The herald., 1898-06-29
AN EYE FOR AN EYE
CUBANS HOLD BLOOD DEBTS
AGAINST SPAIN
Every Insurgent Has Score to Pay
0ff-The Soldiers Eager to
Fight

YIN bOARD ASSOC1AIED
DISPATCH BOAT DAUNTLESS, OFF
MARINE CAMP, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba,
June 20, via Port Antonio, Jamaica, June
27-Aside from the energetic attack of the
Spanards on the first American camp es-
tablished in Cuba, nothing has astonished
the inhabitants of Camp McCalla and the
fleet generally as much as the present long
dry interval in the midst of what was sup
posed to be Cuba's rainy season. May was
ushered in with rains on the north coast
and when the troops reached the south
coast there were a few afternoon rain
gusts, then cloudy threats, but no rain,
and since the marines have landed at Camp
McCalla there has been but one brief
shower. The Cuban auxiiaries say this
is the usual thing for this vicinity and
prophesy no more rain until the first of
August ushers In the hurricanes upon them.
Camp McCalla has proven healthful and
a fine place to acclimate and harden the
soldiers. The men, some of whom were
half sick from six weeks confinement on
the Panther when they landed, are all as
brown as Indians and hard as prize fight
ers. They have had their baptism of fire
and stood the ordeal. They have gone six
miles and smoked the Spaniards out of
their holes on the peninsula, beaten them
in the brush at their particular kind of
fighting and lost one man wounded in the
exploit, while the Spaniards lost 70 dead
and wounded not accounted for.
When Lieutenant Delehanty's pioneer
expedition to clear the river of mines be-
low Caimanera was preached yesterday
the marines were eager to follow the
achievement by capturing both Caimanera
and Guantanamo, Notwithstanding that
Guantanamo is Is miles inland from the
bay and far out of supporting distance
from the warships. Besides there are 5000
Spanish regulars there, but the marines
thought If two companies of them had
whipped six companies of Spanards the
whole party ought to come pretty near
getting away with them dagos up the
river"
The officers smile quietly at overhearing
these enthusiastic outbursts and are well
satisfied with the spirit that prompts them.
All reports from inland agree in picturng
the Spanish situation as desperate. The
Cubans infest Santiago and Guantanamo
so closely that even dispatches between sec
tions of the Spanish army are captured
oftener than they get through. The mill
tary governor of Santiago made peremptory
demand three days ago on Guantanamo for
food and reinforcements. The captured re-
ply despondently stated that Guantanamo
was worse off than Santiago and that moth
ing could be sent The Cubans watched
every creek and cross road, gathering in
Spanish couriers and bringing them into
McCalla or Sampson.
The Cubans are gradually winning the
respect of the American regulars. The Gu
ban soldiers so far seen are about s. per
cent negroes, usually with white Cuban
officers. The officers are intelligent anx-
ious for their troops to win the good opinion
of the Americans. They are ready for any
service. These black Cubans are fine fight
ers, skilled in woodcraft and are invaluable
guides. Most of the trouble with them as
guides has been when they attempted too
much. They are greedy as to American
food, but will readily be excused for that
when they are seen to strip for swimming
off the marine camp. Every one of them is
emaciated owing to the uncertain COM
missariat of the insurgent army. They
have been almost unconsciously but syste-
matically starving. 1t will take many
weeks of good feeding to get them into
comfortable condition.
Nearly every one of them has a blood
debt against Spain. At Camp McCala
there is one big negro whose real name is
not known, but who is called by the marines
"Old Machete" for his fondness for the
Cuban national weapon. He has with him
his little boy, the only one of his family
left. All the rest, even to his cousins, have
been butchered by the guerrillas. In action
the. old man becomes half mad with excite
ment, drops his gun at the first chance for
close quarters and plies his big machete like
a fail.
When the expedition from Cusco battle
field yesterday brought in a couple of bullet
pierced Spanish skulls as medical specimens,
the old man eyed them like connoisseur,
and rolling one over gently with his bare
foot in the sand, chuckled deeply and MUIR
INJURED "Uno bueno Espanol' Gone good
Spaniard). He had probably never heard
the American army phrase about the only
brand of good Indian.