Evening journal., 1898-05-26
A CUBAN CHARGE.
How Much Depends on the Machete--
Strings and Thongs Are I'm
portant Factors.


Strings, thongs and snAp-catches play
important parts in the field uniform of
a Cuban insurgent. Persons who have
seen the little band of Cuban patriots
with Buffalo Bills wild west show
come dashing into the arena have mo-
ticed that each man, by a quick move
ment of the head, throws OIL his straw
hat The hat, which is held by "a
string, bangles upon the horseman's
shoulders during his ride. The move
ment, revealing the fine, alert and
spirited faces of the men who serve
under Gomez and Maceo, looks like q
trick for theatric effect, but IL is what
they always do when riding into ac-
tion, so one Of the little band explained
the other day.
"The Spanish soldiers" he said, "have
the Mauser rife, which kills at 1000 or
200 yards, while VIC have only the
Remington carbine, which is OF short
range. It is all we can afford. If we
remain at a distance, the Spanish with
out danger TO themselves will, as you
Americans say, wipe us out So we
must get close to them. That is the first
consideration. The Mauser rifle will
not kill any more at one yard than at
1000, but it is different with the ma
chete. For Il close quarters are neces-
sary.
''Now, see how we are prepared for an
attack. The carbine hangs by this
snap-catch from the belt on the left
side. The revolver, suspended by a
! strong string through it's butt, hangs
on the left side, The machete, by a
thong through the handle, swings from
the right wrist. The hat is made fast
by string, so that Il may be thrown
back out of the way but not lost, for
we are too poor TO lose anything, even
an old straw hat, and when The fight is
over, if we are alive we win want our
hats. But during the fight we want
our heads bare, clear. that we may sec
The Spaniard pulls his hat down over
his eyes.
"The order is given to charged Three
four or five hundred yards we must 60
very fast-straight for the Spaniards
who all the time have us In range ot
their Mausers, while we can do nothing
TO them. Then we are close enough
for the carbine to have sffect, and the,
go bang g-bang-bang, fast as we con loat
and fire. All! If we only had magazine
guns like yours; but they are too cost
ly for us. Quickly we are close enough
for the revolver to do execution. Tn
carbne goes back TO its hook on tn
belt and the revolver speaks bang-bang
bang until it is empty, when II i
dropped for the string 10 take care oi
by that time we are on the enem
with the machete. That Is the tool I
kill with. Shots fired in gallop ma
miss. but there Is no mistake about tn
chop Of the machete. The Spnniar
knows It and dislikes it exceedingly.
man who knows how TO handle tn
machete can lop of an arm or a hea
o. split o man like a carrot with il.
gun may get out of order, ammuniuo
may be exhausted. but the good machei
is always ready for service. Grind
1 sharp when II IS dulled on bones an
4 II will not fail TO serve you well.
Q "Whcn the fight Is over everythir
! Is In place. The hat is put back ON n
I head for the sun is very hot; the P
5 volver and earbine hang in their place
ready for reloading, and we are pr
pared for another fght."-N. Y. Sun.