The Constitution of Uruguay--Government of the Republic--Deputies and senators--Their duties--The civil code--Marriage--Rights of foreigners--Law--The Commission of Charity and Public Welfare--Hospitals-- Orphan asylums--Infirmaries--The charity hospital lottery--The distribution of political parties--The _Colorados_ and the _Blancos_--Policy of either--Feud between the parties--Old-standing strife--Explanation of the nomenclature--Origin of the feud--Rivera and Oribe-- Inherited views--Attitude of the foreigners--Revolutions-- Manner of the outbreak--Government precautions--The need of finance and arms--Some rebellious devices--Rifles as Manchester goods--The importance of horses--Difficulties that attend a revolutionary movement--The sweeping up of horses--Equine concentration camps--A powerful weapon in the hands of the authorities--First signs of an outbreak--Sylvan rendezvous--The question of reinforcements--Some desperate ventures--Their accustomed end--Chieftains of the north--Effect of a revolution upon local industries--Needs of the army--Estancia hands as troopers--Hasty equipment-- Manner in which actual hostilities are conducted--"The Purple Land that England lost"--The spirit of Modernism and the internal struggle--Tendency to localise the fields of strife--Power of the _Colorado_ party--Whence the restrictive partisans are drawn--Distinguishing Insignia--Some necessary precautions on the part of the foreigner--Adventures derived from colour in clothes--Some ludicrous episodes--The expense of revolution. INDEX 343 ILLUSTRATIONS CATHEDRAL: MONTEVIDEO _Frontispiece_ FACING PAGE A RURAL INN 28 COUNTRY COACH AT LA SIERRA STATION 28 INDIAN MACE HEADS 38 INDIAN STONE AXE 38 A GAUCHO RACE: THE START 44 A GAUCHO RACE: THE FINISH 44 RUINED COLONIA 52 ARTIGAS' MONUMENT 52 MONTEVIDEO AND THE CERRO HILL 88 "AFTER CATTLE" 88 LAGO DEL PRADO: MONTEVIDEO 124 THE PRADO: MONTEVIDEO 124 THE PRINCIPAL PLAZA: MONTEVIDEO 130 THE HARBOUR: MONTEVIDEO 130 ANCIENT STONES EMPLOYED FOR NUT-CRUSHING 140 NATIVE "BOLEADORAS" 148 SOLIS THEATRE AND NATIONAL MUSEUM 156 THE CERRO FORT 156 THE BEACH AT PARQUE URBANO 162 THE SAN JOSÉ ROAD BRIDGE 162 EUCALYPTUS AVENUE: COLON 166 OXEN DRAWING RAILWAY COACH 186 BEFORE THE FAIR: TACUAREMBÓ 186