COLUMBIA'S WAR FOR CUBA. CHAPTER I. CUBA, THE PEARL OF THE ANTILLES. First glimpse of Cuba - Mistakes of Columbus-Its early names-Its strange shape -Undeveloped mineral treasures-A rainy record-The one day of snow-A land of trees and fruits-Birds-How the island is peopled-Peninsulars, Riollos and Asiatics-Characteristics of the provinces-Nominal representation-An expensive religion-An island in pawn-Love, courtship and matrimony in Cuba. FTER centuries of oppression, and many long and cruel wars, in which innumerable lives have been sacrificed, the beautiful island of Cuba at last emerges into the sweet light of freedom. Our own day and generation have witnessed the culmination of the noble struggle conducted by her people, under patriotic leaders, against the brutal and inhuman tyranny of Spain-a struggle in which every resource suggested by barbarism seemed to have been exhausted by the oppressor. Although civilization stood aghast at the atrocities perpetrated in Cuba, under Spanish misrule, and at the ruin of the most valuable possession of the Spanish Crown, yet no hand or voice was raised in protest. Europe's attitude was that which it had assumed in the case of Armenia-a passive spectator of the application of the policy of extermination by famine and the sword, through which Spain hoped forever to settle the long-vexed "Cuban question." Then there came a time when our own free and favored nation, horrified at the great crime being enacted at its very doors, espoused Cuba's cause in the interest of humanity, and commanded Spain to put an end to the pitiless warfare which had made of the once beautiful and fertile island a wilderness of graves. But Spain only mocked at the mandate, and hardened her heart, like Pharaoh of old, who "would not let the people go." The inevitable climax was reached when the great Republic of the West arose in its might, smote the oppressor and, breaking Cuba's fetters, declared her freed forever from the slavery of Spain. Henceforward, the "Pearl of the Antilles" has two days that will be perpetually memorable-the day of her dis covery and that of her liberation. Her sons and daughters will celebrate both with equal enthusiasm in the years to come. Cuba's history is a long record of romantic conquest and adventure. On a beautiful autumn morning, October 28, 1492, the simple people who were then her inhabitants might have seen three queer looking vessels approaching her shores. They were the exploring ships of Christopher Columbus. The "Santa Maria," a ship of ninety feet keel, with four masts, of which two were square-rigged and two fitted with lateen sails, and carrying an armament of heavy guns, was manned by sixty-six seamen with Columbus at their head. The other two vessels, which were intended for the exploration of rivers and coasts, were under the charge of two brothers, Martin and Vincente Pinzon. As the great discoverer sailed along the shores of this "enchanted land" he imagined that he was 13,000 miles from where he really was; and the island that is known to us as less than half the size of Italy and smaller than the State of New York, his excited imagination pictured as a vast continent and kingdom of the East. A small island near at hand, he named Isabella, for the loved queen of Castile, who was his royal patroness, and of it he wrote: Everything is green as April in Andalusia. The singing of the birds is such that it seems as if one would never desire to depart. There are trees of a |