ustain the laws lay idly in port, the officers passing
their time in search of amusement on shore, or in giving balls and
dances on board their ships. Tacon saw that one of the very first
moves essential to be made was to suppress the wholesale system of
smuggling upon the coast. The heretofore idle navy became infused with
life and was promptly detailed upon this service, coasting night and
day along the shore from Cape Antonio to the Point of Maysi, but to
little or no good effect. A few captures were made, but the result was
only to cause a greater degree of caution on the part of the
contrabandists. In vain were all the measures taken by the officials.
The smuggling was as successful as ever, and the law was completely
defied. At last, finding that his expeditions against the outlaws
failed, partly from their adroitness and bravery and partly from want
of pilots capable of guiding attacking parties among the shoals
frequented by the smugglers, a large and tempting reward in gold was
offered to any one of them who would desert his comrades and act as
pilot to the King's ships. At the same time a double reward was
offered for the person of Marti, dead or alive, as he was known to be
the leader of the desperate men who so successfully defied the
authorities. These offers were fully promulgated, and care was taken
that those who were most interested should be made aware of their
purport. But the hoped-for result did not ensue. There was either too
much honor among the guilty characters to whom the bribe was offered
to permit them to betray each other, or they feared the condign
punishment which was the portion of all traitors among them. The
government had done its best, but had failed to accomplish its object.

It was a dark, cloudy night in Havana, some three or four months
subsequent to the offering of the rewards to which we have referred.
Two sentinels were pacing back and forth before the main entrance of
the Governor's palace which forms one side of the area inclosing the
Plaza de Armas. The military band had performed as usual that evening
in the Plaza and had retired. The public, after enjoying the music,
had partaken of their ices and favorite drinks at La Domenica's and
found their way to their homes. The square was now very quiet, the
stillness only broken by the music of the fountain mingled with the
tread of the two sentinels. The stars looked calmly down from between
the rifts of hanging clouds which crow