The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-02
A ROMANCE OF CUBh.
A Cavalry Leader who AvcnEes the wronE. or
His Ancestors.

n CoVuIry beouoF VINO AVeuHe1 the Wr0ngn Of
His Ancestors.
Tho name of the revolutionary leader, Gen.
Jesus Rabi, 10 mentioned often in the dispatches
from Cuba. As Commander-in-Ch CHIEF OF The
Cuban cavalry forces In tho east he has won
renown not only by his deeds Of daring and his
skill as a strategist, but also by hts chivalrous
spirit and hs devotion to the cause Of liberty.
The interest in his career is increased by q
circumstance made known through a Cuban
letter to THE SUN, that he 10 one of the few liy-
ing descendants Of the aboriginal race Of In.
dams who inhabited the island when Columbus
discovered 1t in 1892, and nearly all Of whom
ouerors. 1t 10 against the offspring of the race
who. destroyed his own anct stors that Gen.
nature. Four hundred years after his people
were crushed by, Spain he appears on toe battle.
The aboriginal race that inhabited Cuba in the
fifteenth century. when it was invaded by Spain,
perhaps 10000 They Belonged 10 the SAME
stock as that which then dwe.t upon the Other
islands Isl s. in the inu Caribbean ar of e.. Sea; and tpat have Al:
were singularly docile in their character. and
they received The Spaniards in a friendly man
doom that awaited the natives OF most Of the
The story is. a familiar one. The sppanfards
overran the island. massacred thousands Of its
extreme cruelty. burned their proud chief at
the stake. and reduced to involuntary servitude
those who were left alive. assigning to each
Spaniard a gang Of Ciboneyes numbering
about 300. The treatment to which the slaves
were subjected by their masters was 30 harsh
that nearly all of them were dead within twenty
or thirty years. 1t 10 a black chapter in tho his
tory of Spain.
A few Of tho people took refuge In tho noun
famous region OF the east, and a small number
Of their ~posterity may be found there at this day,
They are Of a light copper color, and they
intermarry, as do the Jews, SO that their blood
is kept distinct from that Of tho other inhabi-
tants of Cuba.
1t is TO this almost extinct race of mankind.
the race of tho ancient Ciboneyes, that Gen.
Rabi belongs. though he 10 less noted for his do
cility than for some other traits. In recent times
he has done his part in causing Spain to suffer
for the VIZ ngs that Spain inflicted upon his an
cestors four centuries ago. He is as bitter in
his hatred OF the Spanish tyrant as he Is proud
OF his descent from the aboriginal Ciboneyes.
that this heroic man nrst took up arms against
spain. He participated in the ten years war,
alter which he waited for his next Opportunity:
II came in the second month of 1895. His milf
tary record since then has been a brilliant ono.
ana has manifested the finest qualities Of a
mind that is inspired by the love of liberty and
justice. He is a man Of broad thought, and he
Under his there arc FIVE battalions OF
cavalry, besides a small force of infantry.
There has boon . report that Gen. Rabi would
take part in the projected campaign against
Havana. II he should do 90, and II It should DO
MS fortune to enter the capital bearing tho flag
OF free Cuba, tho story OF the romance OF the
hero of the modern Ciboneyes would be rounded
year 1911 and to that Of Valeriano Weyler of
tho year 1897.