The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-07-31
THE CUBAN JUNGLE NOT HIS GRAVE
George Reno, the Newspaper Correspondent, Given
Up as Dead, Returns to America

ents at Santiago regarding the heroism ana
utter fearlessness of these extraoy emery
troops. Ragged and half famished a.
they were, the Cubans are fighters who
don't know when they are beaten. They
have the utmost contempt for their Span
ish foes, and nothing delights them. so
much as to be given free rein by their
generals and allowed to fall on the Span
iards with the machete and cut and hack
while life lasts. and then die happy with
the words "Cuba nbre' uttered with their
last breath.
There are about &c, 900 insurgents in the
field, counting those that possess arms Of
some sort. If those are to be counted that
are red-hot insurgents, willing to- die at
any time for the sake of their beautiful
island home, then the 10000 can be swelled
at once to $1,000. These $4,000 are unarmed,
but 1t will pay the United States govern
ment to put arms in their hands at once,
and add them to the effective fighting force
In the field. These Cubans are capable
of doing invaluable service for the Ameri-
cans. With their small, lean bodies and
their knowledge OF the country and Of
bush tactics, they can crawl through the
jungle where the robust Americans could
make little Roadway, and as the mere
sight of them seems to have the effect Of
soaring the Spaniards, it will certainly
help matters to make as much use of them
as possible.
The only thing to be feared, Is that they
will treat the Spanards with ferocity that
is not in accordance with the rules Of mod
ern warfare. SO terribly have they bean
wrongsd by the oppressors that they have
a hatred for Spaniards that is fierce in its
intensity, and without strict orders from
their officers 1t is difficult to restrain them
from taking vengeance on the foe. even
after he has surrendered. Having seen
their relatives, their wives and children
shot and slashed to death by the Spauiards
it is not to be supposed that these half saw
age men of the forests are going to return
good for evil and spare the lives Of their
prosecutors when once the hand Of fate
had placed them at the mercy of the perss-
cuted ones.
The Cubans have hailed with delight the
coming of the United States into the war
that they have maintained so bravely and
SO long. President Maceo said recently to
me: ut matters not what the United
States may have in store for US, there Is no
feature which they can give us that would
A
incurred in the hands of Spain. In the
American people we have absolute conf
dence, and 1 am sure that In the hands Of
the United States we will always be given
absolute justice. Our only desire is to as
sist in bringing about the independence OF
Cuba. If it would further that end 1 am
willing at any moment to resign my position
as president of the government. Although
pot off iaIl ad 10
quite probable that the United States will.
after peace has been declared, communicate
with us as to the future of Cuba. AS we are
the only power interested in the island it
would seem probable that the administra-
ton at Washington would conduct their
business with the people of Cuba through
US. The moment that peace is declared We
would issue a call for the election of another
assembly. This assembly will be empow-
cred to order a general election, In which
every man on the island of Cuba will take
part. The result OF this election win be
the organization of a permanent govern
ment over the island.'
Although 1 am happy to be able to deny
the statement that / was the first news
paper correspondent to fall on Cuban soil,
ii must not be supposed that have not
being as good as mile where bullets are
concerned, 1t is not usual to dwell on the
many hairbreadth escapes that are famil-
lar to all who have been in the region OF
flying balls. But will recount one incl
dent of many to show how men can be-
come accustomed even to bullets and make
a jest of those that fail to hit their mark:
During an engagement with the Spanish,
while l was sitting on my horse, not moro
than twenty feet away from Gen. Garcia,
who had ordered me to be near him, as in
former engagement 1 got into the thick
of the fight and nearly got killed, was
liesurely slicing a pineapple. when sudden
ly a Spanish bullet sliced off piece of the
pineapple about the size of a dollar. Gen.
Garcia, who saw the incident. turned to
me and said, smilingly: why don't you
turn the pineapple around on the other
side, that 1t may be peeled for you also?'
Thereafter 1t was said that always had
my pineapples peeled by Spanish bullets.
1t can be imagined that writing stories of
the war under circumstances such as these
is no sinecure, but from constant associa-
ton with the Cubans In their patriotic eff
forts to gain their freedom, I have become
half Cuban myself and enter into their
plans and their fights with all the eagerness
Of combatant. L shall leave other corre-
spondents to follow the fortunes of thu
American armies and describe the heroic
deeds of our own brave boys, while con-
tinue the work with the magnificent little
patriots of the ragged auxiliaries. leave
for Cuba at once, and shall endeavor, by
way of Mama, Fla, to reach Gen. Gomez,
who is assembling troops and making all
preparations to support the American army
in its attack upon Havana, which will take
place soon after the fall of Santiago and
Porto Rico.
Naturally, my place IS with the Cubans,
so again say good-by to my New York
newspaper friends and make for the Gu
ban camp. GEORGE RENO,
Leslie's Special Correspondent With the
Insurgents.
Found His Nose
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