Cuba's fight for freedom, and the War with Spain; a history of the Spanish kingdom and its latest and fairest colony; the long struggle of Cuba for freedom and independence; the intervention of the United States and the fierce war with Spain that followed

Front matter

m

TWO GREAT BOOKS IN ONE VOLUME,

\ Comprehensive, Accurate and Thrilling History of the Spanish

Preface

HE HISTORY of the world is largely a history of wars. Whether or not it is true that civilization gets forward upon a powder-cart, it is undeniable that the powder-cart keeps well up with the procession. The present work is a record of two wars, closely associated together, and both making especially direct appeal to the sympathies of the American people.

It was in a war that our own freedom and independence were won. We cannot, then, regard with indifference the much longer and not less heroic struggles of Cuba for the same great blessings. They have been conducted almost within sight of our own shores, and have materially affected our own interests. They cannot be forgotten while liberty is loved or valor appreciated. Neither can the story of them, told as it is in this volume, in hot blood, directly from the field of suffering and strife and triumph, be other than fascinating to the student or to the patriot.

It had been the lot of this country to wage three great wars before the present. The first was for independence. The second was for sovf) VI ;t

4 PREFACE.

ereign rights in equality with all other nations. The third was for the preservation of the Union. All three were gloriously successful, both in the triumph of our arms and in the establishment of the principles for which they were waged.

, The latest of our wars was for a different purpose. It was a missionary war. It was the act of a great nation that, having won for itself the blessings of freedom and popular government and made itself secure, was generous enough and brave enough to take up the gage of battle in behalf of another people struggling to be free. The record of our wars for self-interest is known to all. Here is the story of our championship of the interests of others. It forms a new and novel chapter in our nation's annals and one not less glorious than any earlier one.

This record, made largely by those who saw the events narrated and were themselves a large part of them, is likewise to be commended to the reader, whether for study or for entertainment or for the exaltation of patriotic sentiment. It is instructive and inspiring, and fills a worthy place in the literature of "Freedom's battle, oft begun."

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

BOOK I. Cuba's Fight for Freedom

Map of Cuba and the World. Frontispiece.

i. Panorama of Havana 19

2. Mono Castle, Havana 20

3. Boat Landing, Havana 37

4. Palace of the Captain-General, Havana 38

5. The Cathedral, Havana 55

6. Columbus Memorial Chapel, Havana ...... 56

7. The Indian Statue on the Prado, Havana .... 73

8. Obispo Street, Havana 74

10. Bull Fight, Havana 92

11. Avenue of Royal Palms, Havana 109

12. Cuban Family at Home no

13. Sugar Plantation, Cuba 127

14. The "Virginius" Outrage — Shooting of the Four

Prominent Cuban Patriots 128

15. The Butchery of the Crew of the "Virginius" —

Scene at the Slaughter-house the Moment before the Execution. Captain Frey bidding his Companions Farewell 145

16. The "Virginius" Butchery — Spanish Horsemen

Trampling the Dead and the Dying Victims into the Slaughter-house Trench at Santiago de

6 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

17. After the Shooting of the Crew of the " Virginius "

Negroes of the Chain-gang Tumbling the Dead

Bodies of the Victims into Mule-carts .... 163

18. Ex-Captain General D. Valeriano Weyler .... 164

19. Papal Benediction of the Spanish Troops leaving

Vittoria for Cuba 181

20. Spanish Troops leaving Barcelona, Spain 182

21. Captain-General Blanco 199

22. Battalion of Spanish Troops before the Governor-

General's Palace, Havana 200

23. Maximo Gomez, the Chief of the Insurrection . . 217

24. General Calixto Garcia 218

25. Cuban Staff Officers 235

26. Cubans Attacking a Spanish Regiment 236

27. Cubans Burning a Deserted Village 253

28. An Insurgent Attack near Vueltas 254

29. Cubans Fighting from the Tree-tops 271

30. Spaniards Surrounded by Cubans 272

31. Battleship "Maine" 289

32. Destruction of the Battleship " Maine " 290

BOOK II. The War with Spain

33. Wreck of the Battleship "Maine" 307

34. William McKinley, President of the United States . 308

35. Queen Regent and Alphonso XIII 325

36. Opening the Spanish Cortez 326

37. Puerto de Sol, Madrid, Spain 343

38. General Fitzhugh Lee 344

39. Betore the Blockade of Havana, Cuba 361

40. Prominent Officers of the United States Army and

Navy 3 6z

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 7

41. Rear Admiral Sampson • • 379

42. Rear Admiral Dewey 380

43. Commodore Schley 397

44. Captain Sigsbee 398

45. Cruiser "New York" 415

46. Battleship "Indiana" 416

47. Battleship "Massachusetts" 433

48. Battleship "Oregon" 434

49. Battleship "Iowa" 451

50. Watching the Searchlights at Havana during the

Blockade 452

5 1 . Firing Six Pounders 469

52. Action on a Battleship 470

53. Action on a Monitor 487

54. Land Battery — Revolving Gun 488

55. Spanish Troops in San Juan, Porto Rico 505

56. Climbing the Mast to Man the Turret Guns .... 506

57. Map of Manila Bay and Forts 523

58. Panorama of Manila Harbor 524

59. Battle of Manila 541

60. United States Troops going to the Front 542

61. United States Troops in Camp 547

62. United States Troops Storming San Juan Hill, Cuba, 548

63. Bird's-eye View of Santiago City, Harbor and

Fortifications 557

64. Naval Battle off Santiago de Cuba 558

BOOK I.

Cuba's Fight For Freedom,

TABLE OF CONTENTS,

Chapter I

Columbus in Cuba — The Second Visit — A Chiefs Exhortation — Settlement and Slaughter — Las Casas and His Work — Extinction of the Natives — De Soto — The British Conquest — Progress and Prosperity. . 21

Chapter II

1 General View of the Island — The Lay of the Land — The Climate — Mineral Resources — Animal Life — Vegetable Life — Cuban Scenery 35

Chapter III

The Industries of Cuba — A Coffee Plantation — Preparing Coffee for Market — Havana Cigars — A Cigar Factory — Sugar Plantations and Mills — How Sugar is Made — Cathedral and Custom House — The Danse du Ventre in Cuba— The Bull Ring— The Tomb of Columbus — Among the Pawn Shops — A Hard Bargain — Matanzas — A Wonderful Cave 48

Chapter IV

How the Island is Governed — The Captain-General — Freedom of the Press — Local Governments — Electoral Trickery — "No Cubans Need Apply" — The Spanish Senate — Discrimination Against Cubans — Carpet-Baggers to the Fore — In the Local Offices —

IO CONTENTS.

Squeezing the Orange — The Awful Burden of Debt — Treatment of Native Industry — Bad Commercial Laws — Cuba Ruined for the Sake of Spain — Salaried Carpet Baggers — Industries Driven to Bankruptcy — No Public Instruction — Early Discontent — Lopez

and His Raids — The Killing of Pinto 81

Chapter V

Outbreak of the Ten Years' War in 1868— The Declaration of Independence — The Spanish Reply — War in Earnest — Proclamation of Freedom — Regular Government Formed — Valmaseda's Bloody Orders — American Sympathy Expressed — A Special Message. 117

Chapter VI

Savage Methods of Spanish Soldiers — Spanish Testimony — Meagre News in Havana — A Reign of Cruelty — Character of the War — Safety of Havana — The Spanish Mistake — Strength of the Patriots — Effects of the War upon the Island — Ruined Towns — Little Fighting — Much Destruction — Tactics of the Two Armies — The Spaniards Half-Hearted — Slaughter in the Five Towns — Outrages upon Women — Atrocities of Camp Followers 132

Chapter VII

Arrogant Conduct of the Spanish toward Americans and English — The "Virginius" Outrage — Shooting Four Cuban Patriots — American Citizens Murdered in Cold Blood — Wild Demonstrations of Joy — Surrender of the "Virginius" — The Formal Transfer — How an English Captain Prevented a Massacre. 166

Chapter VIII

Close of the Ten-Years' War — General Campos' Own Story — Communication with the Insurgents — Rebel Dissensions — Suspending Warfare — Progress toward

Peace — Coming to the Point — Campos' Motives — Interview with Garcia — An Anxious Moment — At Zanjon — The Terms Accepted — The End at Last — A Review of the Situation — What the War Meant — How the End was Reached — Campos' Appeal for Justice — The Cost of the War 185

Chapter IX

Beginning of the Revolution of 1895 — Where the Plot Hatched — Famous Men who Organized the Rebellion — Arrival of the Leaders in Cuba — How Gomez Reached Cuba — Callejas' Attempts to Secure Peace by Heroic Measures — The First Skirmishes — Ironical Gratitude — Spread of the Rebellion 213

Chapter X

The Patriots too much for Campos — Attitude of Other Countries — The Insurgents Organize — Who the Leaders Were — Battle of Sao del Indio — Battle of Peralejo — A Spanish Force Wiped Out 228

Chapter XI

The News in Cuba — The New Commander — Weyler's Arrival — First Words to Cuba — No Neutrality — Non-Combatants Menaced — Call for Surrender — To End the War in Thirty Days — The Telegraph Lines — Weyler's Proclamations — Must Praise Spain — Passports and Credentials — Stores to be Seized — Fate of Prisoners — More Troops for Weyler — The Massacre of Guatao — Prisoners Killed — Very Near Havana — The Towns Deserted — Weyler Calls a Halt — Powers of Life and Death — More Proclamations — For Extermination — Fifteen Days' Grace — Threats — Offer of Amnesty — To Report on the Suspects — Appeal for Recognition — A Long Debate — Action by Congress 240

Chapter XII

Latest Operations — The "Competitor" Case — Weyler Forced to take the Field — Death of Osgood, the American — Weyler goes out again^Attitude of the Washington Government — The Death of Maceo — Spain's Implacable Foe — Maceo' s Great Raid — The Hero's Last Campaign — The Final Tragedy — The Demand for Recognition 273

Chapter XIII

The Murder o. Canovas — Sagasta in; Weyler out — Marshal Blanco — McKinley's Words — No Americans in Arrest Now — Offers of Autonomy — Objections to the Scheme — Ruiz and Aranguren — The De Lome Incident — Destruction of the Maine — A Survivor's Story — Effects of the Disaster . . . 291

BOOK II,

The War with Spain

Chapter XIV

Beginning of our War with Spain — Appealing to the Powers — General Lee Leaves Cuba — No European Meddling — A Bogus Armistice — The President's Message — Grounds for Intervention — The Time for Action Come — Action of Congress — Spanish Defiance — General Woodford Leaves Madrid — War and Blockade — The Challenge Accepted — European Views — Causes of the War — A Striking Contrast — Spain Reaping what She Sowed — Spain's Low Estate — Important Step in American Politics. . . . 309

A

Chapter XV

The Story of Spain — Roman Days in Spain — Pelayo — Rise of Spanish Power — The Modern Tiberius — The Decline of Spain — Ferdinand's Bad Reign — The Carlist Revolt — The Latest Chapter — Porto Rico — Character of the Island — The Capital — An Ancient Walled City — The Philippines — Spanish Settlement in 1565 — Invaded by Other Nations — Greatly Oppressed and Taxed — Some Natives Unsubdued — Natives Mild and Amiable — Trade of the Islands — Foreign Commerce Begins 334

Chapter XVI

Resources of the Two Combatants Compared — Armies and Navies — The Spanish Navy — United States Ships — North Atlantic Squadron — Flying Squadron — Pacific Station — Asiatic Station — Unassigned — Special Service — Monitors — Training Ships — Auxiliary Fleet — The Spanish Soldier — The Cigarette his Solace — Bullied, Ill-treated and Robbed — The Army in Cuba — Spanish Pronunciation — West Indian Geographical Names — Cuban Proper Names — Spanish Geographical Names — Spanish Proper Names — Names of Spanish Ships 360

Chapter XVII

Blockading Havana — The First Prize — Taking the Pedro — Shots from Morro Castle — In Havana — More Prizes — A False Alarm — Adventures of a Press Boat — A Smart Capture — Work of a Monitor — A Privileged French Steamer 392

Chapter XVIII

The War in the Far East — The Opposing Fleets — Panic at Manila — Entering Manila Bay — The Battle of Manila — The Spaniards Brave but Beaten — A Halt for Breaktast — Finishing the Job — An Unrivalled Performance — Telling the News — The President Thanks Dewey — Dewey's Record — Taking Possession of the Philippines 411

Chapter XIX

With the Blockading Fleet — Shelling Matanzas — Other Ships Join in — Getting Closer to the Mark — " Cease Firing ' ' — Aboard Ship — Scenes on the New York — The Men at the Guns — Sick Men wanted to be in it — Blanco's Mule Story — Cavalry Against Navy — The Admiral Teaches another Lesson — The Cardenas Tragedy — Helpless Under Fire — The Fatal Shot — Damage to the Enemy — Ensign Worth Bagley — The Gussie's Failure — Bombarding San Juan — The Battle of Santiago de Cuba — Spaniards on the Run — Line Cut off Mole St. Nicolas 431

Chapter XX

The Voyage of the Oregon — No Thought of War — Fine Work at Sea — In the Straits of Magellan — Good-by to the Slow Vessels — End of the Great Voyage — A Remarkable Speed Record — Her Size and Her Armament — The Oregon's Commander 459

Chapter XXI

The Spanish Cape Verd Fleet — Seeking the Spaniards — News at Last — Santiago de Cuba — The First Attack — A Peep into the Harbor — Firing Big Guns — Results of the Shooting— "Sealing the Cork"— The Search for the Survivors — Waiting for Hobson's Return — What Hobson Did 474

Chapter XXII

The Seventh Regiment — Two Big Camps — The Second Call — General Shafter — For the Philippines — Preparing to Invade Cuba — The Trip to Cuba — Operations at Guantanamo — Raiding a Spanish Camp — Spaniards Rush for the Bushes — The Dolphin Throws Shells 490

Chapter XXIII

Battle of La Quasina — Captain Capron's Heroic Death — The General Advance — Skill and Valor of Cubans — Work of the Fleet — Spain's Banner Falls — Cervera's Startling Move — Cervera's Ship Opens the Fight — The Texas in the Thick of it. — The Oregon and Iowa to the Front — End of the Destroyers — "Don't Cheer; the Poor Devils are Dying" — Greatest Chase of Modern Times — Down Came the Colon's Flag — It was Schley's Victory — Not Likely that the Colon can be Saved — Admiral Cervera Wounded — Surrender of Santiago — Discussing Terms — Great Rejoicings 503

Chapter XXIV

Taking Possession of Santiago — Occupied without Formality — Governing the Captured City — To Enjoy American Freedom — Private Property Rights Respected — The Capture of Nipe — Guantanamo Surrenders — On to Porto Rico — Spaniards Taken by Surprise — Gloucester Shells the Town — Cavalrymen Driven to Hills — Americans Welcomed — More Prize Taking — Thought Prize was Recaptured — Surprised Spanish Sailors — On to Havana — In the Philippines — Tested Quality of Troops — Negotiations for Peace — The Terms Offered — Spain Considers the Terms — Coming to the White House — The Protocol's Appearance — Judge Day and M. Cambon Sign — Text of the Protocol 531

Chapter XXV

After the Protocol— Land and Naval Battle of Manila- Advance of the Troops — End of the Bombardment — Fighting in the Streets — Asking for Terms — Surrender of the City — More German Meddling — Peace Commissions— Orders for Manila — The Warships on Review 560

BOOK I.

Cuba's Fight For Freedom

Chapter I. Columbus In Cuba — The Second Visit A Chief S

EXHORTATION— SETTLEMENT AND SLAUGHTER

LAS CALAS AND HIS WORK EXTINCTION OF THE

NATIVES DE SOTO THE BRITISH CONQUEST

PROGRESS AND PROSPERITY.

HE HISTORY of Cuba begins with the discovery of the western world by Christopher Columbus. It was on September 25, 1492, that Martin Alonzo Pinzon, standing on the high quarter deck of the Admiral's ship, shouted "Land! land! Senor, I claim the reward!" It was on October 12 that land was actully reached. And it was on October 28 that Cuba was discovered. Columbus, as we know, was in quest of the fabled Cipango, the golden land of the East Indies, where Kublai Khan reigned. What he actually first reached was one of the Bahamas, called by the natives Guanahani. Columbus called it San Salvador, and the British have since named it Cat Island.

Columbus soon discovered the land he had reached to be a small island, and accordingly set sail for the main land, which he reckoned 2 (21)

22 CUBA.

to be somewhere near. He passed many beautiful islands, visiting three of them, and was enraptured with their loveliness. "1 know not," he wrote in his diary, "where first to go. Neither are my eyes ever weary of gazing upon the beautiful verdure. The song of the birds is so sweet that it seems as if one would never desire to depart hence. There are flocks of parrots that obscure the sun, and other birds of many kinds, large and small. There are majestic trees of a thousand species, each having its particular fruit, and all of marvelous flavor."

These, however, were mere islands. Nor did he find on them the gold and gems and spices of which he was in quest. But the natives told him of a great land lying to the south, which they called Cuba. It was, they said, rich in gold and pearls and other precious things, and Columbus felt sure it was the country of the Great Khan, of which Marco Polo had written. So he pressed on toward it, and on October 28th came to its shores. On that day he wrote in his diary: "This is the most beautiful land ever beheld by human eyes."

Columbus in Cuba.

As he approached the island he believed it was the main land. He noted with admiration its lofty mountains, its deep, clear rivers, its fine harbors, and the attractive appearance of all the

CUBA. 23

country. Then he cast anchor in the bay of a river just west of Nuevitas del Principe, and went ashore, taking formal possession of the land in the name of Spain. He spent many days in exploring the coast, landing here and there and visiting the native villages. The inhabitants were a race of Indians of gentle demeanor. They lived in a state of happy tranquillity among themselves, and possessed a religion devoid of rites and ceremonies, but inculcating a belief in the existence of a great and beneficent Deity •and in the immortality of the soul.

Columbus went along the coast toward the northwest, until he reached a great headland which he called the Cape of Palms. Beyond this he was told there was a river up which it was only four days' journey to " Cubanacan." By this the natives meant merely the interior of the island. But Columbus thought they meant the land of Kublai Khan, and was thus convinced that he was at last on the main land of Asia, near the rich realms of Cathay. He accordingly sent an embassy into the interior, to visit the Prince who ruled over those regions. The embassadors returned to the ship, however, after going inland twelve leagues, and reported that they had found no city and no prince and nothing but Indian villages. Neither did they find any gold. But they observed that the natives practiced a curious

24 CUBA.

habit, of rolling up the dried leaves of a certain herb, setting fire to one end of the roll, putting the other end in their mouths, and alternately inhaling and puffing out the smoke. Such a roll they called a tobacco. The Spaniards were astonished at this strange practice, but soon found it pleasant and themselves adopted it, calling the plant from which the rolls were made by the name which the Indians gave to the roll itself.

The explorer was disappointed in not finding the Court of Kublai Khan, and now turned to the east and south, and after some days sailing he reached the end of the island, now known as Cape Maysi. Supposing it to be the extreme end of the Asian continent, he called it Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, and then set sail for Hayti.

The Second Visit.

Columbus's second voyage was directed to the further exploration of Cuba, which he still believed to be the Asian continent. He reached Cape Maysi on April 29, 1494, and proceeded along the southern coast. Here and there he put in at harbors, and inquired of the natives for the land of gold. They all directed him to the southwest, telling him another great land lay there, rich in gold and gems. Doubtless they meant the South American continent. So, on

CUBA. 25

May 3, Columbus turned thither, but discovered nothing but the Island of Jamaica, and on May 18 he returned to Cuba. He arrived at a great cape, to which he gave the name of Cabo de la Cruz or Cape of the Cross, by which it is still known. Then he ran into a beautiful archipelago and called it the Queen's Garden. Every day revealed new beauties of land and sea. The delighted voyager believed that he had surely reached "Summer Isles of Eden, lying in dark purple spheres of sea."

League after league he sailed along the coast toward the west, more and more convinced that he had found the land of the Great Khan. He proposed to keep on and circumnavigate the globe, returning by way of Africa. But his ships were out of repair and his crews weary, so at last he had reluctantly to turn back. Before he did so he had every one of his officers and men sign a declaration of their belief that Cuba was the western extremity of the continent of Asia. This was done while the ships lay in the Bay of Cortes, or Bay of Phillipina. If only some one had taken the trouble at that time to climb to the mast-head, he might have seen the open sea to the northward of the island and thus have discovered that Cuba was nothing but an island. Or had Columbus kept on for two or three days more, he would have reached the western end of the island and

26 CUBA.

thus have learned what it really was. Instead, he returned to Spain still cherishing his delusion.

A Chiefs Exhortation.

His last landing was made in Cuba on July 7. At the mouth of a fine river he set up a cross and had the service of the Mass performed. Among the Indians who looked on at this ceremony in mute amazement was one venerable chief who at the end of the ceremony said to Columbus : "I am told that you have come to this country with a mighty force and have subdued many lands, spreading great fear among the people. But do not therefore be vainglorious. Remember that, according to our belief, the souls of men have two journeys to perform after they have departed from the body. One is to a place that is dismal, foul, and covered with darkness, prepared for those who have been unjust and cruel to their fellow-men. The other is to a place full of delight and beauty, for those who have promoted peace on earth. Therefore if you are mortal and expect to die, see to it that you hurt no man wrongfully nor do harm to those who have done no harm to you."

A third short visit was made by Columbus to the southern shores of Cuba at the end of May, 1 503, and that concluded his adventures in that island. In 151 1 his son, Diego Columbus, for the purpose of colonizing the island, fitted out an

CUBA. 27

expedition, consisting of more than three hundred men, under Diego Velasquez, who had accompanied his father on his second voyage. Their first settlement was Baracoa, and in 15 14 they founded Santiago and Trinidad. In July, 1 5 15, was planted a town called San Cristoval de la Havana, which was in 15 19 named Batabano, and its original title transferred to the present capital of the island. The island itself, by the way, was first named by Columbus Juana, in honor of Prince John, son of Ferdinand and Isabella. After Ferdinand's death it was re-named Fernandina. Next it was designated Santiago, for the patron saint of Spain. Still later it was called Ave Maria, in honor of the Holy Virgin. Finally it was called Cuba, that being the name by which it was known among the natives at the time of its discovery.

Settlement and Slaughter.

As we have said the conquest of the island was seriously undertaken in 15.11. The expedition was organized in San Domingo, under the command of Diego Velasquez and numbered more than three hundred men. Among them was Hernando Cortez, the future conqueror of Mexico. There also was the celebrated Bartolome Las Casas, known as the Apostle to the Indies.

The harsh and brutal treatment imposed by the Spaniards upon the Indians in San Domingo

28 CUBA.

had caused many of the latter to cross over to Cuba, where they expected to live in security and peace. Among these was the famous chief, Hatuey, whose name stands upon the pages of history as a monument of courage and patriotism in the face of Spanish ferocity and cruelty. As soon as he learned that the Spaniards had landed in Cuba, Hatuey collected his warriors and proceeded to oppose the invaders. But the struggle was a useless one and hopeless from the outset. The weapons of the Indians consisted of arrows pointed with fishbones and of clubs, the ends of which were hardened by fire, while the Spaniards, besides protecting their bodies with heavy clothing which the weak points of the Indian arrows could scarcely penetrate, were provided with excellent swords, powerful cross-bows, some firearms and a few horses. After several encounters Hatuey fell into the hands of the Spaniards and was condemned by Velasquez to be burned at the stake. When he was already tied to the stake, and the fagots were about to be lighted, the chief was approached by a priest who began to pray that his soul might be taken to heaven. Hearing this, Hatuey asked to which of the two places the Spaniards would go when they died. He was told that they would all certainly go to heaven. "Then," he exclaimed, resolutely, "let me go to hell !"

CUBA. 29

I<as Casas and His Work.

Las Casas, whom we have already mentioned, was the son of one of the companions of Columbus on his first voyage of discovery to the new world. In 1498 he accompanied his father in an expedition under Columbus to the West Indies, and in 1502 he went to Hayti, where he was admitted to priestly orders, being the first person to receive such consecration in the new world. In 151 1, the conquest of Cuba having been resolved on, he went to that island to take part in the work of "population and pacification." He witnessed and vainly tried to check the terrible massacres of Indians which Velasquez soon perpetrated. A year or two later there was assigned to him a large village in the neighborhood of Xagua, inhabited by many Indians, as his share of the new colony. Here, like the rest of his countrymen, he sought to make the most of his opportunity of growing rich, though he continued occasionally to preach and celebrate Mass. Soon, however, having become deeply convinced of the injustice and other moral evils of the system of rule adopted by the Spaniards, he began to preach against it, at the same time giving up his own slaves. Then he went to Spain to speak in behalf of the oppressed natives, and the result of his representations was that in 15 16 Cardinal Jimenez sent over a commission for the reform

30 CUBA.

of abuses — Las Casas himself, with a salary and the title of " Protector of the Indians," being appointed a member of it. He soon found, however, that the other members of the commission were altogether indifferent to the cause which he had so much at heart and he accordingly returned to Spain where he developed his scheme for the complete liberation of the Indians. This scheme not only included facilities for emigration from Spain, but was intended to give to each Spanish resident in the colonies the right of importing twelve negro slaves. The emigration movement proved a failure, and Las Casas lived long enough to express his sorrow and shame for having been so slow to perceive that the African negroes were as much entitled to the rights of man as were the American Indians.

Extinction of the Hatives.

Velasquez was thus the founder of Indian slavery, and Las Casas of negro slavery, in America. The Indians who were not distributed among the Spaniards as slaves were compelled to pay a tribute in gold dust, and as gold never abounded in Cuba this was a difficult thing to do. Although the Indians were physically well developed, they were not accustomed to continuous and hard labor. The tasks imposed upon them by their ruthless Spanish masters caused so great a mortality that in about half a century the whole native

CUBA. 31

population of the island had disappeared. Some of the estimates placed the number of inhabitants of the country originally at 800,000. Others place it at no more than 400,000. But even taking the latter figure as correct, what a frightful destruction of human life there was in a few years !