an account for the fact that no news of any
kind has been received from him.

In addition to this, the towns of Guisa and Canto el Embarcadero have
been captured by the Cubans. A force of Spanish guerillas, fifty strong,
have gone over to the insurgents, carrying with them arms, ammunition,
and a large sum of money. Gomez is busy in Santa Clara, organizing his
forces to make a strong stand against the Spanish troops.

As we told you, the Government has issued an order permitting the
grinding of the sugar-cane.

Gomez is determined to prevent this. In the Western provinces, the
rebels have divided themselves into small bands, and are burning such
cane-fields as the desolation of the war has left growing.

Gomez himself will destroy the fields of Santa Clara.

You probably remember the methods employed by the insurgents for burning
the cane at the beginning of the war.

They caught snakes, which are very plentiful in the swampy districts of
Cuba, and rubbing their bodies with kerosene, set fire to them, and then
threw them into the cane-fields.

The agonized reptiles, in their efforts to rub the burning oil from
their bodies, twined around the cane, twisted from stem to stem, and set
the fields on fire in a hundred places at once.

A big engagement is reported near Sancti Spiritus, and it is also said
that the rebels have hanged fifteen persons who have approached them
with proposals of Home Rule.

This does not look as if the island would soon be pacified.

* * * * *

The Government in Spain appears to be satisfied with the President's
Message, the substance of which you will find in this number of THE
GREAT ROUND WORLD.

You will see, when you look at it, that the President does not think it
wise to interfere for the present, but thinks it right to give Spain
time to try what Home Rule will do.

It is doubtful, however, whether the proposed reforms can be made
acceptable to the majority of the Cubans.

A fresh proclamation, signed by a number of the lesser Cuban chiefs, has
been issued. In it the insurgents state very decidedly that they are
fighting for liberty, and will have nothing but liberty from Spain. They
declare, in so many words, that their watchword is "Freedom or Death."

It is not going to be easy to pacify so determined a people.

The Havana volunteers are now giving the Government much trouble and
putting fresh obstacles in the way of the success of the re