The National tribune., 1898-08-11
TO LEAVE THE ISLAND,

'q used to get terribly enraged at this,
and came near opening fire on them
several times. Finally Brute Weyler took
Command of the island, and the Span
lards annoyed us more than before. So /
Sent 10 Gomez and asked him il he could
manage IN any way TO get my family on
the war-ridden island. He sent me word
10 have everything in readiness, and as
soon as the opportunity came he would
send an escort for us.
In about two weeks we received mes
sage from Gomez 10 be ready TO leave at a
m lment'S notice. We had already packed
what we could in three large Saratoga
trunks, and the very next night after re
ceiving his message there was an escort
of 800 CubanS arrived at our home. Ihe
next morning at break of day we were all
on the march TO the coast, except my
brother, whom we left TO care Tor the
house until | could get back. The guide
took our party to the extreme northeastern
corner of the Province OF Santa Clara.
Here we took Surf-boat and rowed out TO
one of the Cuban blockade runners that
hal just discharged her valuable cargo OF
ammunition and was waiting for us, about
10 miles from the coast.
"When our boat was Just in sight of the
vessel a Spanish gunboat threw search
Light on us and at once opened fire with
Il SiX-inch gun. But we reached the yes
sci and all of the two families were soon
heisted on board and We were drifting to
the stern in the small boat as the vessel
holding our loved ones steamed away to-
wards the northeast at full head. The
Spanish gunboat had lowered a small
boat to capture my surf-boat. We saw
them as a dark Speck as they rose and
feii on the waves.
AT CLOSE QUARTERS.
hey We're gaining on us. They soon
C0 so close that | picked up my VIM
la ter. AS they came up on top OF
anon uster wave, | emptied the magazine
ns0 them, and for a time j thought they
w. out of the race; but soon saw them
coming faster than ever.
81 told my four oarsmen to ship their
oars and wait for the Spaniards TO come
up. had two AS Colt revolvers in my belt
and each one of my men had one. As
the Spaniards again came on top OF
wave but one from US, we let them have the ,
contents OF the revolverS. They were so
close at this time that | could easily dis /
tinguish the forms OF nine men at oars
and tiller.
Il picked them off in rapid succession;
two OF them fell in the boat, but were on
their feet in a second after, but before they /
could fire l let each of them have |
charge from revolver one OF my men
handed To me: one of them fell overheard. |
we pushed our boat alongside OF the
enemy S and were about to make 1T last TO
ours by the painter when there was
flash and report, bullet whizZed by my /
right ear so close that it burned my face. |
4 sent another bullet into the man who I
fired. and he Law quiet. One of my men
got into the Spanish boat and took all
their arms and placed them in my boat.
I'VE reached the shore or coast 10 miles /
20 east OF our signal station, where l had I
lett my horses, 50 as II was Gayl lght, we .
concealed the two boats and civ oed the /
arms and ammunition that we had cap
tured between us and took up our march I
To the station.
Il \ al
our vessel, with my people on board, had
signaled TO them, All well on Dorado,' so
knew that none OF the Spanish shells
had harmed them.
A SAD HOMECOMING.
'1 then saddled up the three horses my
wife, daughter and | had ridden and
started out on my return TO relieve my
brother at our home. had been gone Just
10 days. When / rode into my valley on
my return every building was burned 10
the ground, and in front OF where our once
lovely home stood lay dead body. /
knew before j examined it whose II was.
1t was that of my brother George. The
Spaniards had riGdled his body with bull
lets, and stripped of the clothes. They
had also mutilated the dead body IN a
horrible manner.
II buried him where he lay and then
Joined Gomezs army, wherein have taken
an active part since two years ago October
Is last. ! know OF some things concern
ing the jealousy between the Cuban Gen
erals and officers of lower rank. / could
tell Just how Gen. Antonio Maceo was
killed, not by the Spaniards but by the
1reachery of one of the Cuban Generals now
in command. His brother Jose was killed
by the orders Of the same General.
"a few months ago / saw that they were
getting suspicious of me, and feared an
ambush, so took time by the foreleck and
came back To my native land and the
loved ones who were waiting for me, and
am now in Washington to offer my serv-
ices 10 our Government
THE best of the Cubans have that
treacherous Spanish blood in their veins,
and cannot be trusted AT times, and those
times are sure to be when you need their
truth and honesty the most"