As being an utter
falsehood," observes our author.

Placido, the mulatto leader of the insurrection, seems to have been a
remarkable man, of commanding appearance, great energy of character, and
superior intelligence. One of the means he adopted to rouse the coloured
population of Cuba against their oppressors, was the writing of
revolutionary songs and verses. During the whole of 1843 he was busy
laying the foundations of his scheme, and, although his designs were known
to thousands, no one was found to betray them. The plot was finally
discovered by the conversation of some of the conspirators being
overheard. An obscure warning of it, given by a young negress to her
master, with whom she was in love, also led to enquiry. The project was
for nothing less than the total extermination of the white race, and the
formation of a republic after the example of Hayti The leading posts and
commands were assigned to the mulattoes, as well during the revolt as in
the organized government that was subsequently to be formed. The Thursday
in Passion Week was the day fixed for the outbreak; the signal to be given
by the simultaneous burning of the sugar-canes; the watchword, "_La Muerte
y la Destruccion_." The domestic servants were in the plot, and were to
aid in various ways. "The cooks were to poison their masters, and the
caleseros, with their coach-horses, to form a corps of cavalry."

The alarm was not given till the morning of the day on which the
conspiracy was to have broken out. Then the arrests began. Five hundred of
the conspirators were thrown into the prison of Matanzas, which town was
the headquarters of the conspiracy, and gave its name to it. But the
negroes finding themselves discovered, and expecting no mercy, resolved at
least to glut their vengeance as far as the time would allow them.
Overseers were flung into their sugar-boilers, two entire families at
Matanzas were poisoned, and other excesses took place. The reprisals
exercised were most horrible; two hundred prisoners were immediately
butchered, and numerous straggling parties shot down like dogs; some
wretched victims were flogged to death to induce them to betray their
accomplices. Further outbreaks were the result of these severities. The
planters who fell into the hands of the negroes were mercilessly
massacred; numerous plantations were burned. The insurrectionary movements
were, however, isolated and without organization; the Spaniards succeeded
in r