themselves. The sympathies of the American people were
with them, and they looked to our country for arms and recruits. The
former were smuggled into the island as opportunity offered by a Cuban
committee in New York. Not many, but yet some, recruits went, for it was
death to be caught going or returning, and few ever returned. The civil
conflict was murderous, neither side giving quarter. The spirit of
adventure was strong upon me, and I resolved, if I escaped, to make my
way to the Western Province and join the insurgents for a year, then
make my escape by crossing the narrow body of water between Cape San
Antonio and the mainland of Central America.

Once among the rebels all pursuit of me was at an end, as army after
army had been sent from Spain to crush the rebellion, and each had in
turn melted away before the valor of the rebels or the deadly climate.

Nunn volunteered to accompany me, and I gave him $2,000 to send to his
wife in Paris, that his mind might be easy on that score. No one knew my
real destination save Nunn and my wife. It was hard to obtain her
consent, but at last it was given. I arranged with her that she was to
leave Havana as soon as she knew I was off, cross to Key West, wait one
month there, and, if she then heard nothing of me, she was to telegraph
my sister to meet her in New York, take the steamer to that city and
live with her until I rejoined her.

Among other things, Nunn, by my orders, procured good maps of the
country. A Spanish gentleman, a warm friend, but whose name I will not
mention, was my counselor in the plot. He advised me to go to the Isle
of Pines, as Senor Andrez had promised to keep me safely from all
pursuit. I let my friends think that was my destination. I proposed as
when on my visit to embark from Cajio, but to take a westward course
along the coast, and when well off Pinar del Rio and night fell to put
about and steer to shore under cover of the darkness. Once ashore, to
get as far inland as possible before dawn. Then to keep a lookout for
any body of rebels and join them as a volunteer in the cause of "free
Cuba." We were sure of a welcome, particularly as we would come well
armed.

[Illustration: BLACK MARIA CONVEYING THE FORGERS THROUGH LONDON IN
CHAINS.]

I had made it a practice to give the sentinels in the police barracks a
bottle of brandy every day and a box of cigars every second day during
my stay, besides what were to them valuable presents, so I wa