About twenty-eight years ago many of the Cubans got together in the eastern part of the island, and thinking they could throw off the Spanish rule, they armed themselves and went into the mountains, where they fought against the Spanish rule for ten years. At that time the negroes of Cuba were still slaves, their masters buying and selling them as though they were cattle instead of human beings. As these black men were all strong and hardy fellows, the Cubans told them that if they would help them fight they would give them their liberty. Of course they were anxious to become free men, and great many of them joined the white Cubans and fought with them very well. Spain tried hard to put down this insurrection, but found it very expensive to send her soldiers to fight a people among the mountains in their own country. At last, after she had spent a great deal of money and lost a great many of her boy soldiers, she sent her greatest General, Martinez Campos, with full power to treat with the rebellious Cubans. He succeeded in communicating with the revolutionists, and promised them certain reforms in the administration of their affairs. The Cubans wanted self-government, and, among other things, they stipulated that the negroes who had fought with them should be recognized as free men. This did not seem reasonable, because the negroes who had remained faithful to Spain were still slaves, while those who had rebelled were to be rewarded. General Campos agreed, however, and the Cubans laid down their arms. Thus the first successful blow for freedom was struck, and Spain soon passed laws which eventually gave the rest of the negroes their liberty. There followed some sixteen years of comparative peace, although the Cubans claim that Spain never fulfilled the promises made to them by Martinez Campos. There were several attempts to make war again, but the Cubans appear to have been afraid. They are not a fighting people, like our ancestors, who fought against a tax of threepence on a pound of tea because they considered it unjust. The Cubans wanted to be let alone, and often paid their taxes without complaint. But as Spain still sent her boys as colonists to Cuba, the Cubans found it very hard to compete with these boys, pay their taxes, and make a living. A great many of them left the island and came to this country, where they have made their homes, but always looking across the water, hoping that some day their island would be free from Spanish rule. Some of the Cubans, instead of leaving the island took to the woods and became bandits. Thus things went from bad to worse, until some of the old leaders of the last war thought the time had arrived to strike another blow for the freedom of Cuba. [Illustration: THE INSURGENT GENERAL GOMEZ AND HIS STAFF.]