The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1896-05-09
PRIMITIVE FARE.
Tho Native Soldiers OF Cuba Oan
Live on Plants.


One Of the most disappointed men in
town is Capt. Bueneo, OF the Cuban
army. The captain, who is member OF
the largest banking house in San Diego.
Cuba, came to New York last July on a
special mission. He soon finished his
business and has been trying ever since
to get back to fight with his company.
Twice he has attempted to get away,
once, it is said, on the Hawkins, ami
ngain on the Bermuda. The second fail
ure, which resultet: in his being held
IN 1850 bail to appear before the grand
jury, prevented him from going on the
vessel when she again weighed anchor
last Sunday morning.
II was all through with my business
on July co." said the captain, ''and here
] am still, held by this bail until I don't
know when. Every time I've tried to
get away something has happened. If
the people in charge of the Bermuda had
labeled their boxes, the government
would not have stopped'th steamer and
l Ishould have been back with my friends
by this time, with a chance to help them.
Here can do nothing. am useless.
''Look at Col. Perez there. He and
I began together. We were old school
mates, you know. He stayed and fought.
and now he is a colonel. If could have
gotten back I'd be colonel, too, or
dead. Oh, well. the rainy season is COM
ing on, and after that the fever, That
will make the Spaniards sick. In the
oc< Of fef
fever-to say nothing of those we put
out of the way with our machetes and
bullets.
"Of course, they cannot ride at all.
Perez has told you about that; but
we can outmarch them, too. One night,
about year ago, We broke camp and
started to meet Maceo and Marti. We
knew that they were to land about 40
leagues away. BY noon the next day
we had marched Is leagues, but we were
not too tired to attack Spanish column
that came down on our flank, little to
the rear. We had lively fight until
five o'clock. when Maceo and Marti came
up. Then, together, we drove the enemy
out of sight.
eve ought to have been pretty tired
by that time. Don't you think so9
Well, we were not very fresh, but orders
were given to return by the route we
came, and, after hunting up something
to eat from what the Spaniards had
abandoned in their fight, we marched
back the whole IS leagues, reaching our
starting place the next afternoon. You
don't find any Spaniartls to do that
We couldn't if we weren't used to the
food and to the climate and hadn't lived
out of doors all our lives.
Another thing in our favor, es.
peciany in the hilly country, where the
woods are dense, is that we know what
plants and roots are good for food and
which poisonous. Almost anywhere in
Cuba there is enough stuff growing wild
to keep man alive, if he knows how
to get it. We do; so we can go about
without commissary department
When we halt for breakfast or supper
there is bugle call as signal to prepare
to hunt-get our sacks ready, etc. Then
second call, meaning to disperse to the
woods. In a half-hour, perhaps, you
will see all the men back in camp, each
with some fruit or vegetable that he
has plucked OF, dug out of the ground
We eat these things and they agree with
us. Ii the Spanish eat them much they
have pain in the stomach.
"All we need to drive the Spaniards out
is supplies. We've more men than we
can arm. So it is no use for anyone to
come to us looking for job, unless
he knows something about artillery.
Then we might use him, but do no:
know certainly. IN. 7. Press.