paraguayan army was next to im- possible. The soldiers never went out of camp alone, or in a lesser number than four ; and each answered for the other three with his life. A General Order, dated Paso la Patria, March 25, 1866, and signed by one of the most sanguinary officers, Francisco Z. Resquin, thus establishes the award of " levanting," and even of sleeping whilst on duty. The culprit was shot. The two men that stood on parade to his right and left received each twenty-five "palos" — lashes with a bulFs hide. The cabo or corporal of the section was degraded to the ranks for two months, and ran the gauntlet till some forty blows were dealt to him "^ en cir- culo." To the sergeant of the company were awarded fifty " palos de paradu," on foot ; moreover, he was ordered to serve one month as a soldier, and one as a corporal. The commissioned officer was " remitted to his Excellency the Marshal- President," and his penalty was arbitrary: usually, the oft'ender was reduced to march in the ranks with naked feet ; sometimes he forfeited life. All offences committed in the vanguard came under the especial jurisdiction of the President, and none ever found mercy. It was rumoured that in the most obstinate attacks the Paraguayans were formed, Roman-like, in three lines ; and that if oue fled the corps immediately to the rear was ordered to fire upon its