The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1895-09-12

CHS is the case, the Spauiard fares badly, and
the machete man leaves lot of bloody corpses
or wounded bodies behind him.
One Of the horrible features of field OF bat
tie where machetes have been used is the num-
Der of partly beheaded or partly ripped-open
bodies that are found.
A Young Cuban explained the most common
manner of using the machete 1t is entirely diff
ferent from sword practice; the thrust is not en-
moved al all. The aim of the machete user is to
cut rip and tear his opponent and disable or XIII
at once. Among the insurgents the privates,
who are armed with macbetes carry the weapon
in the scabbard at the left side Of the belt or
dangling from a chain about the right wrist.
In any case the weapon is not held for use nm
Gil the lines are within few yards OF each
other.
When the word is passed the machete is
pulled from the scabbard with upward
stroke disgonally to the right, with the longest
and sharpest edge towards the enemy. This
constitutes one stroke, and is aimed at the
abdomen of the attacked person with the de-
sign of cutting or tearing the body below the
waist With the weapon raised TO the length
of the right arm the wrist is simply turned
over, and the machetc makes a stroke back TO
the left so as TO slash the attacked person 8
neck, and if possible partially behead him.
With still one more turn of the wrist the edge
OF the mschete strikes downward, cleaving the
body again.
This is all done with wonderful dexterity.
These strokes are the easiest form OF attack TO
learn aIaong edged weapons. In the hands OF
the insureents who are habituated 10 the use
of the machste, and are very strong, the blows
are described as wicked Many times heads are
all but severed from the BODY, aud a machete
wound is usually fatal.
The machete used by the insurgents at pres
ent is a very cheap and ordinary looking flair
and costs less than dollar. Ii is made in Eng
land and in Germany. The blades are from 20
20 30 inches long. Some Of them have blade
slightly curved backward toward the thick,
dull edge, with rounded point curved back TO
the thick edge. The layorite and the one which
has done most damage to the Spanish forces has
the 30inch blade about three inches wide,
long, straight and clean looking, and with the
end cut of diagonally 60 a point as a milliner
cuts the end Of ribbon bow. The handle is
Of aToUgh-iooking bone, the handle of the blade
being run through the center and fastened TO-
Retber Nitk what looks like four ordinary nails
with the heads cut off There is no guard at
all, and the machcte man often gets his fingers
badly wounded. That is the simplest machete.
Others have the bone handle curved to fit
into the palm Of the hand. When the Cuban
husbandman gets his machete it isn't at all
sharp. lie, hOweves, whets it up until it cuts
very easily. A Cuban who had been with the
insurgent army described the scene after an
encounter, when the insurgents sat around,
each busily sharpening has machete for the next
assault.
Not only the privates but the officers as well
use the machcte The officers have shorter
weapon and OF better stuff. The long blades OF
the machete OF the privates will almost bend
double without breaking. The shorter, broader,
thicker weapons have not the same elasticity.
very famous machete has been in New
York within few weeks. il was the machete
which the lugurUApt (,hiaT Ma NiFuo
carried during the Ten Year. War
Astonishing stories are told Of the force Of
the blow that the insurgent can give with the
native knife. In the National Museum at
Madrid isan American rife which, ii is claimed,
was completely split in half lengthwise with a
blow from o macbete.
Women have been known 10 use the machete
and during the Ten Years War there were
numerous instances where women whose hus-
bands were away fighting defended themselves
and children with the machete.-NelO York
Borld