The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-10-07
The Deadly Muchet.

Many Americans have wondered
what the machete is, the instrument
with which the Cuban insurgents make
such havoc in hand to hand encoun-
ters with the Spanish soldiers. Here
is a recent description Of it:
'.Cuba has q terrible national wea-
pom. 1t is deadly machete. One
of the horrible features of a; battlefield
when machetes have been used is the
number of partly beheaded and fear
fully multilated bodies which are found,
and which present a ghastly sight, even
to the sturdy soldiers who have sur
vived the conflict.
The matchete has played no small
part in the history of all uprisings in
the spanish-speaking provinces, but in
Cuba, it has done such execution that
if the island should win her freedom
the machete ought to be included in
the coat-of-arms of Cuba libra. 1t is
the tool of the Cuban workingman.
With it he earns his living cutting the
sugar cane with it he cuts the wood
for his fire. Indeed, it is the hatchet
and knife combined for him. Every
man in Cuba possesses machete, NJ
matter what else he does not own.
1t is really an implement for the
fields, and useful instrument of hus-
bandry in all sugar-growing countries,
but 80 deadly is it in warfare that Spain
has declared them contraband weapons.
Since the insurrection in Cuba they
are, of course, not sent directly to that
country by the manufactures, but like
much else that is forbidden, they still
find their way into the insurgents
handa.
The machete is made of the finest
tempered steel, and much skill is re-
quired in its manufacture. Its blade
is long, and broadens toward the end.
1t is exceedingly sharp, and the haft is
very short. Thus the machete is a
murderous weapon, despite the agricul.
tural purposes 10 which it is applied.
Every country has sword of its own,
but Cuba is, perhaps, the only country
whose sword is at the same time her
reaping hook.
In the conflict in progress in Cuba
the insurgents have done such deadly
execution with the machete that the
Spaniards have decided to arm their
own infantry with it, in order to be
able to meet the insurgents on more
equal terms. The rank and file of the
Cuban insurgents, who come from The
plantations, are not skilled in the use
of firearms, put they make up for il
by the ferocity with which they engage
in close encounters with Spanish sol
diery with the deadly machete. When
this happens the Spaniard fares badly
The stroke is aimed at the abdomen
of the person attacked, with the intent
of wounding the body below the waist
Then with the weapon raised 10 the
full length of the right arm, the wrist
is simply turned over and the machete
makes stroke back to the left, 80 as tc
slash the victims neck, and if posi-
BILE, partially behead him. With one
more turn of the wrist the edge Of the
machete strikes downward. cleavine
the body again. In the hands of the
insurgents, habiluated to the use Of the
machete, and who are very strong these
blows are fearfully effective, and q
lnachete wound ls usually fatal. The
battle of Baira, in which 80 many
Spaniards were decapitated, was won
by machetes against the best modern
rifles.
When the Cuban busbandman re-
ceives his matchete it is not at all sharp,
but he whets aud sharpens it until it
cuts like a razor. The great execution
of the machete lies in his wonderful
skill in handling it, 1t is doubtful
whether an army of the most skilful
swordsmen in England could stand up
before All equal number of Cuban cane
cutters"