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Show APPENDIX T ) PAHT HL t·ally rccci"cd as a present from some female, which they wear as a badge of the favor of the fair sex and a mark of their gallantry. Their hor ses arc small and slender limbed, but very active ancl .tre capable of enduring great fatig·ue. The equipments of the horses arc, to our idea, awkward; but I believe them superior to the En ~: li ~ h, and they have the advantage over us as to the skill of the rid e r, as well as in the quality of the beast. Their bridles l1ave a st rong- curb, which gives so p;t·cat a mechanical force to the br·iule that I believe it almost practicable with it to break the jaw of the lt1Jrsc. Tile s.uldlc is made after the Persian mode, with a high pro· JCcting- pommel (or, as ancieutly tet·med, bow) and is likewise raised hchi11d : tlais is merely the tree: it is then covered by two or three covers of carved leather and embroidered workmanship, some with !~old and sil vcr iu a very superb manner. The s tirrups are of wood closed in front, carved generally into the figme of a lion's heat!, or that o r s<>lllc other beast, are very heavy, and to us present a very clulll <,y appea rance. The horseman, seated on his horse, has a small bilg tied behind him, his blankets either undct· him, or laying wi~h his cloak between his body and the bow, which makes him at Ins e ase. Thus mounted it is impossible fot· the most vicious horse l ,·cr to cli~mount them. They will catch another horse with a noose ,mu hair rope, when both are running nearly full speed, with which they will soon choak down the beast of which they arc in pursuit : 111 short, they are probably the most expert horsemen in the world. At carll post is a store, called the king's, where it was the ori.gi- 11 <11 iutcntion of the g·ovcrnmcnt that the soldiers should be supplied \\'ith provisions, clothing, arms, &c. at a cheap rate; but, it being a post generally given to some young oOiccr to make his fortune, t~cy arc subject to great impositions. vVhcn a dragoon joins the servtce he receives from the king five horses and two mules, and this num· her he is always obliged to keep good from his own pocket; but, "hen he is di-;chargecl, the horses and mules receive the discharged mark and become his private pr·opcrty. They engage for five or ten years, at the option of the soldier, but in the bounty there is a very material diO'crcHce. It is extremely c n<sy to keep up their· corps, as :.\ private dragoon considers himself upon an equality with most of the citizens, and i£lfinitcly superior to the lower c lass, and it is not unfrequcntly that you sec men of considerable fortune marrying the dalt i;htcrs of sergeants and corpot·ah . The pay or the tl·oops of New Spain vurics with the locality, ~J11l may be a\'CI'il3'ccl, in the in crnal pi'OYi nccs, as follows : APPENDIX TO PAnT lli. 4 .l Alllount o l P") HANK. p e t· an tHi l ll . ---v-;;; /([ ,-;-:--- HEl\1A R K S. Colonel, 4,500 \ Vith this pay they find t l.l ~ir own c lothes, pro- Lieutenant Colonel, 4,000 vt~wn s, arms, accoutre - mcnts, &c. afte r the fi rst equi pmcnt s. Major, 3,000 Captain, 2,1·00 !first Lieutenant, 1,500 Second Lieutenant, I,ooo Ensign, 800 Scrg·eant, 350 Cot·poral, 300 Private, 288 Corporal punishment is contt·ary to the Spanish ordinances. They punish by imprisonment, putting in the stocks, and death. As a t•emarkable instance of the discipline and reg-ularity of conduct e1[ those provincial troops, although marching with them and doing duty as it were fot· nearly four months, I never saw a man receive a blow ot· put under confinement for one hour. How impossible would it be to regulate the tmbulent dispositions of the Americans with such tt·catment! In making the fot·egoing remat·k I do not include officers, for I saw more rigol'ous treatment exercised towards some of them, than ever wls practise~ in our army. The discipline of their· troops is very different from out·s : as to tactics or military man~uvrcs, they are not held in much estimation, for, during the whole of the time I was in the country, I never saw u ~:orps of troops exercising as dragoons, !Jut ft·e qucntly mal'ching b:.- |