The National tribune., 1898-11-17
GUERRILLALIFE IN CUBA.
CONTINUED from first page.

"The mountains are growing for havin:
to shelter those internal caitiffs,' said one o
our Sergeants, on hearing a thunderstorm
boom through the valleys of a sierra wher
we had seen the watch-fires of q Spanish Ell
campment.
On road to the ueqa of San Carlos one o.
our worcestershire orphan of Cuban vet
eran-was shot and Lieut. Estevan consigned
his slayers to hades with long string o
lurid synonyms, but all of a sudden becam,
poetic, sentimental.
"Poor Kid" said he; f" can't help think
ing he was too merry soued to die altogether
maybe his spirit is fitting about whenever
we are ont fishing and hunting; and .
he stopped to indulge in n reverie, and the
muttered curses of sympathzers sank to
whispered comments-ghost stories largely
predominating.
FREEDOM OF HILL AND FOREST.
got through with two rifles the first after
noon, but did not keep my promise to avail
myself of the earliest daylight the next morn
ing. My couch CT tree-moss and the cool
night air of that altitude were so sleep-pro-
noting that the reveille of clanking kettles
failed to wake me, and some of the men had
finished their breakfast and started out on
private foraging trips, when the cooks assist
ant at last invited my attention to platter
full of assorted comestibles.
The plan of the Barrancas .eommissariat
seemed TO combine communism with a
license of individual enterprise Twice a
week all general-duty men were sent out on
forays, and tie proceeds of these expeditions
were turned over to the chiefs of the admins
trative departments and applied to the well
fare of the greatest possible number. But in
their leisure hours amateur hunters and raid
ers were permitted to try their luck single
handed and to monopoize the benefit of the
results.
As consequence, private kitchens had
blossomed out i'll every shelteT-piace. And
so far from resenting that sort of competition,
the company cook INDUCED chronic absentees
with certain privileges, such as exemption
from the drudgery of understanding and
wood-cutting
Cant you make that big loafer lend a
hand 2" asked one of the guides, when the
detailed solutions seemed to be overworked.
g No, no." whispered the cook; ''he has
never bothered our mess for a month, and
paid more than his dues in presents of game
whenever he has more than he needs. He is
pay for the good he does.'
l had just remedied the paralysis of the
third rifle, and improvised a target to try a
shot, when one of our scouts came Chamber
ing up the cliffs with the report that there
were two Ownerless horses grazing on a
mountain meadow not more than three-quar-
tiers of a mile from camp.
1.-THE picket on Ranas Creek first saw them
an hour ago. he painted, and they haven't
strayed hundred yards since. If we hurry
up we can get one of them sure, and maybe
both, if we can slip up in close-shot range"
DO You want to cripple them to save q
race !" | inquired.
Yes, if we can, and make them limp
into camp; but it's out and out safer to kill
them at the first shot"
''What good would that do you"
He means to shoot them for their meat
and hides" explained Lieut.. Salinez; that's
ali horse is good for in this wilderness.
We couldn't begin TO find them fodder
enough, and they will not eat bush forage
Mules and donkeys will. Do you think
Mauser bullet would be large enough for
game of that sort 2"
Yes, for a bull elephant if you got in
range. Bones will not stop them,
if it is trIe that they will smash through a
three-inch plank of Qaebra hachas wood"
"Glad to hear it; we got used to horse
flesh, every sinner of us, long ago Wonder
where they will 90 if we should miss >"
They're old Yegro's stock all right"
whispered the scout.
oh, to Holguin with that old spy! He
ought to be shot himself. Anyhow, we need